Brewed on Monday, December 30th, 2013
For this installment, I am testing my new heat sticks (http://www.cedarcreeknetworks.com/heatstick.htm garnered from a few various posts on hbt.com), and using my first ever order of bulk hops!!! I will be doing a partigyle IIPA/English Bitter, capping the Bitter with a few pounds of M-O. I am using Safale 33 for the bitter to make a yeast cake onto which I will pitch the next batch, which will hopefully be an RIS. Woot!
— IIPA —
Recipe Type: All-Grain
Yeast: IIPA – WLP004 (from the yeast saved from the starter for Batch 25)
Yeast Starter: 1L
Batch Size (Gallons): 6.5 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.086
Final Gravity:
IBU: ~80
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: ~15?
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp):
22# Rahr 2-row
2# Crystal 60
2c sugar (in the boil)
3 oz Cascade Leaf – 60 minutes
5 oz Cascade Leaf continuously added for last 20 minutes (one 1/2c each minute)
1 oz Cascade Leaf at flameout
1 whirlfloc – 10 minutes
2.5 tsp yeast nutrient – 10 minutes
3 oz Cascade Dry Hop for 7 days
I added sugar to the boil in line with descriptions of Pliny, in order to dry out the batch a bit. I drew off more liquid from the mash than I intended (8 gal instead of intended 7 gal), so I added more sugar (2 c instead of the originally intended 1c) to try to compensate for the lower gravity. At the end of the boil, the wort was a bit darker than expected, and the heat stick elements had black marks (… scorch marks?) on them (these wiped off with ease). The elements had hop leaves stuck in them when I pulled them out, and I’m wondering if the hop leaves scorched on the elements.
More than what would reasonably fit in the carboy. I had an extra 1 gallon in my glass jug, into which I pitched S-04.
Blowouts the next day! Horray Fermentation!!
— Bitter —
Recipe Type: All-Grain
Yeast: Safale 33
Yeast Starter: No
Batch Size (Gallons): 5 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.045
Final Gravity:
IBU: ~40
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: ~10?
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp):
Mash from the IIPA
2# 6oz Maris Otter
1 oz Cascade Leaf – 60 minutes
1 oz Cascade Leaf – 10 minutes
No scorching on the elements at the end of the boil! Healthy fermentation the next day! Woot!
UPDATE 1/11/14 – checked gravities
1.025 on the IIPA (8%, 69% attenuation). The beer hasn’t cleared yet, and I see some activity in the carboy. Given activity and the low attenuation, I will conclude that this puppy is still cookin, however the taster tastes GREAT. Malty, a hint of sweet (which might go away with more fermentation), and full flavor and aroma of CASCADE. Gonna dry hop this one somethin fierce.
1.010 on the Bitter (4.6%, 77% attenuation). The beer has cleared, no activity in the liquid, and read the next day, it holds. I bottled on 1/12/14. Last bottle tasted quite nice, and quite grapefruity. The testing sample on 1/11/14 also tasted mild but crisp, none too bitter with the malt and hops both present.
I didn’t check the 1 gallon portion of the IIPA, but it had cleared last week, with no apparent activity in the vessel, so I bottled that too. It yielded a growler and (3) 12oz bottles.
update 1/19/14 – IIPA gravity 1.019 (8.8%, 77% attn), it still has not cleared and likely still has a ways to go
UPDATE 2/13/14 – the small beer could have done with more bittering hops, and less carbonation. It also might have done better as-is with a Belgian Saison yeast strain. This would have made a damned tasty saison.
UPDATE 2/18/14 – I dry-hopped with 2oz Cascade leafs for a week starting on 1/27, and I dry-hopped with another 2oz Cascade leafs for a week starting on 2/3 … I believe I bottled the IIPA on 2/10/14 (though obviously none of this is reflected earlier in this post). I cracked a bottle tonight, and after a week and a day or so of bottle conditioning, it has a nice low carbonation, with a slightly rocky, slightly off-white head. On color, I’d call it an imperial Amber rather than an imperial IPA. Lots of fantastic flavor. At slightly-chilled temps, it is super tasty and smooth to drink, but with prominent bitter and cascadey citrus notes. At cellar temperatures (mid-to-high 60s), it is even more complex (hints of cardamom?). Probably boozy (I can never tell anymore), definitely warming. Definitely a winner. Might call this Cascade Nectar (tip-of-the-hat to Troegs)?