Batch #26 - Bourbon Oak Aged Ale - Photo Edition!

This recipe did not disappoint last time it was brewed.  I really hit the oak/whiskey balance with the 4 weeks.  That beer was awesome, so really it is just about making more!  This time around I made a 10 gallon batch so I would not run out anytime soon.

If you are interested in the recipe, take a look at Batch #20.  My only difference is that I brewed double the amounts for 10 gallons.

Since reposting a recipe isn't needed, this time I decided to take pictures along the way.  Here's some eye candy.

It all starts with the grain!

The grain mill for crushing.

The grain after the crush.

Just starting the mash, stirring in the grains.

Measuring brewers salts for mash.

Lactic acid for pH adjustments.

pH reading.  5.4, perfect!

Configuration of hoses for mash.

Measuring out the hops for the boil.

Configuration for sparge.

Inside the boil kettle during sparge.

Watching the site glass to make sure I hit my volume needed for boil.

Start of the boil, you can see the heating element outline in the foam.

After the boil chilling down the wort.

A close-up of the wort chiller in action.

That is pretty much the whole brew day, well minus a lot of cleaning.  However I figured those pictures would not be as exciting.  Just picture every pot shown, carboy, and hose getting a very solid clean.  What I did not take any pictures of, which will give me something to do next time, is how I make my yeast starter, fermentation, conditioning, kegging, maybe bottling (don't always bottle), then of course drinking!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, I'll post more later.

Batch #25 - Unearthly Imperial IPA Clone

It was time, last brew the lager, now an Imperial IPA.  I found this recipe in a Clone Brews book I have.  In truth I have not had the original brew, but I got it on good authority if going after an Imperial IPA, this would be a good one to go after.  I'll get some bottles of it before I drink mine so I can compare.

I am going to do a slight variation in the recipe though.  The recipe calls for dry hopping, as do pretty much every single IPA ever brewed.  However I am looking for a reason to use my Blichmann HopRocket, so I plan to use it as a Randalizer rather than dry hopping.  Will see how well that works out.  I picked up the fittings I would need on my last trip to my LHBS, and only need to get my hop leaves ordered (can't use pellets in this).

Here is the recipe:

Batch Size - 5 gallons

Grains18 lbs 4 oz - UK 2-Row Pale Malt
8 oz - Torrified Wheat
4 oz - Crystal Malt 10L
4 oz - Caramunich Malt

Additions
1 lbs - Cane Sugar

Hops
2.6 oz - Chinook (13%) (90 min)
1.43 oz - Cascade (5.5%) (15 min)
0.36 oz - Cascade (5.5%) (5 min)
0.36 oz - Centennial (10%) (5 min)
0.36 oz - Chinook (13%) (5 min)
1.43 oz - Fuggles (5.4%) (1 min)
0.5 oz - Cascade (5.5%) (dry hop)
0.5 oz - Centennial (10%) (dry hop)
0.5 oz - Chinook (13%) (dry hop)

Yeast
Wyeast 1056 - American Ale

Brewers Salts
2 g Chalk
2 g Calcium Chloride
2 g NaCl

The brew schedule was as follows:
Mash
1.25 q water/lb
60 min at 151 degrees
Mashout to 170 degrees for 10 min
Sparge for approx 1 hour

Boil
90 min boil
Full 90 min add first Chinook hops
Final 15 min - Add Cascade as outlined above, add whirfloc tablets
Final 5 min - Add Cascade, Chinook, and Centennial as outlined above
Final 1 min - Add Fuggles

Fermentation
Primary - 14 Days @ 64Secondary - 14 Days @ 72
Keg Condition - 14 Days

Here are the specs on this brew:IBU's -100 IBUsColor - 7.5 SRMCalories - 315 per 12 ozEstimated OG - 1.097Actual OG - 1.092Estimated FG - 1.010Estimated ABV - 10.9%

This one has been slow to ferment.  I did a large starter given the hi OG, however it is still bubbling away.  After two weeks in the fermentation chamber, where after one week I bumped up the temp to 70 degrees, it was not fully completed.  I have now placed the carboy in my basement which is a little warmer in the lower 70's, and after a week there is still some bubbling activities.  This weekend I will take another gravity reading.  At the time of the move gravity was down to 1.015, so it showed a little more to go.

I have some more research to do on how much conditioning I should do.  On one hand you should condition higher gravity beers for a long time to really smooth out.  However with IPA's, you lose a lot of hop flavor the longer you let it sit.  I suspect somewhere in between is a sweet spot, the trick is to find it!