India Pale Ale

My fourth batch (I’ll discuss batch three in a later post) was an American IPA. Here are the particulars:

Beer Number: B3
Beer Name: Beaverdam Brewery India Pale Ale
Type: American IPA
Primary Fermenter: 6 ½ gal. glass carboy (39 days)
Secondary Fermenter: n/a
OG: 1.063
FG: 1.016

Ingredients:
6.25 lbs light malt extract
1 ½ lbs extra light DME
½ lb Amber malt
1 oz Magnum pellet hops (13.6% AA) @ 60 min.
¼ oz Palisade plug hops (9.0% AA) @ 60 min.
¾ oz Palisade plug hops (9.0% AA) @ 15 min.
½ oz Amarillo pellet hops (8.0% AA) @ 15 min.
½ oz. Amarillo pellet hops (8.0% AA) @1 min
½ oz Glacier pellet hops (6.75% AA) @1 min
White Labs WLP005 English Ale Yeast


How about that hopping schedule? Let me tell you, I was looking for plenty of hop bitterness, hop flavor and hop aroma and that was certainly achieved. I did one thing I had never done before. I brewed this the day that I bottled B1, the India Brown Ale, so I thought I’d take advantage of that beautiful yeast cake and drop this one in the fermenter right on top of that bad boy. I had heard about others doing this, but I was a little worried about off flavors (my worries were unwarranted). Well, this one took off like a rocket and never looked back. I did not intend to keep it in the primary for almost 6 weeks – It just took me that long to get around to bottling it. Have I mentioned how much I dislike bottling? As soon as I finish my basement, my next project is a kegerator.

So how did it turn out? You ask. A sniff of the glass gives one the wonderful hint of hoppy citrus. As soon as the nectar hits your tongue one wants to pucker from the bitterness (this bad boy does check in just north of 60 IBU - International Bittering Units), but once your tongue stops swelling, the wonderful citrusy taste from the Amarillo hops is unmistakable.

I broke into these last weekend and I had two neighbors make comments such as: “You made this? No really, what microbrewery did this come from? I’ve gotta get me some.”

Thank you may I have another?