Karl's Global Liberator

By Rob Gallagher

Recipe is part of Recipe Index

BJCP 2021 Style 9A - Doppelbock

BJCP 2021 Style 33A - Wood-Aged Beer

Although decoction mashing is primarily associated with Czech lagers, I feel that it really shines best in doppelbocks, allowing you to get a massive, thick, luscious richness, without the beer become cloying. The wood aged version includes 25g of medium toast oak chips in the keg.

Awards

Brew Like a Monk 2017

2nd Place - Strong Lagers

London and Southeast Craft Brewing Competition 2017

2nd Best of Show

Brewcon 2019

1st Place - German Lagers and Ales

Lager than Life 2025 (Wood aged version)

1st Place - Smoked, Wood and Spice

3rd Best of Show

Measures

• IBU 21
• ABV 8.5%
• OG 1.095
• FG 1.032
• EBC 32
• 37 litres at end of boil.
• 34 litres into fermenter.

Ingredients

Water

Reverse Osmosis water with CaCl added to give 100ppm Ca+ (153ppm Cl-)

Malt

• Weyermann Munich I, 15 EBC, 11000g, 74%
• Weyermann Floor malted Bohemian Pilsner, 3 EBC, 3000g, 20%
• Weyermann Caramunich I, 100 EBC, 4500g, 3 %
• Weyermann Caramunich II, 124 EBC, 4500g, 3 %

Hops

• 100g Tettnang (3.0%) at 90 minutes
• 30g Saaz (2.5%) at 90 minutes

Yeast

• WLP833 German Bock lager yeast. Either a very large starter or, preferably, pitch straight onto the slurry from a smaller, weaker batch.

Process

Mash

• Hochkurz triple decoction mash. Rests at 50°C, 62°C, 70°C & 76°C.
• Process as in Rossum's Utopian Rebels

Boil

• 90 min boil

Ferment

• Pitch at 9°C and allow to rise to 10°C. When fermentation starts rise to 12°C over about three days. When half attenuated rise slowly to 18°C

Serving

• Keg at 2.6vols
• For wood aged version add 25g of medium toast oak chips to keg.