Canadian Ace

Canadian Ace – Prohibition Era Pilsner

As brewed at Sieben Brewery in Chicago (mid 1920’s). There were a number of “Canadian Ace” branded beers before, during, and after Prohibition but I don’t think the brewers were particularly concerned about Copyright or Trademark infringements.

5 Gallon Batch

Ingredients:

•  6 lbs. six-row lager malt
•  2 lbs. rice (ground)
•  8 oz. de-fatted soy grits

Procedure:

1. Cook rice in 1 gallon plus 3 cups water for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat mash tun and add 1 3/4 gallons of 120 F water.
3. Let cooked rice temperature drop to 190 F.
4. Add rice to mash tun and immediately mash in malt and soy grits.
5. The temperature should end up between 150 and 155 F.
6. Hold at 150 – 155 F for 90 minutes. Add heated brewing water to adjust.
7. Sparge with 168 F water to collect 6 + gallons of wort.
8. Boil wort for 1 hour using the following hop schedule:            
   1. 60 minutes – 1.5 oz. of 6% a/a Hersbrucker  (42.5 gms.)
   2. 30 minutes – 0.5 oz. of 5% a/a Hallertauer  (14 gms.)
   3. 10 minutes – 1/8 oz. of 6% a/a  Hersbrucker  (3.5 gms.) + 1 tsp. Irish Moss
9. Add 0.5  oz. (14 gms.) of Hallertauer at flame out and cover brew kettle.
10. Chill to 50 – 55 F.
11. Pitch starter slurry of S-23 yeast.  (VLB strain)
12. Ferment at 50 F.
13. O.G. – 1.045,   F.G. – 1.010,  abv – 4.5%,  SRM – 3
14. Bottle with 5 oz. (3/4 cup) of dextrose.

To fine tune the brew:

•  Add 1 gallon of the heated sparge water to the mash just before the lauter (to ease run-off.)

•  Use soft brewing water (this is a Pilsner-style beer).

•  Don’t forget to add kettle finings at last 10 minutes of boil.

•  Can transfer to keg for natural carbonation when gravity is about 1.016.

•  Lager 33 – 35 F for 3 weeks in keg or bottle after conditioning.