Popular Homebrew Recipe Revealed: Halfway Crooks Sanguine Details Emerge
Brewers seeking to replicate a critically acclaimed modern lager can now access the full recipe for Halfway Crooks Beer’s Sanguine, a nuanced and flavorful offering that has garnered attention for its unique approach to the style. The recipe, published in Craft Beer & Brewing, details the precise ingredients and techniques used to create this award-winning brew, offering both experienced homebrewers and enterprising beginners a pathway to recreate the beer’s distinctive character.
Sanguine stands out for its unconventional lager profile, achieved through a blend of noble hops, a complex yeast selection, and a focus on water chemistry. The release of this recipe provides insight into the brewing philosophy of Halfway Crooks, a Chicago-based brewery known for its dedication to traditional techniques and innovative flavor combinations. Homebrewers can now experiment with these methods, potentially refining their own lager recipes and contributing to the evolving landscape of craft beer.
Recipe Breakdown:
The recipe calls for a grain bill consisting of Pilsner malt, Vienna malt, and wheat malt, mashed at 147°F (64°C) for 60 minutes, targeting a pH of 5.4. The hop schedule is carefully layered, beginning with 0.25 oz (7 g) of Magnum at 60 minutes for 12 IBUs, followed by 0.7 oz (20 g) of Belgian Brewer’s Gold at 20 minutes (11 IBUs), 0.7 oz (20 g) of Belgian Styrian golding at 15 minutes (8 IBUs), and a considerable 3.3 oz (94 g) of Belgian Cascade in the whirlpool for 22 IBUs.
Yeast selection is a key component,utilizing a blend of 70% Fermentis saflager W-34/70,27% SafAle S-33,and 3% SafAle T-58. Fermentation occurs at 64°F (18°C), followed by a 3-4 week conditioning period at 50°F (10°C) to allow any sulfur compounds to subside. The finished beer is carbonated to 2.5-3 volumes of CO2.
Brewing Considerations:
The brewery notes a water profile of 109 ppm chloride, 71 ppm calcium, 71 ppm sulfates, 15 ppm magnesium, and 7 ppm sodium. Variations on the grain bill sometimes include 5% Weyermann Spelt Malt,with a corresponding reduction in wheat. IREKS malt is occasionally substituted for Dingemans. The brewers also adjust the pH to 5.0 at the 20-minute hop addition and suggest a 75-minute boil if DMS is a concern, given their direct-fire kettle’s efficient evaporation. IBU calculations are performed by first determining the contribution of later hop additions, then adjusting the magnum addition accordingly.