badclamz
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- Joined
- Feb 5, 2013
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Hi everyone - this is my first post after lurking a good deal here and elsewhere on the internet in search of information on home brewing. Registered here specifically because I found the people to be very helpful and kind in their responses. I'm not an expert, but I'm having a great time exploring a hobby I've always wanted to pursue.
My first two brews were pleasantly successful - neither were all-grain, both were from kits given to me to get started. I was very pleased with the Rogue Dead Guy Ale kit that I used to make my first batch, and just finished kegging my second batch, an India Pale Ale by True Brew. I'm a big fan of hoppy ales and my choice for my third brew is another kit by True Brew, "Whiteley Series Double IPA". The instructions are fairly direct (you can see them here). But before I brew this weekend, I wanted to ask a few specific questions so that I'm not making any mistakes.
In my previous boils, I've used muslin bags for my hop pellets. The directions here seem to suggest just adding the 7 oz. of various hops to the boil (only a grain steeping bag was supplied) I'm concerned that I will essentially have a lot of partially dissolved hops in my wort once I go to ferment. Is it best to loosely bag each ounce of hops and boil as directed, removing them prior to cooling and pitching? Are there any drawbacks to not bagging and allowing them to settle out of the wort during fermentation?
Second issue I have is where they indicate to add the yeast once its under 90 deg F. In previous brews I have used liquid smack packs, not dry yeast, and Ive diligently waited until under 70 deg F before pitching. Is 90 deg F safe? Does dry yeast require or warrant a slightly higher initial pitch temp? Doesnt say to shake vigorously but other places Ive read that people swear by shaking the wort to aerate before pitching?
Lastly, I plan to primary ferment in bucket with airlock and then rack to secondary glass carboy. In previous batches, I successfully dry-hopped in secondary / carboy and did not disturb primary fermentation (not even to peek, hard as that was to do ) The instructions here says "3 days after fermentation has begun, open lid of bucket and dry hop by adding 1 oz each of Amarillo and Cascade hops"..... Is this as good a suggestion as waiting until i rack to secondary? My thought process was to primary ferment 7-10 days in bucket uninterrupted, then rack to carboy and add hops (loose) and secondary for another 7-10 or longer. Im skeptical of opening the primary to dry hop especially because in my previous batches I had active airlock bubbling going on 7+ days in bucket.
One final question - the final gravity on the package indicates 1.019 - 1.023. Ive read in a few books about adding sugar in the case of a double IPA to help dry them out and boost the overall ABV. This kit only comes with 6oz of crystal grain malt and then the 2 cans of syrup. Should i leave well enough alone or does it make sense to add sugar to it?
Sorry for more questions than I initially indicated....i just want to make a great double IPA
Thanks
My first two brews were pleasantly successful - neither were all-grain, both were from kits given to me to get started. I was very pleased with the Rogue Dead Guy Ale kit that I used to make my first batch, and just finished kegging my second batch, an India Pale Ale by True Brew. I'm a big fan of hoppy ales and my choice for my third brew is another kit by True Brew, "Whiteley Series Double IPA". The instructions are fairly direct (you can see them here). But before I brew this weekend, I wanted to ask a few specific questions so that I'm not making any mistakes.
In my previous boils, I've used muslin bags for my hop pellets. The directions here seem to suggest just adding the 7 oz. of various hops to the boil (only a grain steeping bag was supplied) I'm concerned that I will essentially have a lot of partially dissolved hops in my wort once I go to ferment. Is it best to loosely bag each ounce of hops and boil as directed, removing them prior to cooling and pitching? Are there any drawbacks to not bagging and allowing them to settle out of the wort during fermentation?
Second issue I have is where they indicate to add the yeast once its under 90 deg F. In previous brews I have used liquid smack packs, not dry yeast, and Ive diligently waited until under 70 deg F before pitching. Is 90 deg F safe? Does dry yeast require or warrant a slightly higher initial pitch temp? Doesnt say to shake vigorously but other places Ive read that people swear by shaking the wort to aerate before pitching?
Lastly, I plan to primary ferment in bucket with airlock and then rack to secondary glass carboy. In previous batches, I successfully dry-hopped in secondary / carboy and did not disturb primary fermentation (not even to peek, hard as that was to do ) The instructions here says "3 days after fermentation has begun, open lid of bucket and dry hop by adding 1 oz each of Amarillo and Cascade hops"..... Is this as good a suggestion as waiting until i rack to secondary? My thought process was to primary ferment 7-10 days in bucket uninterrupted, then rack to carboy and add hops (loose) and secondary for another 7-10 or longer. Im skeptical of opening the primary to dry hop especially because in my previous batches I had active airlock bubbling going on 7+ days in bucket.
One final question - the final gravity on the package indicates 1.019 - 1.023. Ive read in a few books about adding sugar in the case of a double IPA to help dry them out and boost the overall ABV. This kit only comes with 6oz of crystal grain malt and then the 2 cans of syrup. Should i leave well enough alone or does it make sense to add sugar to it?
Sorry for more questions than I initially indicated....i just want to make a great double IPA
Thanks