Handlebar IPA

[stevezx7r]

It's been quite a while since I last brewed a full AG beer due to tearing my deltoid muscle. It's getting better, not perfect, but I'm going to attempt a brew tomorrow (Wednesday).

Here's the recipe -

4700.00 gm Pale Malt, Maris Otter (5.9 EBC)
490.00 gm Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 EBC)
250.00 gm Wheat, Torrified (3.3 EBC)
120.00 gm Amber Malt (95.0 EBC)
55.00 gm Target [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 49.5 IBU
15.00 gm Fuggles [4.70 %] (30 min rest) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale

OG - 1055 FG ~ 1013 ABV ~ 5.50%
IBU 49.5
EBC 16.6

I'm planning on dry hopping this one with another 15g Fuggles.

I've not used the Nottingham yeast before but was looking for something pretty neutral and this fits the bill.

I'm calling it an IPA but it's nowhere near what I would describe as a "proper" IPA. Tbh, I don't have the time/patience to wait several months for it to mature so this one should be ready a month after fermentation.

BTW, the name of the beer is due to my brothers Bar. He's converted his shed (very large) into a bar so this is kind of an ode to his place where my hand pump now resides

Comments appreciated as usual

[Garth]

Recipe looking interesting Steve, have a good brewday mate.

[Horden Hillbilly]

Have a good brewday Steve.

[coatesg]

Good luck with this one! Hope the shoulder holds up OK for it

[yashicamat]

Looks good. I really like Nottingham, it seems to be very neutral and clears in no time.

[stevezx7r]

Another late start (for a change) having just set the mash away. I've just decided to alter my late hop additions. I'll keep the Fuggles at 15g but as I've just discovered 35g of cascade pellets in the fridge I'll use them up too.

I never could stick to a plan.

EDIT - I should have checked my stock levels correctly. It turns out I only had 45g of Target hops so I've made the rest up with 10g Fuggles.

[stevezx7r]

Considering it's been a few months since I last brewed an AG beer it went quite well, that was up until the end when the run-off got stuck - again

I'm going to have to sort a decent hop screen out as the copper pipe doesn't like it when I mix leaf with pellet hops. It's as if i'm building a brick wall in my boiler. I had my hand in the wort in an attempt to prise the bloody pipe apart but it still wouldn't run into the FV. Grrr

I blew c02 back up the pipe too but it still didn't budge so I went back to pumping the tap up and down which made it trickle out a bit quicker.

Anyway, I have slightly less than anticipated ~ 22 litres and it's OG is at 1052 so a tad off expected.

[stevezx7r]

Would you Adam and Eve it !

My youngest (2) decided he wanted to have a look behind where my new beer was fermenting and in the process knocked the whole blooming lot off

It had a hole for a bung but no bung in place (a sheet of paper over the top is what I tend to use) so glugs of fermenting beer started spewing all over my computer room floor. I must have lost about two litres before I sorted it out.

Kids eh? Little shi*es more like.

I think I'm going to have to suspend the fermenting beer from the ceiling using a vast array of joists, ropes and pullies. I'll get designing.

[adm]

Aaaarrghhhhhh.......

That's kids for you!

I have 3 - but they know to keep away from the beer stuff now.....

[stevezx7r]

Strange, that Nottingham Yeast has fermented all the way to 1008 so I've now got a 5.7% IPA. Nice

It tastes lovely too, plenty of hop character and that biscuity taste from the amber malt is shining through.

I think I'll bottle and keg this one as an experiment.

[stevezx7r]

An update.

I've kept the keg in the "warm" of my pc room (between 15 - 20c) and have moved the bottles to my beer fridge to chill (10c) as they're carb'd up now.

A few cheeky tastes from the keg reveal it's beginning to mellow although it's still a tad bitter. It's almost clear now and quite golden in colour.

The bottles are similar but are slightly more bitter (erer) and have taken on a chill haze which I'm sure (hope) will clear in a few weeks.

Considering the amount of trub that was transferred to the fv things are looking good