Drowning Hops - IPA (AG, Bridgeport IPA Clone w/ First Wort Hopping)

**BierMuncher** · 01-17-2008, 03:19 PM

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Safale - 05
Yeast Starter: Yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5.5
Original Gravity: 1.059
Final Gravity: 1.014
IBU: 52.3
Boiling Time (Minutes): 80
Color: 8.6
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 Days at 66 degrees
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): Racked to Keg for Cold conditioning, 2 weeks

Not long ago and rather spontaneously, I picked up a six pack of Bridgeport IPA on the way home from work. Now I’m not a huge hop head, but lately I’ve been growing in my appreciation of a good (not overly bitter) hop flavored beer. Bridgeport is reputed to be the oldest craft brewery in Oregon so I figured they ought to have things figured out by now.

This was a fantastic beer. That “whoosh” of hops was almost sweet in its floral flavor. The malt was just right and not overdone. There aren’t too many commercial beers that I have a craving for, but Bridgeport IPA is now one of them. But at $7.99 a sixer…I think it’s time to try and come up with my own version.

This recipe is slightly modified from a “Beer Captured” clone. I’ve added Melanoiden and CaraPils to increase the malt profile. I’ve also replaced the Chinook with Phoenix and moved from a bittering addition to just First Wort Hop (FWH) and aroma hops. (Here’s a good read on First Wort Hopping)

This is my first go at FWH so if it turns out that this recipe is a bust…I’ll remove it. I doubt that’s going to be the case though

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.30 gal
Estimated OG: 1.059 SG
Estimated Color: 8.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 52.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 80 Minutes

GRAINS
10.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)
1.00 lb Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)

FIRST WORT HOPS
0.50 oz Phoenix [12.00%] (80 min) (First Wort Hop)
0.50 oz Cascade [7.80%] (80 min) (First Wort Hop)
0.50 oz Williamette [5.20%] (80 min) (First Wort Hop)
0.50 oz Mt. Hood [3.70%] (80 min) (First Wort Hop)

First Wort Hops addition involves adding the hops to the kettle as it is being filled with wort from the mash tun. This process is demonstrated to provide a smoother, more uniform bitterness to the beer, and lock in more of the flavor and aroma than simply adding at a normal bittering interval.

AROMA HOPS
0.50 oz Cascade [7.80%] (1 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
0.50 oz Mt. Hood [3.70%] (1 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)
0.50 oz Williamette [5.20%] (1 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep)

DRY HOP
1.00 oz Cascade [7.80%] (Dry Hop 7 days)

1 Pkgs Hydrated SafAle Ale (DCL Yeast #S-05) Yeast-Ale

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 12.00 lb
----------------------------
Mash at 156 for 75 minutes

**Dr_Deathweed** · 01-17-2008, 07:08 PM

oooooooo, I may have to try this one.... If I can find hops

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 02-02-2008, 05:29 AM

This will be my second AG, tomorrow. Small Changes, LHBS didn't have Phoenix so I went back to the Chinook. And I thought I had Mt. Hood's in the freezer but don't so I'm using Hallertau.

**Yuri_Rage** · 02-02-2008, 05:37 AM

Another benefit of FWH is a little boil-over protection, right from the start. I FWH any beer that is supposed to have even a hint of hop flavor.

Poindexter · 02-02-2008, 05:00 PM

Recipe v- hops in stock (Amarillo, Fuggles, Willamette, Hallertau), I think I am going to sub

replace Phoenix with Willamette
replace Cascade with Amarillo
replace Willamette with Fuggles
replace Mount Hood with Hallertau.

Yes I have a scale, I will replace HBU for HBU. If this hop substitution seems odd ball please speak up, I am thinking it will head towards spicy away from floral and end up OK to pretty darn good, depending on the tasters floral preference.

I am into a Fuggles/ Challenger/ coarse ground black pepper Roggenbier right now that is really tripping my trigger.

I do have 0.5oz of 12.6% Chinook left that I would think about using dry if the hydro sample is tasty.

Is the 20 minute baseline time frame for FWH add to 170°F wort in the floor of the kettle to full wort boil 20 minutes? Has anyone tried 30 or 45 minutes?

TIA, I'll be brewing on 02-09-08 and shooting for a 30 minute soak unless the consensus is my hops subs are gonna suck.

EDIT: I may not get this brewed today, but it is going to be "next". I found the Shipyard local. I liked the hops, the grain didn't do it for me, so I'll be Franken-brewing Biermuncher's hops on EdWorts grain bill as described over here, last paragraph: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/550033-post272.html

FWIW my best guess (I ran the FHW as (60) and then multiplied by 1.2) brings this in at ~44.5 Tensith IBUs. The Tensith table I use doesn't give up any IBUs for dry hopping, I got the 44.5 just from the (FWH) and the (1)

jzal8 · 02-02-2008, 06:52 PM

Wow, minus the phoenix, I have a nice little stockpile of all these hops. I've never done any first wort hopping, but I am very interested in trying it out. This looks like a good brew to try in march, I'd love to enjoy this just as the weather begins to turn.

I will be watching this thread to see how it turns out for you. Thanks

**BierMuncher** · 02-02-2008, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poindexter

...
replace Phoenix with Willamette
replace Cascade with Amarillo
replace Willamette with Fuggles
replace Mount Hood with Hallertau.
...

Is the 20 minute baseline time frame for FWH add to 170°F wort in the floor of the kettle to full wort boil 20 minutes? Has anyone tried 30 or 45 minutes?
...

I like ths subs. Like you say, make sure to recalculate your IBU's. With the Willamette subbing for the Phoneix, you'll really pick up some additional aroma.

I don't know if the effects of FWH are influenced by a longer "steep" or not. I'm usually in that 30-40 minute area, only because I take a while to get my second sparges completed (and sometimes I'm just distracted...).

My gut tells me that as little as 10-15 minutes steeping in 150-160 wort is enough time to lock in the effect of FWH.

Poindexter · 02-10-2008, 02:33 AM

You don't have a lid for your keggle do you Biermuncher?

I got my FWH into my wort and steeped it covered for ten minutes, then I pulled the lid and turned the burner on. Smells great.

Total I had the ten minute steep lidded and 18:xx unlidded and heating for 28 minutes and a few seconds total from FWH into the first runnings to boiling wort.

I also ran all my hops through a citrus squeezer to get at more hop juice.

EDIT: 05MAR2008. I got it bottled today. That isn't worth bumping the thread, but I have had to taste this one last on the days I collect hydrometer samples. The hop flavor in this one, well, it is more and it is different. Like 15 minutes later I still have hop flavor onmy tongue. 21 days at 70°F. 21 days at 70°F. 21 days at 70°F.

**BierMuncher** · 03-03-2008, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poindexter

You don't have a lid for your keggle do you Biermuncher?

No lid, but the keggle keeps things plenty hot and my sparging is a bit longer process so the hops steeping gets plenty of time.

I just moved this batch to the kegerator and gave it a sampling. It’s been sitting in the keg in my 40 degree garage for about 4 weeks.

I am firmly convinced that the combination of First Wort Hopping and late (very late) additions for hops aroma/flavor is the way to go.

This beer (flat and still pretty young) tastes absolutely fantastic. The bitterness that exists is balanced and spot-on servable right now. There is no back of the throat "sting" I usually get from highly hopped beers that are less than 2-3 months old. The hop flavor/aroma is very rich. Very flavorful. And not hidden by a high bitterness.

This is a 1.055 OG over a 54-IBU brew. That would normally (in my book) require a lengthy mellow time. But this beer will be ready as soon as it’s carb’d and cleared.

So from now on…for me…my hops go in at first wort drain, and/or with less than 10 minutes left in the boil. No more 60, 40, 30 or 20 minute additions.

Jdawg · 03-10-2008, 03:11 AM

I did this recipe yesterday and it fermenting wonderfully. My OG was 1.057, this was my time dry wort hopping and I can tell that it will be fantastic and am very excited to drink the final product!

Will post after I rack-chill-keg...