Tag Archive: brew day
White IPA Brew Day
One of the beers that I’ve purchases as a 6-pack that didn’t stay in my fridge very long was MadTree’s Luna Lux (link includes recipe). For whatever reason, it became my go-to beer for all of six evenings, and that was after having (and thoroughly enjoying) a pint at a local pizza place.
So what does a homebrewer do when a place like MadTree gives you (and everyone!) the recipe? I think most homebrewers would spin it a little. Which I did…
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 60 min | 70.6 IBUs | 6.3 SRM | 1.053 | 1.013 | 5.3 % |
| Actuals | 1.046 | 1.01 | 4.7 % | |||
Style Details
| Name | Cat. | OG Range | FG Range | IBU | SRM | Carb | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| white ipa | 21 B | 1.056 - 1.065 | 1.01 - 1.016 | 40 - 70 | 5 - 8 | 2.4 - 3 | 5.5 - 7 % |
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| White Wheat Malt | 1.5 lbs | 13.64 |
| Caramel Malt - 20L (Briess) | 8 oz | 4.55 |
| Pale Ale Malt 2-Row (Briess) | 9 lbs | 81.82 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | 0.12 oz | 60 min | Boil | Pellet | 15 |
| Jarrylo | 1 oz | 20 min | Boil | Pellet | 16 |
| Galaxy | 1 oz | 20 min | Aroma | Pellet | 14 |
| Citra | 1 oz | 20 min | Aroma | Pellet | 12 |
| Citra | 1 oz | 7 days | Dry Hop | Pellet | 12 |
| Galaxy | 1 oz | 7 days | Dry Hop | Pellet | 14 |
| Jarrylo | 1 oz | 7 days | Dry Hop | Pellet | 16 |
Miscs
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon Peel | 1.20 oz | 0 min | Boil | Spice |
| Coriander Seed | 0.50 oz | 0 min | Boil | Spice |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian Witbier (3944) | Wyeast Labs | 74% | 62°F - 75°F |
Mash
| Step | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mash In | 152°F | 60 min |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
Brew day was normal with only a few complaints of things I really need to fix – specifically I need to add releases that aren’t hose-barb connectors. And I still hate my plate chiller. This was the first brew day with my new pump, which worked splendidly, although there’s a few details I need to deal with (specifically, I need to have an outlet that I don’t block with kettles, I need to redo one of the fittings, and I need to mount this to a piece of wood or something as a base).
New Pump!
If it’s stupid and it works, it’s not stupid!
The grain milling needs some fixes, but they’re small. For starters, I need a thicker piece of wood to attach the drill to, and it needs to hold in place with the bucket. And I need to make sure the drill is spinning in the correct direction! Ultimately, I want to move milling outside because of the dust and the fact that I lost a few kernels to the floor.
First Running Gravity -1.064
This fermented for three weeks at 64F, which is the lowest end of the recommendations from Wyeast.
Packaging
I closed transfered from the fermenter to the keg.I’ve tried to do this once before, but this time worked better and with a few small modifications, this will work well.
Closed transfer from the the carboy on the bar to the keg in the freezer
The destination keg is in the keezer, the line coming out and into the pitcher is from the gas in post on the keg.
That’s what it looks like in the keezer… And yes, I have a lighted computer case fan circulating air in there.
Log
2018-02-25: Brewed
2018-03-04: 1.016 @ 67F
2018-03-07: 1.010 @ 67F
2018-03-13: 1.008 @ 67F
2018-03-16: 1.008 @ 67F
2018-03-18: Kegged
Tasting Notes
Appearance:hazy pale yellow with a thin lasting white head. Plenty of lacing on the glass.
Aroma: fruity hops with lemon undertone. No esters or phenols.
Flavor: light crackery malt with some orange and lemon flavor. Some spice in the background. Lasting light bitterness, but not overwhelming. No yeast character.
Mouthfeel: light-bodied. Dry and only slightly prickly from the carbonation.
Overall: I’m really enjoying this beer. The flavors really came together. I would have liked a lot more yeast character and a little more hop flavor and aroma, though. I think the next version may have a little bit more dry hopping and will be fermented warmer.
Awards: Won silver in the Hammerdown Brewcup 2018!
It’s dropped a little bit clearer since this picture was taken.
Cheers!
Lemon-Lime Gose Brew Day
I’ve been enjoying various fruited goses (I blame Urban Artifact, Keypunch is awesome, and Pinwheel and Sliderule are pretty damn good!). So I decided to brew a lemon-lime gose. The recipe is basically the Milk the Funk Gose with an added 0.25 oz lime zest and 0.25 oz lemon zest. This was one of my almost-better brew days – I hit my mash temp (154F) and pH (5.3). The only problem is that I forgot campden tablets. Here’s hoping the souring rest and the fact that I used hot water from the water heater (as opposed to tap water) means that the chlorine will make it’s way out of the water.
Recipe and Brewing
I mashed normally, boiled for 10 minutes, chilled to 100, racked to fermenters and added an entire quart of GoodBelly Mango. Since I had more wort than space in one fermenter, I put 5 gal (ish) into an old keg and 1.5 gal (ish) into a fermenting bucket. I used most of the GoodBelly in the keg, but I did save some for the bucket (of course). After a day, I added some US-05 yeast. Basically a kettle sour, but I’m not reboiling because I’m lazy. The notes section in the BeerXML below has more of the nitty-gritty details.
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 gal | 10 min | 0.0 IBUs | 2.8 SRM | 1.034 | 1.008 | 3.4 % |
| Actuals | 1.038 | 1.01 | 3.7 % | |||
Style Details
| Name | Cat. | OG Range | FG Range | IBU | SRM | Carb | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gose | 27 | 1.036 - 1.056 | 1.006 - 1.01 | 5 - 12 | 3 - 4 | 2.6 - 3.4 | 4.2 - 4.8 % |
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Brewer's Malt, 2-Row, Premium (Great Western) | 5 lbs | 50 |
| White Wheat Malt | 5 lbs | 50 |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goodbelly | 72% | 64°F - 95°F | |
| Safale American (US-05) | DCL/Fermentis | 77% | 59°F - 75°F |
Mash
| Step | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mash In | 150°F | 75 min |
Notes
| Brewed 6/3/2017. Used hot water, forgot campden tablets, initial mash pH 5.6, added 5 mL 88% lactic acid to bring to pH 5.3. PID was at 170 for several minutes, mash rested at around 154. Mashed out with 1.875g at 200, brought temp to 160. Took 3g of first runnings at 1.086. Added 4 gallons sparge at 200 with 3 mL 88% lactic acid. Batch sparge rest for ~10 minutes at 172. Took 3.8g second runnings at 1.027. Combined pre-boil wort was 1.038. Boiled for 10 minutes, KO and added 1.0 oz ground organic coriander, 0.5 oz sea salt, 0.25 oz lime zest (in hop bag) and 0.25 oz lemon zest (in hop bag). Stirred and drained through plate chiller to around 100 filling keg fermenter and ~2 gal into a small food-safe bucket. Added most of 1qt mango Goodbelly to the keg, the remainder to the bucket. pH of 5.05 into fermenter, measured after pulling a sample (because I forgot to check earlier). OG 1.038. Into fermenter around 4:30. |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
Pictures
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- The only coriander I could find.
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- 0.25 oz lime zest, 0.25 oz lemon zest, 1 oz ground coriander, 0.5 oz sea salt.
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- I used it all.
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- Mash pH. Nailed it!
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- Preparing for boil.
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- In the fermenters. The recipe called for 8 gallons, I actually had around 7, so 5 into the keg and 1.5 into the small bucket.
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- 6/10/17 check. 1.010 gravity.
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- 6/10/17 check. pH = pi
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- 6/10/17 check. I’m pleased with the color.
Brew Log
2017-06-03: Brewed. OG 1.038, pH 5.05. Began souring rest at 100F at around 4:30 PM.
2017-06-04 12:00 PM: Checked pH = 3.62. Nice sourness after not even 24 hours!
2017-06-08 7:00 PM: Checked. 1.015 SG, pH = 3.22. Next time, I’m going to re-boil like a traditional kettle sour.
2017-06-10 2:45 PM: Checked. 1.010 SG, pH = 3.14. Mostly lemon flavor with some slight sweet-lime flavor on the finish.
2017-06-14 ?:?? PM: Checked. 1.008 SG, pH = 3.20. Dry hopped 1.5 gal batch with 1 oz Soriache Ace hops.
2017-06-16 6:00 PM: Checked, 1.008 SG. Moved to keezer for cold crashing.
Tasting Notes
First Drink
Appearance: Hazy yellow. Actually looks like a NEIPA, not like a gose. Maybe it just needs more time to clear.
Aroma: The lactic acid dominates. Slight lemon.
Taste: Very acidic initial, lots of lemon through the middle with a slight lime finish.
Mouthfeel: Dry and sour. As expected!
Overall: It’s not bad for my second kettle sour, and definitely not bad for my first successful kettle sour! However some changes should be made for the next batch:
- Boil after souring to kill off the lactobacillus, and do this at a pH of around 3.4, not letting it hit 3.2. Right now, it’s just a little too acidic.
- Forget the lemon. Just use lime zest, keep some of the juice (frozen, perhaps?) for at bottling. The lactobacillus has enough lemon flavor on it’s own. This might push the pendulum too far to the lime.
Cheers! Sour is sometimes the new hoppy!
Competition
Entered in 2017 Cincinnati Malt Infusers Oktobersbest Competition, won gold!