Russian River STS clone

Use a lager water profile with an eye towards being low in minerals. Russian River starts with reverse osmosis water and adds a little calcium chloride and even less gypsum. Target a mash pH of 5.35–5.45 and utilize a thin mash. Conduct a step mash beginning at 132 °F (56 °C) for 20 minutes. Heat to 142 °F (61 °C) and hold for 20 minutes. Heat to 152 °F (67 °C) and hold for 30 minutes. Heat to 162 °F (72 °C) and hold for 20 minutes. Ensure conversion is complete and conduct a 170 °F (77 °C) mash out step, if desired. Vorlauf until your wort is clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge the grains with 168 °F (76 °C) water to obtain 6 gallons (23 L) of wort (or more, depending on your evaporation rate).
Boil for 60 minutes following the hopping schedule. After the boil is complete, add the whirlpool hop additions and stir the wort briskly to form a whirlpool, then cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Russian River adjusts the pH in the whirlpool down to 5.0–5.1.

Chill the wort to 50 °F (10 °C). Aerate the wort if using a liquid yeast strain, pitch the yeast, and add yeast nutrient if desired. Ferment at 52 °F (11 °C) until final gravity is achieved and let the beer sit for one to two additional days.

If possible, remove yeast from fermenter and reduce temperature to 42 °F (6 °C) before adding the dry-hop additions. If able, after three more days, dump the cone of your fermenter to remove as much dry hops and yeast as possible. Drop temperature to 32 °F (0 °C), or as close as you’re able, and let sit two additional weeks. Bottle or keg and force carbonate as usual.