Sunday, January 17, 2010

Nameless IPA

Okay. I started out with 1.25 quarts water to 1 lbs grain ratio. I then sparged with 4 gallons for 35 minutes and decided to bump it up a gallon for about 45 minutes. I sparged the batch by taking my bottling bucket, connecting a tube and running it into a gallon jug with small holes poked in the bottom of it. I boiled the wort for about 80 minutes and added all hop additions according to schedule. I cooled the wort to about 82 degrees, transferred the wort to a 6 gallon better bottle, aerated, gave some yeast nutrients, and pitched the propagated yeast starter I made 3 days ago.
The SG was 1.060 and I expect this yeast to take it very low (like 1.005) and obtain a high gravity of around 7.9 percent to 8.3 percent.
This yeast is able to withstand 25% alcohol by volume, but you have to oxygenate a lot almost every day during the primary, and some nutrients should also be added. I only pitched the yeast about 30 minutes ago and I already have activity in the fermentation vessel

Friday, January 15, 2010

Nameless IPA

I'm trying out a recipe for an IPA after 3 dry months. My Wittwarrior only lasted about 2 weeks as most of the batch was taken to a party. I haven't even had a beer in over a month. Back to the IPA. I'm using 12.5 lbs of American 2-row, .5 10 Crystal, .5 20 Crystal, .5 carapils, 1 oz Chinook, 1 oz Centennial, 2 oz Cascade, 2 oz bitter orange peel.
The Chinooks and Centennial hops are added together at the start of the boil. one ounce of cascades are added with 30 minutes left along with 1 oz of bitter orange peel. Then, .5 oz cascades added at 20 minutes left. Then irish moss at 15 minutes left and finally, at 5 minutes I add the final .5 oz cascades along with 1 oz bitter orange peel.