This recipe is based on Burley Oak’s series of dessert-like beers that combine lactic acidification, milk sugar, and copious fruit—or, if you prefer, a certain orange vegetable.

ALL-GRAIN

• Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
• Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
• OG: 1.083
• FG: 1.034
• IBUs: 5
• ABV: 6.4% (pre-fruit)

MALT/GRAIN BILL

• 9.2 lb (4.2 kg) pilsner
• 1.6 lb (726 g) white wheat malt
• 1.4 lb (635 g) flaked oats
• 12 oz (340 g) acidulated malt

HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE

• 2 lb (907 g) lactose at 60 minutes
• 0.25 oz (7 g) Sterling at 45 minutes [5 IBUs]
• 5–10 lb (2.3–4.5 kg) fruit (see below)

YEAST
Omega OYL-605 Lacto or preferred Lactobacillus strain or blend Fermentis SafAle US-05 or similar

DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 148°F (64°C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6 gallons (23 liters) of wort—or more, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 15 minutes, then cover the kettle and allow the wort to cool to 100–110°F (38–43°C). Pitch Lactobacillus and hold the temperature between 90–120°F (32–49°C) for 18–24 hours, until pH has dropped to between 3.1 and 3.4. Then boil for 60 minutes, adding lactose and hops according to the schedule. Chill to 68°F (20°C), aerate well, and pitch the ale yeast. Ferment at 72°F (22°C) until the beer is 75 percent attenuated—i.e., at about 1.046—then add the fruit. Once fermentation is complete, crash to 34°F (1°C), condition 3 days, then rack to secondary. Condition until ready to package and carbonate.

BREWER’S NOTES
Plug your desired fruit into this recipe or go with 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of fresh carrot juice. To evoke carrot cake, consider adding 1 lb (454 g) of dark brown sugar to the boil plus about 0.25 oz (7 g) vanilla beans and 2 cinnamon sticks to secondary for 5 days.