How to get IPA ready for homebrew competition?

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Threetall

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So I am participating in a local homebrew competition where everyone had to brew an IPA today on 4/20/13. They are going to have a tasting event where judges will try the beers and the winner will be decided. They have decided that the beers will be judged on 5/23/13, so really not much time. In fact, I think it's ridiculous.

I brewed an IPA with an OG of 1.066. With dryhopping and bottling, I don't know how I can get it ready by may 23rd. Maybe 10-14 days of primary fermentation, then dryhopping for 7-10, then bottling?
 
Threetall said:
So I am participating in a local homebrew competition where everyone had to brew an IPA today on 4/20/13. They are going to have a tasting event where judges will try the beers and the winner will be decided. They have decided that the beers will be judged on 5/23/13, so really not much time. In fact, I think it's ridiculous.

I brewed an IPA with an OG of 1.066. With dryhopping and bottling, I don't know how I can get it ready by may 23rd. Maybe 10-14 days of primary fermentation, then dryhopping for 7-10, then bottling?

I would keep an eye on the airlock. As soon as its done take a gravity reading. If its good get it into secondary for dry hopping. I just did a chinook ipa but there's no way it's done at 10 days. I hope yours moves quickly. What yeast did you use?
 
With our system and our house IPA (Double Jack clone)... 4-5 days fermentation, 4-6 days dryhopping... then 10-16 days to bottle carb(if not bottling from the keg)... And that is with an OG of 1.085.... Good luck, my sense is that you have plenty of time.

FWIW... my wife insists that the best IPA we ever made was in a rush and ready to drink from a bottle in 3 weeks from brew day...
 
I think it'll be fine. I'm drinking an IPA right now that I brewed March 23rd, added dry hops to primary Apr 1st, cold crashed the 5th and bottled the 6th. It's very fresh and the flavors and aromas that were pretty pungent and unbalanced have settled and melded nicely and the carbonation is great. I started drinking it as soon as Apr 12th but it's better today (Apr 20). So that pretty much fits the same schedule you're working with.
 
So I am participating in a local homebrew competition where everyone had to brew an IPA today on 4/20/13. They are going to have a tasting event where judges will try the beers and the winner will be decided. They have decided that the beers will be judged on 5/23/13, so really not much time. In fact, I think it's ridiculous.

I brewed an IPA with an OG of 1.066. With dryhopping and bottling, I don't know how I can get it ready by may 23rd. Maybe 10-14 days of primary fermentation, then dryhopping for 7-10, then bottling?

Well, I do about 7-10 days of primary, dryhop 5 days, and then package. A well made beer will certainly be done with primary by day 5, and then has 5 days to clear up. I add the dryhops and then leave them for 5 days, and then package.

My IPAs are quite good. Nothing "ridiculous" about drinking a 4+ week old IPA. I am usually drinking mine by about day 15-20, although it's carbed up because I keg. Still, it won't take more than 10-14 days for a bottle to carb up, so I think a month+ is plenty of time.
 

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