Homebrew 4 - IPA

12 March 2006 @ evening time | Comments (1)

As a tribute to my good brewing friend’s recent Antarctic research relating to global warming, I present Isotope IPA.

There were many firsts with this batch of beer: first all grain attempt; first original recipe (using Beer Recipator); first use of a kick-ass Sabco universal kettle + burner; first use of a Rubbermaid cooler conversion mash/lauter tun; and finally, first feeling of confidence in the beermaking process.

The recipe

• Style: India Pale Ale
• Type: All grain
• Batch size: 5 gal
• Color: 9 SRM
• Bitterness: 63 IBU
• OG: 1.062
• FG: 1.008
• Alcohol: 7.1%
• Mash: 65% efficiency (d’oh – 1.076 target OG)
• Yeast: California Ale (WLP001)
• Grain:
  • 10 lb. American 2-row (Cargill)
  • 1 lb. American Victory
  • 1 lb. American crystal 20L
  • 1 lb. Dextrine malt (Cara-Pils)
• Hops:
  • 1 oz. Centennial (60 min)
  • 1 oz. Tomahawk (15 min)
  • 2 oz. Centennial (aroma)
  • 0.75 oz. Cascade (aroma)

The process

After consulting with a few homebrew veterans about San Diego tap water, we decided to attempt a batch using unfiltered tap water and campden tablets (K₂S₂O₅). However, the water smelled absolutely terrible after heating and our burner was having gas flow problems, so we postponed a week to regroup.

We settled for reverse osmosis water from OB Water & Ice; it looked and smelled much better than SD tap water. Unfortunately, we forgot to add gypsum to account for the removed minerals, which I think accounts for our poor mash efficiency. But hey, as long as it’s beer, I’ll drink it!

I think I’ll investigate simple filtration options for removal of particulate matter and chloramines; this option will be the cheapest and most reliable. Otherwise, I might just send a sample to Ward Labs for a $15 “home mineral test”.

The result

The first thing I noticed (besides the hops) when tasting this beer was the disappearance of “That Homebrew Taste.” All off-flavors have disappeared, including the cooked corn, banana, and band-aid aromas. Part — if not all — of the improvement may be due to the adjustments we’ve made in fermentation temperature (60F-65F instead of 65F-75F) and using better water and equipment, but the difference between all grain and partial mash brewing is undeniable. I’d buy this beer.

This is definitely a hophead’s IPA. It has a strong hop presence, both in aroma and flavor, with a slightly caramel malt finish. It’s a very refreshing beer, with a smooth mouthfeel and even balance. I’m quite proud of the outcome.

Lessons learned

There were a few things that I may try to improve next time around that may improve mash efficiency and fermentation. First, I’d like to nail down my water source. Not knowing the mineral content of the water has been one of the largest factors affecting mash pH, efficiency, and fermentation. Whether it’s purified water with added gypsum or tap water run through a filter from Home Depot, I don’t really care as long as I know what’s in the water. Additionally, I’ve heard a mashout at 168°F might also help efficiency next time around. Finally, and most importantly, there is no substitute for good equipment.