All-Grain IIPA

Reading through this thread, did I miss it? Someone who said: "this is your first all-grain - don't waste your money on an IIPA or other big beer".

The focus on a first all-grain beer should not be on recipe formulation; it should be on process. There are many factors that go into a mash. The first time one should assume about a 65-70% mash efficiency, obsess over temperature, mash stirring, measure first runnings, second runnings, pre-boil and post boil gravity and temperatures, vorlaufing, avoiding grain in your wort, knowing the difference between alpha and beta amylase and how to get them, etc. Then you work on water chemistry, pH, etc. until you can get repeatable results. Then you start doing big beers.

Even then you should always keep some extra dry malt, water and corn sugar around to adjust S.G. if you are off significantly. Or adjust your bittering hops for that different style beer you wind up with. Or boil longer to concentrate the wort.

MorrisBrewingCo said:

When you measured your post boil OG, it would have told you that you are significantly overpitching with 2 packets of US-05 if they were 11.5 gram. Even with an OG of 1.093 you would only wanted to use 1.5 packets of US-05. Calculations below.

Let us know how it comes out as there is a lot of discussion on over and underpitching to which only results can speak. What temp are you fermenting at and how did you aerate?

Click to expand...

I know that based off the OG this would only be classified as a regular IPA. I was originally going for a IIPA as you can see by the recipe and OG that I expected. Not sure what happened to make my efficency so low either. Could have been a number of reasons.

Fermentation has been at a consistent 68 degrees. Aeration was done by pitching the 2 rehydrated yeasts into the carboy and swirling vigorously for 1 minute. Fermentation began less than 6 hours after pitching the yeast. As for the "overpitching" I feel as if I pitched the right amount. I have not had any krausen exceed the portion of the carboy where the neck starts and have not had a need for a blowoff tube. I realize that people will see pitching 2 packets of yeast with this gravity as a waste. They are entitled to their opinions. I put two packets in for two reasons.

First, I wanted to see what would happen. A pretty obvious reason given I originally wanted to brew a IIPA. Second, even after I figured out that my OG was way lower I thought this: If more yeast cells are present with the increased sugar in the wort (due to the 1 pound of Corn Sugar added) this will allow for the FG to be lower. Thus, giving the beer more alcohol content and allowing it to be closer in ABV from where I thought it would be. I added quite a few additons of hops to this brew and I wanted to make sure that the ABV was there accordingly. I will absolutely give an update on this beer when it becomes drinkable. I am expecting a hop bomb with awesome spiciness, citrus, slight malt flavor and comes off very dry. We'll see how close I am to that. I hope it doesn't suck. If all else fails, I know what not to do next time! :rockin:

NorthwestBrewman2013 said:

I know that based off the OG this would only be classified as a regular IPA. I was originally going for a IIPA as you can see by the recipe and OG that I expected. Not sure what happened to make my efficency so low either. Could have been a number of reasons.

Click to expand...

I would focus on getting your actual measurements closest to your expected calculations. Next time your actual comes out much lower due to efficiency problems, I would consider making adjustments for a more balanced beer. A pre boil gravity reading would have depicted a low gravity reading. At this point you can lessen the hop additions to balance the reduced sweetness to a more complementary bitterness. More importantly you could have reduced the yeast.

NorthwestBrewman2013 said:

Fermentation has been at a consistent 68 degrees. Aeration was done by pitching the 2 rehydrated yeasts into the carboy and swirling vigorously for 1 minute. Fermentation began less than 6 hours after pitching the yeast.

Click to expand...

Your aeration technique be suffice for US-05 but you may want to look at a improving or at the least agitate for over 1 minute especially if you use liquid yeast.

NorthwestBrewman2013 said:

As for the "overpitching" I feel as if I pitched the right amount. I have not had any krausen exceed the portion of the carboy where the neck starts and have not had a need for a blowoff tube. I realize that people will see pitching 2 packets of yeast with this gravity as a waste. They are entitled to their opinions. I put two packets in for two reasons.

First, I wanted to see what would happen. A pretty obvious reason given I originally wanted to brew a IIPA.

Click to expand...

Opinion is subjective and fact is objective. This website has a bunch of opinionated answers but it also has factual ones. The fact is, you overpitched by doubling the needed yeast cells for that gravity. To really diagnose, I would need to know your aeration temp, rehydrating method, and yeast pitching temp. As I said earlier you only need 1.5 packets for even you calculated gravity of 1.093. Just use Mr. Malty.

NorthwestBrewman2013 said:

Second, even after I figured out that my OG was way lower I thought this: If more yeast cells are present with the increased sugar in the wort (due to the 1 pound of Corn Sugar added) this will allow for the FG to be lower. Thus, giving the beer more alcohol content and allowing it to be closer in ABV from where I thought it would be. I added quite a few additons of hops to this brew and I wanted to make sure that the ABV was there accordingly. I will absolutely give an update on this beer when it becomes drinkable. I am expecting a hop bomb with awesome spiciness, citrus, slight malt flavor and comes off very dry. We'll see how close I am to that. I hope it doesn't suck. If all else fails, I know what not to do next time! :rockin:

Click to expand...

The corn sugar was added into the boil before you measured therefore it is not increased more than you measured it post boil.

I can admire your desire to experiment but I would do a little research so you can let the more experienced spend their time and money for better documented results to serve as your precedents in brewing. Your beer is not ruined I am just informing you on how to next time make it better. I would do as recommended and find a simple pale ale batch with two or three grains and two or three boil hop additions to replicate until you get at least above 50% efficiency, 60% it what I would recommend because you are sort of losing a lot of money and not able to learn unless you want to learn the expensive way. I will say the one good thing you have going is that learning the hard way will ensure habitual good process. Cheers and good luck.

Last night I racked this IPA to a secondary carboy to dry hop for 7 days. I used 2oz Cascade and 1oz Centennial pellets.

Had the opportunity to try it. Extremely hoppy both on the tounge and nose with just a hit of residual sweetness. Very full beer on the palate. Closest beer (hop wise) that I have tried would be Pliny the Elder. By no means am I saying that it is Pliny, but you get the idea. I'm hoping to hit 6% ABV after my disaster in efficency, we'll see. All-in-all I'm fairly pleased at what could be. This will be the first beer that I have kegged as well. More updates in the near future.

Alrighty, the beer was kegged and sat in there conditioning for about 12 days. The first beer I had out of it was nothing short of outstanding. The final gravity ended up being around 1.007 and the alcohol ended up around 7%.

Taste - Huge hop flavor (Citrus and pine). Good residual sweetness (caramel on the back end of the sip). Very dry. Also, good initial bitterness that does not linger past the initial sip.

Color - Lighter Golden.

Head retention is amazing.

Aroma - Huge pine nose. Along with lemon and orange smells.

For all the mishaps I had, this turned out exceptional. I brought a growler of it to a party and it was a big hit. I bottled a few as well to check how it ends up being after a month or so.

NorthwestBrewman2013 said:

Alrighty, the beer was kegged and sat in there conditioning for about 12 days. The first beer I had out of it was nothing short of outstanding. The final gravity ended up being around 1.007 and the alcohol ended up around 7%.

Taste - Huge hop flavor (Citrus and pine). Good residual sweetness (caramel on the back end of the sip). Very dry. Also, good initial bitterness that does not linger past the initial sip.

Color - Lighter Golden.

Head retention is amazing.

Aroma - Huge pine nose. Along with lemon and orange smells.

For all the mishaps I had, this turned out exceptional. I brought a growler of it to a party and it was a big hit. I bottled a few as well to check how it ends up being after a month or so.

Click to expand...

Glad it turned out well!