Home Brew Company American Double IPA

Dads_Ale · May 23, 2015

This is the AG kit that I won in the recent raffle (thanks to all involved) and today is brew day.

It will be a bit of an odd brew day as I intend to follow the instructions to the letter and not add any extra ingredients. I will be doing my first batch sparge (normally fly sparge) and will be interesting to see how this turns out.

I will try and remember to take some photos as I go and post later.

First comment is that instructions are fine but will need to check with the HBC website to see what the malt and hops are.

Covrich · May 23, 2015

If it helps, its MO with crystal blend Nugget, Zeus and Centennial

Good luck I am hoping this turns out nice.. its a strong one

Dads_Ale · May 24, 2015

OK here we go

Ingredients unpacked (some may spot that I am missing a pack of hops which I found later whilst adding the malt to the mash tun).

Waiting for the mash liquor to cool down.

Adding the grains

Mash temp just right

Mash tun not designed for batch sparge method and 6kg of grain

Draining the wort. First runnings

Filling the boiler

Adding the first load of hops

Cooling down with home made counterflow cooler

Spot on 23litres in the FV at 1060

All in all a good brewday and I managed to resist deviating from the instructions. Beer now fermenting nicely.

clibit · May 24, 2015

Great pics Dads! Thanks, I'm looking forward to your tasting report!

Dads_Ale · May 24, 2015

I will be very interested how this turns out as did my own DIPA a week before so keen to see how they compare.

Low bottle stocks mean I have already tapped into the DIPA in the corny Keg :whistle::thumb:

clibit · May 24, 2015

Interesting comparison opportunity!

MyQul · May 24, 2015

Like your fat little FV. If buddha was reincarnated as an FV, thats what he'd look like. Where did you get it?

Dads_Ale · May 25, 2015

MyQul said:
Like your fat little FV. If buddha was reincarnated as an FV, thats what he'd look like. Where did you get it?

I got it from the Home Brew Shop in Aldershot

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk...nter_with_Large_Lid_and_Tap.html#.VWLbgGnbKM8

They do them in several sizes, mine is the 30litre one.

Here is a better photo

I find them very good and use the tap to take gravity readings. You can fill with about 28 litres in as long as the fermentation is not too wild. I have had a couple of spill overs with dark beers that seem to be a bit more lively. Luckily the design of the lid meant it was all contained and just needed mopping up.

Dads_Ale · May 31, 2015

Right update time.

Thursday night was dry hopping night. Foil pack of centennial pellet hops in a tea bag.

Not used hop pellets before but followed the instructions and steeped in some boiling water for 15mins

Then dumped into FV

Today was bottling day. The beer looks good as is lovely and clear

Looks good and tastes good. Gravity at 1010 so looking at 6.5% ish. Certainly tastes strong :-)

Bottling bucket and bottling chair set up with plentiful supply of bottles

And finally 39 bottles filled

Now I just have to try and resist trying them too early :-D

This will be up for a taste test against my own recipe DIPA

It has a lot to live up to as my version is incredibly Moorish and it is too easy to forget it is over 6% ABV.

I have thoroughly enjoyed making this kit and it has thrown in a few curved balls. I have not tried a 60 min boil before (always used 90 mins) and have not used pellet hops before. The problem with the pellets is finding something to contain them as my usual stainless tea ball didn't.

stevej · May 31, 2015

Great post and love your pump setup:thumb:

simon19791 · Jun 2, 2015

Dad,

How long did you dry hop for? Cheers

ManseMasher · Jun 2, 2015

Amazing pics and write-up! I'm just off to the man cave to measure the inside of my fermentation chamber - with a bit of luck I might be able to get two of those fv's in. Happy days if I can!!

Covrich · Jun 2, 2015

simon19791 said:
Dad,

How long did you dry hop for? Cheers

Mine is obviously the other thread not Dads but I did my dry hop Thursday with the intention of botttling tonight, as It was I bottled last night.

I would say 3-5 days..before bottling

simon19791 · Jun 2, 2015

Covrich said:
Mine is obviously the other thread not Dads but I did my dry hop Thursday with the intention of botttling tonight, as It was I bottled last night.

I would say 3-5 days..before bottling

Lovely, i droped the dry hops in mine on Sunday and was looking to bottle on Thu/Fri Which sounds about right!

Had a taste on sunday... WOW!

Dads_Ale · Jun 2, 2015

simon19791 said:
Dad,

How long did you dry hop for? Cheers

I put the hop in on Thursday evening and bottled on Sunday.

Just be aware though that the hop tea bag is delicate and splits easily.

Dads_Ale · Jun 2, 2015

ManseMasher said:
Amazing pics and write-up! I'm just off to the man cave to measure the inside of my fermentation chamber - with a bit of luck I might be able to get two of those fv's in. Happy days if I can!!

let me know if you need any measurements..:thumb:

ManseMasher · Jun 2, 2015

Dads_Ale said:
let me know if you need any measurements..:thumb:

Got them from the link you gave - depth of chamber too small by 2cm! However, if I can get the plastic off the fridge door but leave the seal intact....some adapterizationing coming up I suspect!

Dads_Ale · Jun 2, 2015

ManseMasher said:
Got them from the link you gave - depth of chamber too small by 2cm! However, if I can get the plastic off the fridge door but leave the seal intact....some adapterizationing coming up I suspect!

Just measured mine and without the airlock it is 33.5cm to the top of the locking ring.
With the airlock it is 45cm.

This is different to the measurement on the link.

Have now re looked at you post and will now measure the diameter

Which is 39cm.

ManseMasher · Jun 2, 2015

My fridge is 48cm wide, 39 cm deep (before I improvise, adapt and overcome), and 83cm tall. Some serious measuring coming up...thanks for getting the measurements! I wonder if they could fit the airlocks off-centre for me? I'll email them if the measurements say yes.

Dads_Ale · Jun 2, 2015

ManseMasher said:
My fridge is 48cm wide, 39 cm deep (before I improvise, adapt and overcome), and 83cm tall. Some serious measuring coming up...thanks for getting the measurements! I wonder if they could fit the airlocks off-centre for me? I'll email them if the measurements say yes.

The diameter on mine is 39cm although there may be some variation.

The airlock fits to a prefabricated thread. But I think they could be reduced in height with a bit of fettling. There is also a blanking cap for the airlock so you could add your own.

Home Brew Company American Double IPA

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