Batch #1: Single Hop Variety Extract Brew
Batch #1 is an extract batch due to the fact that my mash tun was not quite ready.
It is brewed only with one hop variety, which is Chinook. This is the first batch of
beer that I have ever made, so I decided to keep it simple, to understand the process. The next batch will be all-grain, a more advanced recipe, and will either be a black IPA recipe out of my current reading (IPA:Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale by Mitch Steele), or a double IPA.
The Ingredients are as follows:
- 0.75 lbs Belgian Carmel 8 Malted Barley
- 0.25 lbs Breiss Caramel 120 Malted Barley
- 6 lbs Pilsen Malt Syrup
- 1 lb Pilsen DME (dried malt extract)
- 3 oz Chinook Hops
- Safale US-05 Ale dry yeast
Using a PH meter I tested the tap water being used for brewing, It came out to 6.7. That PH was adequate for the simplicity of this batch. In future brews, adjustments might need to be made for mashing.
I began by steeping the crushed Barley in 2.5 gallons of water in a cheesecloth sock for 20 minutes while the water for my boil was heating up. I removed this sock once the temperature reached 169 degrees Fahrenheit as to not pull off flavors from the chaff (when it exceeds 170F) I let the water reach a boil, and then removed the kettle from the heat. At this time I added my malt extracts,
stirred and replaced the kettle to the heat. I let the wort come to a boil, and then added one ounce of Chinook hops (at 60 minutes). With ten minutes left to the boil I added a half ounce of hops, and another half ounce at 1 minute. I removed the kettle from the heat and placed it in an ice bath in my sink to quickly get the temperature down to proper yeast pitching temperature. While the wort was cooling I sanitized all of my tools necessary for transferring to my primary fermentor. Once at about 100F I poured the wort into my primary fermentation vessel. I then added cold water to both reach 5 gallons total liquid, and reach an
requisite yeast pitching temp. I used a thief to take a small sample of wort and tested the starting gravity with a hydrometer.
- SG=1.050
I then lidded the fermentation vessel and aerated the wort by rocking for about 5 minutes. I then removed the lid an sprinkled the dry yeast on to the wort evenly, re-lidded the vessel, installed the airlock, filled with a sanitizer solution, and placed in a quiet spot to ferment.
One week has passed and the bubbling has slowed to almost nothing, I will give the beer two more days to ferment and then check it to make sure the yeast has sunken to the bottom. At that time I will transfer it to a secondary fermentor using a siphon, leaving behind the sediment at the bottom. I will let it rest and gain clarity for 4 days, then dry-hop one ounce of Chinook hops in a fine mesh bag for 10 days. Bottling and tasting then after.