hadden ipa
brewed: 17/11/13
pitched: 18/11/13
bottled: 02/12/13
subsequent batch info: definitely. just need to get my new set up in better order first
ingredients:
4.48kg joe white pale malt
1.6kg weyermann munich 1
320gm joe white medium crystal 60
33gm warrior (pellets, 15 aa%, 60 mins)
30gm centennial (pellets, 9.5 aa%, 20 mins)
30gm citra (pellets, 12 aa%, 1 mins)
30gm cascade (pellets, 5.5 aa%, 1 mins)
60gm citra (pellets, 12 aa%, dry hopped after 7 days for 7 days)
11.5gm DCL yeast US-05 - american ale
1.0 tablet whirlfloc
process:
20L batch, 2 step mash, no sparge, mash in 67C for 60 mins, 78C for 10 mins mash out, no-chill, 18C fermentation, 2C cold crash
OG: 1.047 (1.064 expected - fucking TERRIBLE)
FG: 1.008 (1.012 expected)
%AbV: 5.7% bottled (7.5% bottled expected)
australian standard drinks (1 x 370mL glass): 1.7
ibu: 60 (71 expected)
brewing notes:
17/11/13 - today sadly didn't do so well efficiency-wise. not only that but trying to get my head around beersmith and its losses and gear set ups has my head in a bit of a spin so i really need to concentrate on understanding how to get all my figures because i think that's playing havoc with my numbers. not only that but i need to get mashing out in order, and my temperatures back on par, and my mash efficiency for bigger beers needs to be on point. a few things! i still think it'll be a nice beer, just not as strong as i'd hoped. i'm excited because there is a big chunk of centennial in there and i think i can safely say it's my favourite american hop.
18/11/13 - pitched it tonight and fuck me. 1.047. it was supposed to be 1.064 which is WAY WAY off. i hope it doesn't throw the calculations right off. i'm just hoping to be pleasantly surprised by this beer. fingers crossed there is enough sweetness t0 balance out the VERY high bitterness and hops. lots of things i need to fix for my next IPA with beersmith and my new equipment. should have mashed for longer, and done a better job of the mash out too. probably could have added malt extract to boost it up a bit but it's too late now. live and learn. fingers crossed it'll still be okay and it's just an excuse to try it again! the princess blonde failed but then turned into the angry princess on the second try so heads up! :)
tasting notes:
25/11/13 - checked the gravity today and she's down to 1.010 which is a little under expected, but better given that i started much lower. i'd be happy for it to stay around here, making it a 5% beer with my 0.5 added for bottling. 5.5% for an IPA isn't unheard of. taste-wise, she's really nice for where she's at. i'm hoping it doesn't get much lower so it retains some body. additionally i upped the dry hopping to 3gms/litre which means i dry hopped 60gms citra! WHOA BABY. should be a nice aroma once the beer is opened. can't wait for this baby to finally be ready in a few weeks.
02/12/13 - so this bad boy was bottled today and although there was all the messing up, it's tasting surprisingly good at this stage. it'll have a good 2-3 possibly 4 weeks to improve and even out its flavours but so far so good. very excited (i always am!)
09/12/13 - couldn't resist and decided to taste this one after a week and a bit in the bottle and so far it's really nice. not as in your face as if it were from a keg, but that was to be expected. tasting very similar to how commercial IPAs taste when bottled; hop characters slightly muted and a vague muddy-ness or melding together of hop flavours. all in all though, very happy. fuck i love centennial. a lovely melon citra hop aroma is also present.
18/12/13 - oh wow. it's come into its own even more. it has lost its green apple from my last taste (wasn't ready then) but now it's really coming along. has a nice bitey bitter warrior/centennial aftertaste which i think balances nicely with the sweeter citra aroma. will be very interested to see if this develops in coming weeks. now though, i'd be happy to drink the lot of them!!
21/12/13 - to be critical, the beer is too thin. this is due to the efficiency issues and that it finished at 1.008. there is minimal malt backbone to offset the very hefty bitterness. i like it, and could drink it all night, but there needs to be a bit more body to it. with proper mash temps this could be reached. in my opinion it needs to finish at about 1.012-4, probably more toward 1.014. love it, AMAZING hop aroma, but needs more body.
28/12/13 - another taste tonight and it has seemed to mellow out in terms of its strong upfront bitterness. the thinness is still apparent although now the hops have seemed to mellow, it is not as bitter as it was initially. not perfect, not BAD of course, but could definitely brew this one again and make sure the efficiency is up to scratch.
19/01/14 - drinking the last one tonight. not much has changed but i am surprised with how long it's lasted. happy and not happy about it. basically, i know it can be improved. it's not bad, but it can be improved. still smelling beautifully of citra. i think it's probably the best dry hop i've used so far. will be happy to do a re-brew of this and fix it right up.
* formula from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/alcohol/publishing.nsf/Content/standard
pictures of the brew day and beer: