5 tablespoons fresh yeast
1 cup warm water
5 pounds sugar
3 pounds blue ribbon malt, light hop flavor
water
In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of sugar. In a 10 gallon container, mix the sugar and malt together, then stir in the dissolved yeast. Mix in enough water to come to 6 inches below the top of the container to allow for expansion during the foaming action.
Place the crock in an out-of-the-way place, and let it sit for 4 days to 1 week at room temperature. Test the brew after 4 days by putting a little in a glass and stirring. If it forms a heavy foam, let it sit a few more days. Then keep testing until the brew quits foaming and it doesn't bubble.
Pour into bottles, then cap tightly and store at room temperature until the brew is clear. When ready to serve, chill, but be careful not to disturb the sediment on the bottom of the bottle.
My other question is this: Using the recipe as a starting point, what do you think I would get if I switched to something more specific, say black patent malt and some wyeast 1084 or a similar combination, lowered the original amount of sugar (my question is how much should I really use) and used some priming sugar toward the end?
Overall, I realize that it just makes sense to use tried and true recipes (via promash, a kit, or just plain common sense, etc.) but this is kind of intriguing.
What say you?