Codename : Blackhole Session IPA

I found an IPA that seemed to match my interests, I adjusted water requirements from the original recipe, I also took some liberties with the hops and yeast selection. Word to the wise, do not use this recipe, try this one instead.

Recipe inspiration, https://www.beercraftr.com/1-gallon-black-ipa-recipe/

Ingredients

  • 2.25 lbs Maris Otter
  • 4 oz Munich dark
  • 2.5 oz chocolate malt
  • 2.5 oz caramel malt
  • 0.25 oz Challenger hops at 55 minutes
  • 0.25 oz Challenger hops at the end of the boil
  • 0.5 oz Fuggle hops at the end of the boil
  • 0.40 oz East Kent Golding, dry hop at 5 days
  • 0.50 oz Fuggle hops, dry hop at 10 days
  • 5 ml Verdant IPA yeast

Vital Stats

Anticipated 32 IBU
Anticipated 5% ABV
Target OG : 1.062
Target FG : 1.015

Brew Day

  • 7 litres strike water, 163 F.
  • Add the grains to the bag.
  • Place the bag in the hot water, set the timer for 90 minutes, and maintain the temperature at 156 F.
  • Prepare 2 L sparge water, 170-180 F.
  • Mash out, raise the temperature to 168 for 7 minutes.
  • Lift the bag out of the pot, allow it to drip into the pot. Sparge.
  • Bring wort up to 212F to boil for 10 minutes, then bring down to 210 F.
  • Add first hops 5 minutes after temperature is reached, complete boil time is 60 minutes.
  • Sanitise everything required for fermentation.
  • Add the next two hops at the end of the boil.
  • Cool to room temp, an ice-bath or a snowbank work effectively
  • Prepare yeast mixture.
  • Add wort to the jug. Pitch yeast.
  • Store cool for bottle conditioning for 14-21 days.

Follow up

  • 5 days later, add East Kent Golding hops.
  • 5 days later, add Fuggles hops.

Bottle Day

  • Sanitise everything required for bottling.
  • Transfer from carboy to bottling pot.
  • Prepare 17g corn sugar with enough hot water to dissolve it. Add to pot.
  • Bottle.
  • Preferably conduct secondary fermentation for at least 4 weeks. 

Brew Notes.

  • I have a refractometer now, I call it my sonic screwdriver. I can get gravity readings. Measured OG was 1.040. That is lower than expected. Mistakes were made, rookie errors that contributed to brewhouse inefficiency. Hopefully 3.5% ABV.
  • Absentmindedly added the starting hops to the steeping grain, CF above statement about rookie errors.
  • One litre of wort remained after transferring to the carboy.
  • 7 litres of strike water seemed like too much, try 6 next time.
  • Dry hopped at 5 days, measured SG, 1.029, currently makes it about 1.5% ABV.
  • Dry hopped at 10 days, measured SG, 1.028, currently makes it about 1.6% ABV.
  • Bottling day, measured SG, 1.021, that gives a potential 2.5% ABV. In theory, another .2 for bottle conditioning.
A portable refractometer for ascertaining sugar potential. I call it my sonic screwdriver.

 

Tasting notes

  • As mistakes were made, the alcohol content is not there, ergo the session in the title. For the basic hoppiness I like in a beverages, this one does hit the mark.

Brew day : 29-Jan-2022
Bottling day : 11-Feb-2022

NFT : https://opensea.io/assets/0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e/98547572266092688542004199927995955645241771819026625145362064307634034442241/