Troegs Mad Elf is a beloved holiday beer known for its rich malt profile, complex blend of cherries and honey, and the warmth from its high alcohol content, typically around 11% ABV. While the exact recipe for Troegs Mad Elf is proprietary, I can provide you with a homebrew recipe inspired by its characteristic profile. This recipe will aim to replicate the key flavors of Mad Elf, focusing on a 5-gallon batch size.

Inspired Mad Elf Clone Recipe

Ingredients:

Malt Bill:

• 10 lbs (4.5 kg) Pilsner Malt
• 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Munich Malt
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Caramel/Crystal Malt 60L
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Chocolate Malt (lightly use for color adjustment, consider around 0.25 lbs or 113g)
• 1 lb (0.45 kg) Special B Malt

Sugars (for Fermentation and Flavor):

• 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Honey (add at flameout or during primary fermentation to retain aroma)
• 2 lbs (0.9 kg) Cherries (sweet or tart, depending on preference; can use puree, added during the last 5-7 days of fermentation)

Hops:

• 1 oz (28 g) Hallertau Hops (60 min from end of boil)
• 0.5 oz (14 g) Saaz Hops (15 min from end of boil)

Yeast:

• Belgian Strong Ale Yeast (e.g., Wyeast 1388 Belgian Strong Ale or White Labs WLP500 Monastery Ale Yeast)

Spices (Optional):

• 1 tsp Allspice (added during the last 10 minutes of boil)
• 0.5 tsp Cinnamon (added during the last 10 minutes of boil)

Instructions:

1. Mash: Heat your water to around 152°F (67°C) and mash the grains for 60 minutes.
2. Sparge: Sparge the grains with hot water (around 168°F or 76°C) to collect approximately 6.5 gallons (24.6 liters) of wort.
3. Boil: Bring the wort to a boil, and follow the hop schedule as follows:
   • Add 1 oz Hallertau at the beginning of a 60-minute boil.
   • Add 0.5 oz Saaz with 15 minutes left in the boil.
   • If using, add spices during the last 10 minutes of the boil.
4. Honey and Cooling: Add the honey at flameout, ensuring it dissolves thoroughly. Then cool the wort as quickly as possible to around 68-70°F (20-21°C).
5. Fermentation: Transfer the cooled wort to a fermenter, pitch the yeast, and ferment at 68-72°F (20-22°C) for about 2 weeks, or until fermentation activity has slowed.
6. Cherries: Add the cherries (or cherry puree) into the fermenter during the last 5-7 days of fermentation, allowing for additional fermentation and flavor extraction.
7. Bottling: After fermentation is complete, including the additional time for the cherries, bottle the beer with priming sugar and let it carbonate for 2-3 weeks.
8. Aging: This beer will benefit from some aging, so consider letting it mature for a few months to allow the flavors to meld and the alcohol warmth to mellow.

Notes:

• The cherries and honey are crucial to achieving the characteristic flavor profile of Mad Elf. Adjust the amounts according to your taste and the intensity of the ingredients you have.
• The optional spices can add additional depth and a holiday character but use them sparingly to avoid overpowering the cherries and honey.
• Monitor the fermentation temperature closely, as higher temperatures can lead to more pronounced esters and phenols from the Belgian yeast, which can complement the fruit and honey but also risk dominating the flavor profile if too strong.

Enjoy the process, and hopefully, this recipe brings a bit of holiday cheer reminiscent of Troegs Mad Elf!

Homebrewing Recipes

We are circling back to include more homebrew articles. We have gotten some requests for recipes, so we have decided to write them up and post them here. Be sure to check for other Homebrew articles and recipes as well!

• Brewing a Traditional Lithuanian Farmhouse Beer – Keptinis (Karl Larson)

• Nebula Nectar Hazy IPA (Homebrew Recipe)

• Titan’s Tribute Barleywine (Homebrew Recipe)
• Mad Elf Inspired Clone (Homebrew Recipe)

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