Blonde Ale Recipe (All-Grain): 5 to 30 Gallons
An all-grain Blonde Ale recipe you can brew at 5 to 30 gallons: 4.7% ABV and 25 IBU, with the grain bill, hop schedule, yeast and step-by-step process.
In this post
Blonde Ale at a glance: 4.7% ABV, 25 IBU, OG 1.046. A light, clean, easy blonde ale: pale malt with a little Vienna for a bready backbone, a soft bitterness and a touch of Cascade. The beer to brew for friends who don’t like hoppy beer, and a great first all-grain recipe.
Bräu Supply recipe · All-grain
Blonde Ale
Grain · for 5 gal into the fermenter
| 8 lb (3.63 kg) | Pale 2-row malt | 84% |
| 1 lb (0.45 kg) | Vienna malt | 11% |
| 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | Crystal 10 | 5% |
Hops
| 0.3 oz (9 g) | Magnum · 13% AA | 60 min |
| 1 oz (28 g) | Willamette · 5% AA | 20 min |
| 0.5 oz (14 g) | Cascade · 6% AA | 5 min |
Yeast and water
| 1 pkg | American ale yeast (US-05, WLP001 or Wyeast 1056) | |
| Water | Balanced water. | |
Process
- Mash: 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes
- Boil: 60 minutes
- Ferment: 64°F (18°C) for 10 to 14 days
- Condition: Cold crash and package; ready in 2 to 3 weeks
- Carbonate: 2.5 volumes of CO₂
Brew it on
Based on 72% brewhouse efficiency and about 5.5 gal after the boil for a 5 gal batch. Adjust the base malt if your system runs higher or lower. Hops scale in a straight line; larger kettles extract a little more bitterness.
How to brew it
- Mash at 150°F (66°C) for 60 minutes.
- Boil 60 minutes, adding the hops on schedule.
- Chill to 64°F (18°C), oxygenate and pitch the yeast.
- Ferment at 64°F (18°C) until the gravity is stable.
- Cold crash for a day or two to clear it.
- Package at about 2.5 volumes of CO₂.
Tips
- Ferment on the cool side for a clean finish.
- Swap the Cascade for Hallertau or Saaz for a more European blonde.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between blonde ale and pale ale?
A blonde is lighter, less hoppy and more balanced toward the malt. See our American pale ale.
Can I add fruit?
Yes. It makes a great base for fruit beers; see our strawberry blonde ale.