First brew completed, Imperial Pale Ale with modifications

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OptimusJay

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Had a friend over this morning and did my first brew. I did Brewers Best Imperial Pale Ale http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/New BB Recipes/1045 Imperial Pale Ale Recipe.pdf

I did make a couple of modifications though.

First, I added the 6.6 LME at around 10 minutes remaining in boil instead of the full 60 minutes per the instructions.

Second, at 2 minutes left in the boil I added 2 lbs of my honey (hobby beekeeper).

Third, added 1 teaspoon Irish Moss at 15 minutes remaning in boil.

Fourth, I have not gotten to that point yet, but will dry hop 2oz of whole Chinook once primary fermentation is complete.

Starting gravity, corrected for brew temp, was 1.0885.

Everything went well and I kept good notes along the way...plus had a couple great beers along the way.

Pitched the yeast and am now just waiting. I set up a blow off tube as I read about very aggressive fermentation and did not want the mess.

I'll update in the coming days.

Jay
 
16 hours after pitching safale US 05 (dry, right from packet) I was expecting to see activity in the blow off tube. I was thinking I might have a problem with the yeast and having not made a starter I was worried. I replace the blow off with the air lock and it was indeed bubbling. At 18 hours I was getting a bubble every 5 or 6 seconds. Now at 30 hours since pitching the yeast its bubbling once a second. The smell coming out of the air lock is wonderful.

How long should I wait until the primary may be done? I am in no rush. Seems I read that this recipe kit may need 2 weeks in primary.
 
I'm just about to bottle a BB Imperial Blonde Ale. Mine has been in primary 4 weeks. Mine was also a slow start to ferment. Good luck!
 
Was your in primary for 4 weeks because it took that long to finish fermenting? Or were you just keeping it in there longer to help let things settle?

I just looked at the BB Imperial Blonde ale and it looks good too. Let me know how it turns out.

Jay
 
After reading many threads here. Just figured the longer the better. Recipe said the ferment in primary for 5-7 days then rack to secondary. Figured I'd just let it sit in primary the whole time... I'll let you know how it turns out in a couple weeks or so. Cheers!
 
My beer has been in primary bucket for 9 days now. At 14 days I will take an SG reading and then again the next day and see how fermentation is coming. Airlock activity has certainly slowed, but I know SG readings will tell all.

So next question: once fermentation is complete, should i continue to let it age in the primary bucket? And if so, for how long? Also know that I still plan on dry hopping with a few ounces of Chinook as well. Lastly, dry hop in primary bucket or rack to secondary glass carboy and dry hop in that?
Jay
 
OptimusJay said:
My beer has been in primary bucket for 9 days now. At 14 days I will take an SG reading and then again the next day and see how fermentation is coming. Airlock activity has certainly slowed, but I know SG readings will tell all.

So next question: once fermentation is complete, should i continue to let it age in the primary bucket? And if so, for how long? Also know that I still plan on dry hopping with a few ounces of Chinook as well. Lastly, dry hop in primary bucket or rack to secondary glass carboy and dry hop in that?
Jay

Sounds like a great beer! Congrats on your first!
I rack to the secondary to dry hop. Some people ad them to the primary. You don't want to age a pale ale. After 2-3 weeks fermenting and then dry hop for another week, the bottle it. It should be good a few weeks after that, but I always taste them after a week... Ok a few days, but hey it's my beer!
 
Thanks for the feedback!

I have a mead that I made 3 months ago and I was taking a gravity reading for that, so since I had that stuff out and sanitized I decided to take a sample of this ale for a reading/taste.
Reading was 1.022 which means this beer is at 8.5% ABV now. I don't really expect this to ferment out any more since thats about where the recipe instructions said it should end, plus I added the 2lbs of honey so my OG was slightly higher than the recipe's OG.
Taste...well bitter, trace sweetness, and very unripe/green. I honestly didn't expect much more since it's only 10 days young.

My plan is to let this sit in primary for a total of 3 weeks, then rack to secondary for dry hop for 5-7 days, then bottle it.

Jay
 
Ok, I'm at 3 weeks in primary bucket. I have taken hydrometer readings and I got consecutive readings of 1.021. I think this places this somewhere in the neighborhood of 8.8 ABV since the OG was 1.089.

Should I let this sit for another week before adding then hops for dry hopping? Or dry hop now? I plan on drynhopping in the primary bucket. Also, would be of any benefit to set the primary bucket in the garage where it's averaging 40 degrees or so? Maybe dry hip for 7 days total, the last 4 out in the garage for cold crash benefits?

Jay
 
Ok, I'm at 3 weeks in primary bucket. I have taken hydrometer readings and I got consecutive readings of 1.021. I think this places this somewhere in the neighborhood of 8.8 ABV since the OG was 1.089.

Should I let this sit for another week before adding then hops for dry hopping? Or dry hop now? I plan on drynhopping in the primary bucket. Also, would be of any benefit to set the primary bucket in the garage where it's averaging 40 degrees or so? Maybe dry hip for 7 days total, the last 4 out in the garage for cold crash benefits?

Jay

It seems high for a pale ale, but it's extract. After 3 weeks, rack out to a secondary. I only say that to give you experience for racking. If you want to dry hop in the primary, then have at it. Just toss those hops in there for a week. This is a huge pale ale! It might be a DIPA after you get finished with it, lol. For a first beer is not bad at all! Don't worry, try a sample, drink the sample, have more samples then bottle after the week of dry hopping.
 
It seems high for a pale ale, but it's extract. After 3 weeks, rack out to a secondary. I only say that to give you experience for racking. If you want to dry hop in the primary, then have at it. Just toss those hops in there for a week. This is a huge pale ale! It might be a DIPA after you get finished with it, lol. For a first beer is not bad at all! Don't worry, try a sample, drink the sample, have more samples then bottle after the week of dry hopping.

It's big because it's an Imperial pale ale, not a pale ale. A week for dry hopping, got it.

Jay
 
It's big because it's an Imperial pale ale, not a pale ale. A week for dry hopping, got it.

Jay

Reading the thread title... that would have helped me, lol
I dry hopped my IIPA for a week it it came out fantastic... what are you dry hopping with?
 
LOL

I used a couple ounces of Chinook that I picked, dried, and vacuum sealed this past fall. Smells awesome. Did you cold crash your IIPA?

Jay
 
LOL

I used a couple ounces of Chinook that I picked, dried, and vacuum sealed this past fall. Smells awesome. Did you cold crash your IIPA?

Jay


My next IPA is def going to use some chinook, I hear your get that piney resinous aroma from it, mmmmm.

I did not cold crash it.
 
An update on my first brew...just enjoyed my first bottle! The hop presence is there for sure, but so is the smooth malt backbone. In summary, this sat in primary vessel for 4 weeks, the last six days i dry hopped with whole cone chinook. I let it bottle condition for nearly 3 weeks before I could not wait any longer. I would guess that another week or two will render it even better. There is something to be said for the satisfaction of drinking your first homebrew. At just under 9% I am also getting some nice warmth in the chest. Now to figure out what to brew next.

A big thanks to this forum for the wealth of information.

Jay
 
An update on my first brew...just enjoyed my first bottle! The hop presence is there for sure, but so is the smooth malt backbone. In summary, this sat in primary vessel for 4 weeks, the last six days i dry hopped with whole cone chinook. I let it bottle condition for nearly 3 weeks before I could not wait any longer. I would guess that another week or two will render it even better. There is something to be said for the satisfaction of drinking your first homebrew. At just under 9% I am also getting some nice warmth in the chest. Now to figure out what to brew next.

A big thanks to this forum for the wealth of information.

Jay

Nice! I never wait that long to try my beers, lol. Except for my RIS's. What kind of flavor and aroma are you getting?
 
Flavor and aroma...
The aroma is not as big as I thought it would be given that I dry hopped. However, I only used 2oz of chinook, next time will use 4oz. I am getting some nice pine resin from it. The kit came with only Columbus and the upfront bitterness is there but it fades a bit and then some of smoothness, semi sweetness of the malt comes in. Then it finishes again with the hops, but not bitter, just piney I guess. I am pleased.
I think I may do the Brewers Best Imperial Blonde next, with some mods again :D
 
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