Batch 5: 'Merican IPA: Tasting Day

This was a major improvement over my first attempt at this recipe. The beers still tastes a little too green. I'm thinking I might step down the amount of hops that I use to dry hop in future batches. Over-pitching certainly took care of the sweetness, and so far, there are no bottle bombs. Unfortunately, after five go-arounds, I've found that all of my beers have the same flaw. It's in the front end of the taste, not unpalatable, but certainly not desirable. My guess is that it's oxidation, but I need to get a more expert opinion on this. The color now is definitely more appropriate to the style. It's all about limiting the LME in the boil and adding the rest at knockout. It ended up perfectly carbonated, though with little head retention.

I'd like to use this beer as a model for different hop varieties in the future, subbing out single varieties for the Centennial hops in the original recipe. This way, I can learn about the subtle differences in the varieties and, I think, find perhaps a better hop for this recipe.

Batch 5: 'Merican IPA: Secondary Fermentation/Bottling Day

The beer spent two weeks in the secondary. I measured the gravity of the beer at 1.012, which keeps it at just over 8% ABV. The sample from the thief had some off flavors but otherwise had a nice hop character. It was a beautiful golden color, much lighter and more appropriate to the style than my last attempt at this recipe. The nylon bag seemed to keep some of the hop residue contained, but there was still a decent amount of trub. I'm not sure that I'll use it in the future. I primed the beer with 4 oz. of corn sugar before bottling and, for the first time, tried gently stirring after every six bottles to keep the sugar evenly mixed. I ended up with 48 bottles. I'll give the beer two weeks to condition.

Batch 5: 'Merican IPA: Primary Fermentation

Within 18 hours of pitching, the beer was fermenting like gangbusters. I couldn't keep the pail lid on! I eventually gave up and just surrounded the pail with a drop cloth to catch all of the blowoff. Things slowed down after about 36 hours. I racked the beer to a carboy for secondary fermentation after 24 days in the primary and measured the specific gravity at 1.013. That puts the beer at just over 8% ABV, about a percentage point higher than I had expected. The sample I took with the thief tasted a little less flavorful than I remember the previous batch of this recipe.  I added an additional 0.7 oz. of the Centennial hops to the secondary in a mesh nylon bag. This is the first time I'm trying the bag so we'll see how that goes. I'm planning to let the beer condition for a couple weeks before bottling.

Batch 5: 'Merican IPA: Brewing Day

Here was the program:

1. Boil 4 gallons of water the day before, and set aside to cool overnight.
2. Steep 10 oz. of CaraPils in 3 gallons of water for 30 min. at 160º ±10º.
3. Add 3.3 lb. of pale LME, and stir till dissolved.
4. Bring to boil until break (approx. 20 minutes).
5. Hop.
1. 0.7 oz. Centennial hops T-60 min.
2. 0.7 oz. Centennial hops T-45 min.
3. 0.7 oz. Centennial hops T-30 min.
4. 0.7 oz. Centennial hops T-15 min.
5. 0.7 oz. Centennial hops 0 min. for 10 minutes off heat
6. Add 6.6 lb. of pale LME at knockout, and let stand for 10 minutes.
7. Chill wort with ice bath and soda bottles to below 70º.
8. Add wort to pail, and top off with cooled boiled water to just over 5 gallon-mark (or approx. 3 inches from top of pail).
9. Measure original gravity.
10. Pitch Wyeast American Ale II Yeast (#2772).
11. Aerate the wort by pouring back and forth between sanitized pails.

The original gravity ended up being 1.074, a bit higher than expected. I accidentally steeped the specialty grains too hot (170º+). I'm hoping that doesn't add any off flavors.

I'll be dry hopping an additional 0.7 oz. of hops at secondary fermentation.

Batch 5: 'Merican IPA: Ingredients

I'm giving this recipe another try. Here's what I got:

• 9.9 lb. – Pale liquid extract ($34.47)
• 10 oz. – CaraPils grains ($0.89)
• 4 oz. – Centennial hops ($5.96)
• 2 packets – Wyeast American Ale II Yeast (#1272) ($14.98)
• 1 – muslin bag ($0.69)
• 4 oz. – corn sugar ($0.29)

The total cost after tax was $61.22. I'm altering a few things from the first go around. First, I'm doubling the yeast since it didn't seem to fully attenuate the first time. (I'm still not ready to try a yeast starter.) Second, I'll be allowing the primary fermentation to go a bit longer. Finally, I'll be doing a secondary fermentation.

Batch 4: Steamboat California Common Beer: Tasting Day

Very late on this post. This beer turned out fairly good. It was much more hoppy than I had expected, not nearly as balanced as the Anchor Steam. It seemed much closer to a traditional pale ale. It is amazing how noticeable the lager yeast character was in the aroma and the front end of the taste. Next time, I will likely add a bit more maltodextrin and try a different hop variety.

My dad enjoying a Steamboat at his new retirement property

My mom

Batch 4: Steamboat California Common Beer: Secondary Fermentation/Bottling Day

I transferred the beer from the primary to the secondary after two weeks and measured the gravity of the beer at 1.012. The sample from the thief tasted good but a bit hoppy. After a week in the secondary, I measured the final gravity of the beer at 1.012/3. With an original gravity of 1.043, the alcohol by volume ends up being about 4%. The sample from the thief tasted a little more balanced but still hoppier than is typical for a California common.

I primed the beer with 4.6 oz. of corn sugar before bottling. (I was tempted to use 5.4 oz. but was concerned about arming beer bombs. The guy at the supply shop suggested being a bit more conservative, too.) I used one champagne bottle this time. I had saved up several champagne bottles after our weekend in Gatlinburg but have learned that while Korbel Brut bottles are cap-able with standard beer bottle caps, Barefoot and Poema champagne bottles are not. I ended up with 42 beer bottles in addition to the one champagne bottle. I'll let this condition for a couple weeks, and it'll be ready to share with my parents when I visit them over my spring break down in North Fort Meyers.