Easter Ales
We headed over to the Brew Barn for our traditional Easter gathering. All the regular faces were there:) I took some ales over for the event – a Rubicon IPA, a Deschutes Hop Trip Pale Ale and an Oskar Blues Gordon Imperial IPA. Stephen broke out a special bottle of Sam Adams Imperial White Witbier. Obviously, there was also some wonderful homebrew thrown in with lunch.
The weather was wonderful and we ate out on the patio. Stephen made the most wonderful lunch for us – prime rib sandwiches, grilled asparagus, several different salads and we took my mom’s party potatoes. We shared ales, had a relaxed meal and visited while digesting.
Easter Lunch - Prime Rib Sandwiches
We really wanted to take Eddy, but he has his last round of puppy shots tomorrow the vet has strongly suggested not taking him too far afield until he has wrapped up his vaccinations. He was glad to see us when we got home. Lots of slobbery kisses followed:)
It is so nice to have holiday meals where you are considered family. Thanks buddy:)
Mash Destruction IPA Tap Handle
I recently listened to the March 16, 2009, podcast of The Brewing Network’s, The Jamil Show – Can you Brew It: Green Flash West Coast IPA. This is an IPA I really like, with a strong malt backbone, aggressive bitterness and full of intense hop flavor. I took the show’s recipe for a six gallon batch and extended it out for ten gallons, trying to maintain the IBU levels, the ABV and color rating. It will take tons of hops, all of which I have on-hand. It calls for a malt I’ve never used before, Carastan, so it’s a bit of an adventure, also. The Carastan appears to be very dark for its 30/37 Lovibond rating – much darker than Crystal 40. I’m just a bit wary of it, but the brewer at Green Flash uses it in their recipe, so I’ll definitely give it a shot.
I’ll be brewing this hop beast on Saturday. Originally, I had planned on brewing tomorrow, and the starter is ready to go, but tomorrow is the first day of my Spring Break and I just want to veg out. I have some keg and carboy cleaning that needs to get done, too. Saturday morning I’ll be lighting the burners about 9:00 a.m.
Here’s the recipe:
Mash Destruction IPA
14-B American IPA
Date: 4/11/09
Size: 10.32 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 79.0%
Calories: 309.1 kcal per 16.0 fl oz
Original Gravity: 1.070 (1.056 – 1.075)
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (1.010 – 1.018)
Color: 8.45 (6.0 – 15.0)
Alcohol: 7.26% (5.5% – 7.5%)
Bitterness: 95.4 (40.0 – 70.0)
Ingredients:
26.5 lb American 2-row
1.0 lb Carapils Malt
2.0 lb Carastan
1.25 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 90.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1.0 tsp Wyeast Nutrient – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
1.0 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
0.5 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
2000 mL Starter White Labs WLP001 California Ale
Notes
Mash in at 150 degrees.
Seven day primary fermentation at 72 degrees. Mash out at 168 degrees.
Dry hop with mix of five hop blend at 64 degrees for seven days.
Mark with fresh Cascade hops
Stephen and I brewed our annual Fresh Hop Holiday Ale Wednesday afternoon. The brew was uneventful, other than having several ales early on a Wednesday afternoon:) We picked hops – lots of hops, and they all went into the brew. We picked at least a pound and a three quarters of fresh Cascade hops and used them all at 15 minutes, flame-out and in a hop back. Fresh hop ales have a very different aroma that holds through to the pint glass. This lovely IPA ought to be peaking right around the holiday season. When we brewed this same ale last year, my five gallon keg lasted almost a week before going dry:) I’ve got to keep NanTan away from it!
Here’s the recipe:
Fresh Hop Harvest IPA
14-B American IPA
Author: Mark and Stephen
Date: 10/15/08
Size: 10.28 gal
Efficiency: 66.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 239.69 kcal per 12.0 fl oz
Original Gravity: 1.072 (1.056 – 1.075)
Terminal Gravity: 1.018 (1.010 – 1.018)
Color: 12.48 (6.0 – 15.0)
Alcohol: 7.08% (5.5% – 7.5%)
Bitterness: 75.1 (40.0 – 60.0)
Ingredients:
11.0 lb American 2-row
11.0 lb Maris Otter
6.5 lb Munich Malt
0.5 lb Caramel Malt 40L
0.5 lb Caramel Malt 60L
1.0 lb Carapils
1.5 oz Chinook (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
1.5 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
1.0 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
16.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
4.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – hop back
2.0 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added dry to secondary fermenter
1.0 lb Corn Sugar
2.0 tsp Wyeast Nutrient – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
Fresh, beautiful Cascade hops!
Stephen picking Cascade hops
Bag 'o hops!
Stephen's way-cool sparge manifold (and creepy rubber gloves:)
Hop back full of fresh Cascade hops
6.5 ounces of Centennial Hops
Have I told you before how much I love Centennial hops? 
You’re looking at 6.5 ounces of Centennials ready to do their job on ten gallons of Two Hearted IPA.
The brew day went well. The only thing out of the ordinary was my pump cavitating for a few minutes. Eventually it corrected itself and all was fine. I hit my mash temp, 152 degrees, on the nose, and everything else played out as expected. I’m currently chilling and expect to be cleaned and wrapped up within the hour.
