Brewer’s log, Brew Date – 30-12-09 0745
So, brew day has finally arrived. It is just too long between brew days. Initially, my plan was to brew Monday but the snow storm last week moved our family Hershey Candy Lane trip to Sunday/Monday. Then it was going to be yesterday but it was just too windy, gusts to 40+, not to mention cold!
Today I am brewing an IPA. Using mostly Centennial Hops in late additions, and Nugget hops for bittering. I am hoping for a cross between a Midwest (Michigan, mainly) and West Coast IPA. More specifically, I would like the hopping profiles or flavors of the Midwest (Bell’s Two-Hearted IPA, Founders Centennial IPA), but the bitterness, dryness and light color of the West Coast IPAs like Port Wipe Out IPA, Stone IPA, and Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, or even Stone Ruination. Here’s hoping…err…hopping!
I would like to thank Homebrew42 on BeerAdvocate for the recipe suggestion that formed the basis for the recipe I am using today. So without further ado here is the recipe:
- 11 lbs 10 oz American Pale Malt
- 10 oz Crystal 20L
- 10 oz Carapils
- 1 lb Dextrose (10 min.)
- 1/2 Teaspoon yeast nutrients (10 min)
- 1 Whirlfloc tablet (15 min)
- 1 11.5g sachet Fermentis US-05 Chico Ale Yeast
Hopping Schedule:
- 1.6 oz whole Nugget (11.5% AA) 75 min.
- 1.0 oz whole Centennial (9.6% AA) 20 min
- 1.0 oz whole Centennial (9.6% AA) 10 min
- 1.0 oz whole Centennial (9.6% AA) 5 min
- 2.0 oz whole Centennial (9.6% AA) Flameout
- 1.85 oz whole Centennial (9.6% AA) Dry hop
- 0.75 oz Cascade pellets (8.6% AA) Dry hop
- 0.4 oz Amarillo pellets (8.0% AA) Dry Hop
- 0.55 oz Centennial pellets (9.1% AA) Dry Hop
Mash in at 149° F for 60 minutes. Drain 1st runnings. Batch sparge at 168° F . Chill to 68°F. Pitch rehydrated yeast. Ferment for 7 days or until complete. transfer to secondary fermetation vessel and add dry hops. Dry hop for 7 days.
So here is how I intend to to achieve my goals for this beer stated above:
- The Crystal 20L will impart just a hint of mild caramel sweetness and a light golden color.
- The Carapils will lend body as well as some sweet malt flavor while improving head retention.
- The dextrose will help ensure a dry beer because the yeast will feast completely on this simple sugar.
- Mash at low 149° F for a very fermentable wort.
You may be wondering why some of the hop weights are not standard; this is because I am using up some leftovers from my hop freezer. This hop schedule gives about 108 IBUs on the Tinseth scale. This is Stone Ruination territory. But, these hops are 2007 crop and have been in the freezer for a while. While they have been sealed in Foodsaver Bags, they may have lost some of there AAs. So better to be hoppier than not hoppy enough, in my opinion.
