AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

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Lewy

AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

Post by Lewy » Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:07 pm

I was originally going to call this Tom Cat Piss after seeing the great Mr Wheeler refer to APAs as such on these hallowed pages. But decided may not look the best when giving out to mates, and nor would the abbreviation, TCP. So Top Cat is close enough.

I'll confess my error up front, in what was an otherwise straightforward brew. Strike water in tun, about 3/4 of grains stirred in, glanced at clock and see the grain filter and pipes sitting on the side. Quickly emptied the entire tun into the boiler including a couple of washes to go last grains out, fitted filter, whole lot back in, again washing boiler for all grains. Mash temp ended up at around 61c, so lots of topping up with untreated kettle water. What a feckin idiot. Only my 6th AG brew, and I'm almost at a full-house of brewing errors.

This was mashed overnight starting (prob 13.5hrs) at 66.2c (eventually), CRS to 30, Campden tab, bit of gypsum in mash and boil, irish moss last 10mins of boil. Yeast US-05 dry pitch.

Fermentable Colour lb: oz Grams Ratio
Pale Malt 5 EBC 7 lbs. 11.4 oz 3500 grams 79.5%
Lager Malt 2.5 EBC 1 lbs. 3.4 oz 550 grams 12.5%
Crystal Malt, Pale 60 EBC 0 lbs. 8.8 oz 250 grams 5.7%
Torrefied Wheat 4 EBC 0 lbs. 3.5 oz 100 grams 2.3%

Hop Variety Type Alpha Time lb: oz grams Ratio
Citra Whole 13.8 % 90 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.3%
Citra Whole 13.8 % 30 mins 0 lbs. 0.4 oz 10 grams 5.7%
Citra Whole 13.8 % 10 mins 0 lbs. 0.5 oz 15 grams 8.6%
Chinook Pellet 12.9 % 10 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.2%
Centennial Pellet 11 % 10 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.2%
Citra Whole 13.8 % 0 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.3%
Chinook Pellet 12.9 % 0 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.2%
Centennial Pellet 11 % 0 mins 0 lbs. 0.9 oz 25 grams 14.2%

Will dry hop with 50g of Centennial Pellet and 50g Chinook Pellet, maybe 25g Citra flower

aim;
Original Gravity: 1.046
Final Gravity: 1.011
Alcohol Content: 4.5% ABV

Bitterness: 80.6034282921091 EBU
Colour: 12 EBC

So loads of hops for this one.
Did an SNPA clone recently and came out at 7.2% in the end, too much for casual drinking though nice all the same, so aimed for 4.5-5% for this one. Also did not get enough floral notes, and disappointing aroma. Been drinking a lot of Kernel beers recently, some 5AM Saints, and various super-hopped APAs, and really want that strong hop punch, both in the mouth and nose. No real reason for using pellets, just what I had. Not ideal for clarity but will see if can clear out later.

Grain
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Hoppage
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Re-circ
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Sparge
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Pea soup
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Hazy
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Bilge
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Foam
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1.050
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Overshot gravity by a few points, but at least less than normal - hard to predict efficiency accurately with these overnight mashes. Got 20lts at 1.050 - hops stole plenty

Just checked FV, smells good, bubbling slowed down, will rack to 2nd and dry hop at weekend. Fingers crossed

Lewy

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Re: AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

Post by WishboneBrewery » Sun Jul 31, 2011 6:48 pm

Could have been 'Piss Phreak' for a name!

Should be good :) thats a fair old hop schedule.

Lewy

Re: AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

Post by Lewy » Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:53 pm

yeah pdtnc hopefully this will be mega hoppy!!
Just like my last brew this has ended up over-attenuated at 1.005 - can't work out why this is happening when both times predicted was 1.010. Using different yeasts packs too, WLP001 and S-05. Could it be because of these overnight mashes, or because of lack of temp control? Racked to 2nd on Sat and dry hopped as above, left out the Citra flowers.

It is still pretty cloudy, and the dry hop will only make it more so. Given I don't have ability to crash cool, may try fining for the first time with Gelatine at the weekend (so 1 week of dry hop) and bottling shortly after, reckon this would do for clearing? Leave longer on the hops maybe?

Dry hops waiting for racking
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Racking - proper pea-soupper
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Remains of primary
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Cheers
Lewy

WishboneBrewery
CBA Prizewinner 2010
Posts: 7874
Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 9:06 pm
Location: Keighley, West Yorkshire
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Re: AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

Post by WishboneBrewery » Mon Aug 01, 2011 7:29 pm

The 1005 FG might be to do with the long Mash. (I could be slightly arse backwards but this is kind of how it goes)
A longer will mash give the Alpha Amylase loads of time to keep snipping off the ends of the longer chain sugars (starch) turning them into easily fermentable sugars. A thinner mash also helps this take place too.

So for more body and Unfermentable sugars go for a shorter mash with a thicker consistency.

If you are stuck with mashing over night, go for a thick mash and aim high on the mash temp 67-69c (though I suppose as it cools further conversion will take place).

Lewy

Re: AG#6 Top Cat IPA - 24/07/11

Post by Lewy » Tue Aug 02, 2011 2:06 pm

Thanks for that mate, very interesting and helps me towards a change of opinion. Having previously been pro overnight mashing (as per 'how to fit brewing in with young family' posts etc), I am now against, so will just have to work out how better to time the whole brew day. It is very hard to get consistent efficiency, between 80-92%, and the last 3 brews have ended up way too attenuated. Hence my SNPA clone aiming for 5.6% ended up with 7.2%, and a London porter batch has turned into bottle bombs after bottling at 1.012. The SNPA clone is defo still v nice, just no way a session beer!

Hopefully this will still be v drinkable, though I'll be happier once that mushy-pea hop layer sinks so that I can see beer again. The fcker is still bubbling through the airlock though, how low can it go (deathrow)...

Lewy

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