AG#2 Nicks on a roll IPA

[Nicks90]

As my first AG has now hit 1.010, its primary fermentation is pretty much finished. So its getting moved to the airing cupboard to finish off for a week before bottling, meaning i can re-task my heater for AG#2

Style Name: American IPA
Mash Size: 20 litres
Mash temp: 65 C, Time: 60 min,
Dunk Sparge: 4 litres
Boil Size (with a bit of bag squeezing): 22 litres
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 18 litres (kettle volume)

Original Gravity: 1.043
Final Gravity: 1.007
ABV: 4.66%
IBU: 60.57

Grain:
3 kg - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (85.7%)
0.4 kg - United Kingdom - Cara Malt (11.4%)
0.1 kg - United Kingdom - Extra Dark Crystal 120L (2.9%)

HOPS:
10 g - Admiral, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.5, Use: Boil for 60 min,
10 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 60 min,
15 g - Admiral, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.5, Use: Boil for 15 min,
15 g - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min,
25 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Aroma for 0 min
Might do another 25 g Citra as a dry hop depending on how strong it smells after 5 days

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05

one quick question, i cant find Hooks Head pale malt in brewers friend, only marris otter. but i presume the difference is negligible?

 

[Nicks90]

after kettle loss - i ended up with 16l in my fermenter.
result!

its currently sat at 53C with an adjusted OG of 1.050 making my efficiency 75% - awesome.

 

[Dutto]

So, it's all downhill from here eh?

Well done! The bug has bitten and will not be got rid of all that easily!

 

[Nicks90]

Had a bit of a disaster with ag#1
When I moved it to the airing cupboard, I pulled the aquarium heater out and dropped the lid on it and smashed the bottom of the glass off in the fv........
So no heater for ag#2 (Amazon prime to the rescue) and I will have to be astonishingly careful bottling ag#1 to prevent the glass going in a bottle

As an aside... Had a quick taste of the raw IPA. Wow! Bitter!!! Grass!!! Citrus!!!
I'm intending on having a 5ml taste every few days until bottling to see how 'green' raw wort from all grain develops. Just from a scientific point of view - as it's really interesting to see how whats essentially porridge juice changes as it's brews

 

[Dutto]

.............

I'm intending on having a 5ml taste every few days until bottling to see how 'green' raw wort from all grain develops. Just from a scientific point of view - as it's really interesting to see how whats essentially porridge juice changes as it's brews

Every time you open up an FV to the atmosphere you stand the chance of introducing something nasty, so I recommend that you curb your enthusiasm for tasting it "every few days" because as sure as eggs are eggs, one day it will taste of vinegar and you will get that "Oh ****!" feeling that comes with a brew that has gone off. (*)

On the subject of "broken glass" I always remember a lady who worked in an Off-Licence in Brigg.

She was lifting up a wooden crate of beer one day when she felt a "stab" in her hand and realised that somehow she had managed to ram a shard of broken glass into the pad of her thumb as she lifted the crate. Two months and three operations later the surgeon removed all of her thumb to prevent the glass (that he couldn't find) migrating to where it could cause more pain and do more damage.

Since then, I have treated broken glass with great respect and tried to avoid it whenever possible.

(*)
The one exception is where you can take a sample without opening up the FV to atmosphere!

 

[Nicks90]

The one exception is where you can take a sample without opening up the FV to atmosphere!


yep - FV is on a little ledge and i can tap some off as my FVs all have a tap.

 

[Nicks90]

Had my first bottle of this to see how it's carbing up
Not keen. It's way to bitter and it's overpowering the hop completely.

I think my issue is I no chill and that last 15min and 0min addition has added way to much bitterness rather than aroma.
Oh well, it's still drinkable , so live and learn for the next one

 

[Portreath]

I'm sure you will find the bitterness will lessen as your brew conditions. I used to test mine often, as you do. Now I just leave it to do its thing. I have a milk stout that on pre fermentation tasted way too bitter, although after 6 + weeks in the keg it's now a lovely smooth drink.
Good luck with the brew.