Recipe: MadeWest Standard

MadeWest Brewing in Ventura, California, calls it a “light ale” or a “blonde ale.” Whatever you call it, it won gold at GABF in 2018 and silver in 2019. Aromatic hopping, cooler fermentation, and full attenuation are the keys to its super-crisp profile.

By Mike Morrison

June 4, 2021

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“We played with how cold we could ferment that beer, to get the cleanest, crispest version of an ale, but with a German-ish pilsner hop profile and a prominent malt character that finished dry and refreshing.“ That's how cofounder and head brewer Mike Morrison describes the process of developing this award-winning, easygoing blonde ale.

Here is a homebrew-scale recipe for MadeWest Standard. For more perspective from Morrison on brewing a great light golden ale, see Excellence in the Sublime: Brewing Blonde Ale with MadeWest.

ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.049
FG: 1.006
IBUs: 16
ABV: 5.6%