One Missed Brew and a Current

I did not make a dedicated post, but I had made a NEIPA using the NEIPA 2 recipe but single hopping with Caliente hops. Although I do not think my water chemistry, recipe, yeast choice or techniques are particularly spot on for making such a beer, I am more confident that Caliente does not cut it for a single hopped juicy IPA. I got a lot of plum skin but not much actual plum from the flavor. To be fair, me and others did enjoy the beer over its life span. It just wasn't what I was hoping for. Expectations are a bitch.

I did try something new, which was to not add any hot side hops other than a bittering charge. There was an oz or so of Columbus thrown in as a pre-fermentation dry hop. After reading this blog post by Scot Jannish:

http://scottjanish.com/zero-hot-side-hopped-neipa-hplc-testing-sensory-bitterness/

I think that there may in fact be "something" associated with hot side hopping. I am still skeptical on the overall potential flavor impact, but perhaps there are reduction elements to be gained. I would like to continue my attempts at making a juicy IPA by doing two things.

1) Using Tree House Brewing Co. yeast.
2) Altering the hopping schedule

What's up with #1? This recent thread on homebrewtalk has my interest piqued:

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=623221

DNA analysis shows that Tree House may be dabbling with some unique yeast. Holy cow, indeed.

The plan for #2 is as follows:

  - Hot side hops (perhaps just high oil such as columbus)
  - Pre fermentation dry hop (small addition of high oil hop)
  - Hop during active fermentation (such as day 3, 4 )
  - One last charge for 24 hours before kegging

I would like to keg with 3 or so gravity points left in order to naturally carbonate in the keg. In fact, I would like to add the last addition of hops around this point so that I don't lose any hop aroma to the atmosphere.

There are a handful of posts that I will place at the end of this IPA discussion for the sake of record keeping.

On another note, I have a saison fermenting that is a mixed fermentation of 3711 and Almagamation. The Almagamation starter went through several phases of taste, and I'm hoping that the recent gravity check pull was on one of the downswings. I did try some LODO techniques with this batch, which included a 40 mg/L addition of SMB. I'm really, really hoping that the SMB does not screw me with sulfur flavors. That would suck, e.g.,

http://brulosophy.com/2017/04/10/the-lodo-effect-evaluating-the-low-oxygen-brewing-method-exbeeriment-results/

Hoping for the best, though! I basically copied Amos' recipe for his standard saison. Some EKG was just moved from 20 and 2 minutes to one 5 minute addition. Oh, and I used local Marchegiano farro instead of spelt. Is it the same thing? It's probably the same thing...

http://www.browneandbitter.com/2016/06/basic-spelt-saison-recipe.html

IPA links:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/anyone-have-a-congress-st-clone-recipe.267947/
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7901884&postcount=931
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7902301&postcount=937
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7925746&postcount=953
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7925887&postcount=961

NEIPA - Round 2

Well this brew was much more of a success than the last NEIPA attempt. With this round, the goal was to build on my previous experience with water chemistry and continue the effort of attempting to recreate some of my favorite IPAs that fall in the camp of being considered "New England Style". I may as well call this recipe Hop Salad, because the hopping schedule was entirely based off of what I had lying around and not really in consideration of a particular flavor profile.

I am beginning to suspect that whirlpool/boil/steep/stand hops contribute considerably less flavor and aroma than I have previously thought. Scott Janish has a few great posts about biotransformation of hop oils, as well as a recipe using Columbus in a hop stand which resulted in little to no resulting flavor in the final product. Columbus is one of the few hops I can pick out, full stop, in a beer, so I would expect that flavor to punch through. In this particular recipe, I added a full 4 oz of Calypso (another hop I can usually detect) for a hop stand of 45 minutes right below 170 degrees F. By the time fermentation was only a few points away from finishing, there was most definitely not 4 oz of Calypso flavor (for only 4ish gallons!) left in my beer. Some food for thought there

With this brew, I continued my method of dry hopping in two stages. Once while there is still some fermentation activity, and once more after fermentation and with a bit of fermentables thrown in to scrub any O2. Enough DME was added to carbonate, the fermentor swirled, and then racked to a spunded keg for serving. I left it to sit for a week in that keg and then chilled under pressure.

NEIPA - 2

The beer pours with a dense and silky head. A little overcarbonated, but I am admittedly lax on doing that properly at the moment. Opaque but not murky. The color is sunset yellow.

Smell:
Traditional hop combined with tropical fruit and citrus. No berry or peach, perhaps a bit of that melon flavor from the Citra. I was hoping for some peach

Taste:
Needless to say, there is not much of an opportunity for my palate to detect any malt. The hops are not overpowering, but have remained bright after a month in the keg. Tastes as it smells. I don't think the Comet or Columbus were able to overcome the combination of Citra and Amarillo. Maybe a little bit of alcohol and hay on the back end.

Mouthfeel:
Fairly thick and silky. Not as much as I would like, but still better than my first NEIPA attempt.

Discussion and Thoughts:
Although I haven't quite captured the "gulpable" characteristic that Aslin gets in their beers, I am certainly coming close. This beer is redolent with hops and fruit flavors. I believe that the F1 yeast has something to contribute. I think the alcohol on the back is from perhaps under pitching.

Changes:
I think that I'll lower the oats and add more wheat next time in an effort to chase more haze. I really won't be changing too much from now on, however. I think the next steps are to dial in my dry hopping and water chemistry. I listed efficiency as crap, because the LHBS didn't adjust the mill gap and the oats were fairly uncrushed. Lesson learned. I'm going to have to get my own mill up and running.

NEIPA - 2

Recipe Specifics
--------------------
Batch Size (Gal): 4.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.56
Anticipated OG: 1.063
Anticipated SRM: 5.2
Anticipated IBU: 40.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: crappy
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain
------
80.0% - Belgian Pale
20.0% - Malted Oats

Hops
------
0.56 oz. Bravo (Pellet, 15.70% AA) @ 60 min.
4.00 oz. Calypso @ 60 min steep.

1.00 oz. Amarillo @ dry hop.

1.00 oz. Huell Melon @ dry hop.
2.50 oz. Citra @ dry hop.

1.00 oz. Comet @ dry hop.

1.00 oz. Columbus @ dry hop.

Extras
-------
0.25 tsp Yeast Nutrient @ 5 min.

Yeast
------
F1

Water Profile
-------------
Mash pH 5.36, Water Profile ( 95.4ppm Ca, 0ppm Mg, 0ppm Na, 0ppm SO4, 168.8ppm Cl )

Mash Schedule
-----------------
Sacch Rest - 60 min @ 156F

Notes
-------
Brewed Lord Knows When

RO water used

Dry hopped in two stages

Yeast Propagation - Update

The less flocculant F1C4 once again mislabeled as FC34

F1C4 bubbling away

As part of my search to nail a fruity and full IPA, I have been trying out many yeast strains. My documentation of the results started with the NEIPA #1 which was brewed with WLP 644 to decent results, but I have now moved on to two hybrid strains produced by homebrewtalk.com member Suregork. As previously noted, the strain propagation is going well. The 1000 ml or so step resulted in mostly spicy Belgian flavors, but the 1500 ml step produced more stone fruit flavors that I have been hoping for. Particularly, F1C4 came out as producing the most fruit forward profile. In addition to this, F1 continues to exhibit more complete and rapid flocculation, as seen in this recent picture (which is the start of the 2000 ml step). For some fun, I took two or so pellets out of the EXP 5256 packet that has been sitting in my freezer for years and dropped them into the F1C4 starter beer. Surprisingly, the flavor profile was very pleasant. Lemon and lime popped up, with a hint of orange. I think that I will use this as the primary hop in my next NEIPA recipe, as it is pretty old at this point. Unfortunately, the bag got water logged at one point and it is a solid block of hop ice (the origin of my surprise).

NEIPA - Round 1

It would be foolish of me to not admit that I adore the currently trendy style of the New England IPA (NEIPA). I've also called this type of beer East Coast IPA or New England Pale, although I will leave any exploration of this particular discussion to the etymologists.  My experience with Aslin Brewing this summer led to my infatuation with these beers, which was then explored with the likes of Tree House, Bissell Brothers, Tired Hands and others. At the risk of seemingly imitating an authority, I have distilled the identifying characteristics:

- Juicy and/or fluffy mouthfeel

- Low bitterness

- "Quaffable" (sometimes I catch myself gulping)

- Saturated hop flavors

- Cloudy appearance (low flocculation)

- Often tropical and fruit flavors

I brewed this while interning north of DC. My mounting experiences at Aslin were the impetus for this recipe. Of note, this is the first brew that I used reverse osmosis water (RO water) with mineral additions, as well as the use of sodium metabisulfate (SMB) after the boil. The goal of the SMB is to reduce hotside hop oxidation as well as a carryover into the prevention of coldside oxidation.

This is a fine beer with plenty of potential. I am satisfied enough with my efforts that I am going to pursue a followup. Bright, herbal and hoppy, the flavors hint at the tropical, but follow through with something more earthy and complex.

NEIPA - 1

Pours from the tap at a good rate with a satisfying layered gurgling. Opaque yet not murky, it appears as pale golden in pictures, yet has a rose tint to it when viewed in person. Medium low head when poured, little to no lacing.

Smell:
Potent, yet not as effervescent as I've come across. There is a bit of the overripe fruit factor that I often find appealing as well as juicy oranges. No noticeable malt component, with perhaps the 644 providing some tropical tang.

Taste:
The tropical fruit aroma gives way an herbal brightness that is reminiscent of strawberry greens and champagne. Barely a hint of malt, which is not surprising. The back end leaves my tongue dry with some pineapple flavor. My father described it as "fruity champagne". I do not disagree.

Mouthfeel:
Woefully thin, but still drinkable and juicy. There is no "mouth full" component to it that I was hoping for. Carbonation is a bit low, although I should note that flat Aslin is still fuller.

Discussion and Thoughts:
For my first attempt at this style with water chemistry, I am not disappointed, but it is not a success. It's very drinkable and flavorful, but not as fruity nor as fluffy as I desired. With more carbonation, it could indeed reach the title of "fruity champagne". I cannot tell if Belma brings anything to the party. I don't understand how to get the mouthfeel any fuller due to the addition of copious adjuncts and high SO4/Cl ratio.

Changes:
I think that I will not use 644 in the future, and instead opt for Conan or other English strains known to produce stonefruit esters. I desire some more chewy mouthfeel and more fruit. Additionally, I suspect the Hallertau Blanc is responsible for the complex and bright herbal flavors in the beer, but I prefer Nelson Sauvin's pungent tropical take on the white wine hop approach.

NEIPA - 1

Recipe Specifics
--------------------
Batch Size (Gal): 3.75
Total Grain (Lbs): 7.32
Anticipated OG: 1.0584
Anticipated SRM: 4.8
Anticipated IBU: 40.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain
------
59.3% - Rahr 2-Row Brewers Malt
18.1% - Flaked Oats
10.1% - Munich Malt 10L
10.1% - White Wheat
  2.5% - Carapils

Hops
------
0.47 oz. Bravo (Pellet, 15.20% AA) @ 60 min.
1.33 oz. Belma @ 60 min steep.
0.66 oz. Hallertau Blanc @ 60 min steep.
1.00 oz. Huell Melon @ 60 min steep.

0.66 oz. Citra @ 60 min steep.

2.00 oz. Hallertau Blanc @ dry hop.

1.00 oz. Huell Melon @ dry hop.
3.00 oz. Citra @ dry hop.

Extras
-------
0.25 tsp Yeast Nutrient @ 5 min.

Yeast
------
WLP 644

Water Profile
-------------
Mash pH 5.36, Water Profile ( 98ppm Ca, 0ppm Mg, 0ppm Na, 146ppm SO4, 152ppm Cl )

Mash Schedule
-----------------
Sacch Rest - 60 min @ 156F

Notes
-------
Brewed Lord Knows When

RO water used

Dry hopped in two stages

Post Template

This will be a test of my tasting/brew template. It will be followed as closely as possible at first, with expected changes in the future.

Introduction to beer and post

Description of inspiration and intent

Brew day description, including any particular hardware use/tweak

Brief overview of tasting and impression

Beer Title

Quick description and pouring behavior

Smell:
Overview. Malt, hop, yeast contribution

Taste:
Overview. Malt, hop, yeast contribution

Mouthfeel:
Overview. Thoughts

Discussion and Thoughts:

Changes:

Trying Out A New Blog - Yeast Propagation

I have been brewing for a few years now, and I have decided that it is time to better document my individual brew days and their results. This post will be a test of the new website and the format of the blog. Additionally, I will post some thoughts on my current yeast propagation progress.

I am propagating yeast that I obtained from Suregork via homebrewtalk.com. Two strains came in very small vials (for cheap shipping), and I pitched each of these into separate sanitized beer bottles filled with 1.040 wort boiled from wheat DME. I have been using wheat because it contains more protein than barley and therefore assume it is healthier for the yeast. It is entirely possible that this is false. Strains F1 and F1C4 were then dumped into 1000 ml or so of the same wort and fermented for a few days. This was stepped up to 1500 ml which is now fermenting and assumed to be close to done. Of note, tastings have mainly come across as more Belgian than the assumed Conan peach. F1C4 is more potent and has been flocculating less well than F1. I've included a picture. Although this could be down to fermentation times (F1C4 is often noted as lagging behind F1), I will note that F1 was still more clear than its alter ego many days after complete fermentation of the 1000 ml step.

Note: F1C4 is erroneously labeled as FC34. Whoops

I intend to pitch one or both of these into my next NEIPA, with continued propagation within the flasks of withheld slurry.