Taking her First Hydrometer Reading |
I mentioned in my last post that I had pulled a double brewday over my vacation brewing up two 5 gallon batches of Scott's BIG IPL two ways; Alchemy Guild (All Grain) and Excelsior (Extract). This is the story of Excelsior.
After my slight disappointment Scott's BIG IPL w/Citra I decided I needed to go back to basics and brew a control extract version to compare the all grain version against. This was a simple matter of going back through my notes in BeerSmith to identify the correct version. I was actually amazed at how little Amarillo was in it given the fact I had just bought a pound of it thinking it was a key ingredient up there with Simcoe.
The biggest surprise to be came when my wife Bonnie told me that she wanted to brew up the extract version. It was a big help and relief to me as I didn't have to run back and forth between the garage where the all grain version was going and the kitchen where we steep the grains for the extract version.
Oh how I've missed the speed and efficiency of a extract batch. Not only was it done in half the time but it nailed it's gravity, something that has driven me nuts over the last several all grains. It also pared really well as the second half as I was able to utilize my old equipment and the kitchen to get it going.
Bonnie had a blast and wants to be even more involved (I had brought it to a boil and watched it) and do her own beer. She just has to decide what she want it to be.
The next time I brew a BIG IPL will be in mid-February for the 2012 SCHF. I haven't quite decided how I will serve it (beer engine, over mangos etc) but we have several months to decide.
Cheers
-SNB
Scott's BIG IPL - Excelsior
Double IPL
Type: Extract
Date: 12/27/2011
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Brewer: Bonnie Bennett
Asst Brewer: Scott Bennett
Boil Size: 4.01 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
End of Boil Volume 3.64 gal
Fermentation: Scott's IPL Lager
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.078 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.2 %
Bitterness: 73.3 IBUs
Est Color: 8.6 SRM
Ingredients
Malt
5.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)
3.00 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Rice DME (7.0 SRM)
Grains 160 for 30 Minutes
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 4.8 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 15L (15.0 SRM) Grain 2 4.8 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.8 %
Hops
0.70 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 4 22.0 IBUs
0.70 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 20.5 IBUs
0.75 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 17.0 min Hop 9 9.2 IBUs
0.75 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 17.0 min Hop 10 11.9 IBUs
0.75 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 7.0 min Hop 13 6.3 IBUs
0.75 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 14 3.4 IBUs
Other
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)
Yeast
Big Starter of American Lager (White Labs #WLP840)
Dry Hops
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold (2nd Dry Hop) [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 21.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe (2nd Dry Hop) [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 21.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade (1st Dry Hop) [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days Hop 18 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (1st Dry Hop) [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days Hop 19 0.0 IBUs
Fermentation Schedule
Primary for 10-12 days at 55.0 F until fermentation slows
Diacetyl Rest for 2 days at 65.0 F
Secondary for 14 days at 50.0 F ending at 45.0 F
Tertiary for 21 days at 45.0 F ending at 40.0 F
Pictures
Preparing to steep |
Dueling kettles |
Pouring the wort in the fermentor |
Topping off with chilled water |
Nailed it |
Drinking the wort is tradition at the SNB Brewery |
Waiting for O2 |
On the right; Starting to ferment |
Very cool getting the wife involved even better that it was her idea. My wife has done a couple of all-grain batches with me (I basically told her what to do when and then I cleaned everything up). It is fun and women who brew are HOT.
ReplyDelete