American IPA Stone Ruination Clone

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jaydog2314 said:
I'm pretty late to this thread and I dont think I can read thru all 50+ pages...are people still brewing this with the original recipe?

I did and it turned out awesome. Slightly over carbed, but that was my fault.
Need to do this recipe again.
 
I'm pretty late to this thread and I dont think I can read thru all 50+ pages...are people still brewing this with the original recipe?

Glad you asked...I just got here myself. Now that we are legal in Alabama I think this might be my first legal brew. I love the way that Ruination beats your palate into submission.
 
I did and it turned out awesome. Slightly over carbed, but that was my fault.
Need to do this recipe again.

what yeast did you use? I see the OP recipe calls for Pacman but I know my local LHBS doesn't have that one. I have seen a few other clones running around talking about using WLP007.

I like Wyeast b/c that's all I have ever used so I'm curious to what people are using.
 
just curious on how much liquid you are starting with before boil in the AG version? i am having a hard time with the water to grain ratio (brain farts, gotta love them)
 
this based on my system so yours may vary but i work off 75% expected efficiency,,,for this recipe my grain bill is 15.65lbs. strike water is based on 1.25 water/grain ratio so for me it's 4.89 gallons, then i'll sparge with 4.66 gallons and shoot for estimated pre-boil volume of 7.1 to get my 5.5 batch size b/c my system has a boil off rate of about .75 gallons per hour and .25 cooling loss and .25 trub loss. i've been hitting my numbers really good lately.

so for your system it may vary so it's a little hard to say what your system will call for, hope that helps some!
 
Did a variation on this today. Did 12 oz crystal and 4 oz carapils instead of a pound of crystal and added a pound of corn sugar to make it even drier. Used the San Diego super yeast.
 
So my OG was 1.077 which is about right with the extra pound of corn sugar, but my FG is el stucko at 1.020. Thoughts?
 
I add an extra pound of base malt and am doing pretty good with my BIAB + batch sparge method. I got 1.071 doing just regular BIAB then got 1.080 and 1.077 doing a sort of sparge by draining into buckets and adding more water then rinsing the bag with some more clean water. To get 1.080 I ended up with 14 gals of water. Wow that was way too much. My boil off is pretty fast but it still took forever to get this down to 6 gals.
 
So I checked the temp on mine. It's been 63-63 for 10 days. It was at 1.020 last I checked. It'll get warmer here the next week, I'll raise the yeasties with a shake when it warms up.
 
So I checked the temp on mine. It's been 63-63 for 10 days. It was at 1.020 last I checked. It'll get warmer here the next week, I'll raise the yeasties with a shake when it warms up.

I'd venture to say you're there. Taste the sample? If it's good, you're good. If it's sweet, you can TRY to pitch more yeast, say, nottingham, then keep it in the low 70's. Personally, if you really want to go lower, try 2 drops of amylase enzyme, JUST 2 drops. Then check again in 3 days.
 
I'd venture to say you're there. Taste the sample? If it's good, you're good. If it's sweet, you can TRY to pitch more yeast, say, nottingham, then keep it in the low 70's. Personally, if you really want to go lower, try 2 drops of amylase enzyme, JUST 2 drops. Then check again in 3 days.

Hmm, I have heard of this. Thanks for the suggestion. I may give it a shot.
 
Question, I am seriously considering using the amylase enzyme. Do I need to stop it at some point by cold crashing or something, or will it just stop on its own before it kills all my sugars?
 
Question, I am seriously considering using the amylase enzyme. Do I need to stop it at some point by cold crashing or something, or will it just stop on its own before it kills all my sugars?

Just don't use too much of it. It will stop unless you use too much. Again, I'd start with a drop or two and go from there. Be patient.
 
Okay, bought some amylase enzyme. It's powder form and says 1 tsp per 5 gallons. I'm thinking half a tsp. It is gonna be used on both this recipe and a Row 2 Hill 56 clone that is stuck at 1.020 which is way too high for a pale ale. OG on that one was 1.066 and it should be finishing at 1.010.
 
I'm brewing this tomorrow I was suppose to use pacman but it never showed in the mail so ill be using dennys favorite 50. I'm trying with using some sugar to dry it out as mentioned earlier but I've never done it so I'm a little apprehensive.
 
I'm brewing this tomorrow I was suppose to use pacman but it never showed in the mail so ill be using dennys favorite 50. I'm trying with using some sugar to dry it out as mentioned earlier but I've never done it so I'm a little apprehensive.

Should work good. I ****ed up my mash temp I think that's why my gravity is currently stuck at 1.020.
 
I'm brewing this tomorrow I was suppose to use pacman but it never showed in the mail so ill be using dennys favorite 50. I'm trying with using some sugar to dry it out as mentioned earlier but I've never done it so I'm a little apprehensive.

1450 is a real neat yeast. It's like a softer, slightly maltier WLP001 (which I also love). It should do a great job on this recipe, especially if you dry the beer out. Personally, I wouldn't add any sugar and mash @ 149.

IMHO, WLP007 is the best choice for the recipe. It really nails the Ruination yeast character.

I would also consider bittering with Columbus and adding a bit around knockout/whirlpool.

Cheers,
~j
 
Yeah I was trying to decide pound of sugar or lower mash temp. I was originally thinking mash at 152 but I'm leaning towards lowering that and not messing with the sugar
 
Brewed today and it was looking good after the mash. I mashed at 151.5 pre boil gravity est was 1.060. I came in at 1.062. My SG was estimated at 1.075 but came in short of that at about 1.069/1.070 not too far off just not sure how I ended short. Maybe I boiled too vigorously. First time my pre boil has been high but SG low. My amount were pretty damn close too. 7.1 pre boil I hit that. Post boil was suppose to be just under 6 I came in just over 6. I know it's close. I'm just hoping my FG gets down low enough to put me back in the bjcp standards for IIPA as I was hoping to enter this one in a competition.
 
I'd venture to say you're there. Taste the sample? If it's good, you're good. If it's sweet, you can TRY to pitch more yeast, say, nottingham, then keep it in the low 70's. Personally, if you really want to go lower, try 2 drops of amylase enzyme, JUST 2 drops. Then check again in 3 days.

I never used amylase enzyme before but if my FG does stall would suggest this? Beersmith estimates FG at 1.016 but I would really like it closer 1.011, I know it's damn close but by getting down to 1.011 it would put it in range for IIPA standards. Sounds like it would do the job. How long do I wait before adding that? I assume I need to make sure initial fermentation is all done?
 
jaydog2314 said:
Brewed today and it was looking good after the mash. I mashed at 151.5 pre boil gravity est was 1.060. I came in at 1.062. My SG was estimated at 1.075 but came in short of that at about 1.069/1.070 not too far off just not sure how I ended short. Maybe I boiled too vigorously. First time my pre boil has been high but SG low. My amount were pretty damn close too. 7.1 pre boil I hit that. Post boil was suppose to be just under 6 I came in just over 6. I know it's close. I'm just hoping my FG gets down low enough to put me back in the bjcp standards for IIPA as I was hoping to enter this one in a competition.

Actually you have it backwards - you didn't boil vigorously enough as evidenced by your ending volume being high and your SG being low. The more you boil the more concentrated the wort becomes and the higher your SG will be, and your volume will also go down.
 
AH thanks for pointing that I had it backwards. I did turn it down to mid boil b/c I thought I was boiling off too much, oh well add that to the list of things learned! Thanks Carlscan26
 
jaydog2314 said:
AH thanks for pointing that I had it backwards. I did turn it down to mid boil b/c I thought I was boiling off too much, oh well add that to the list of things learned! Thanks Carlscan26

I did the same on my first IPA - it was still tasty. Good luck with yours!
 
Well, I just dry hopped mine on Sunday, so I have about a week before bottling. This will be my 4th brew, but this one was the one I ran into the most issues with, and I'm a little worried on how this one will turn out.

My biggest regret is that I did not have a yeast starter. Kind of my own fault, but I was a little unprepared compared to previous brews, but this one was kind of last minute picked out and had to pick up supplies at my LHBS. Used WLP002 yeast since that was probably the closest/best bet from what I had to choose from. Anyway, a few hours before pitching, I took a little DME (all I had on hand) and the yeast, and put them into a container with some water and shook it up to try to get it active as soon as I could.

2nd mistake was that I heated up the water too high and my mash temp for the first 20 minutes or so was way too high. I was expecting once the grain was added that the temp would drop ~13*, and it didn't. Mash temp was 158-163, and I tried to add as much water as I could, but my pot wasn't big enough to add any more cold water to bring it down so my only option was to wait it out. It probably was around 152* for 20-30 minutes at most during the mash. This is where I think my error may have been, not enough starch conversion, or I killed too many sugars.

My SG came to 1.060, but this was probably about 6 gallons so I estimate it was a little higher, but I don't know just how much. When I took a gravity reading after 2 weeks in the primary, it was 1.028. When books tell you to "forget" about your beer once it's fermenting to not make it seem like you're waiting so long, well I actually sort of did for once-but wish I hadn't so I would have remembered to take a couple gravity readings prior to moving to a secondary and dry hopping!

My question is, do I just leave it and see how it turns out? Will it ferment a little yet to get the FG down? IIs it too late to even try to get it to drop the FG with 6 days left before bottling? I just checked on it and there is some krausen on the surface, and it looks like its churning a little bit. I recognize some of the mistakes I made, and despite those I did try it and still tastes pretty good except its a little sweeter-unfermented sugars I presume. Any thoughts from you guys?
 
paarman said:
Well, I just dry hopped mine on Sunday, so I have about a week before bottling. This will be my 4th brew, but this one was the one I ran into the most issues with, and I'm a little worried on how this one will turn out.

My biggest regret is that I did not have a yeast starter. Kind of my own fault, but I was a little unprepared compared to previous brews, but this one was kind of last minute picked out and had to pick up supplies at my LHBS. Used WLP002 yeast since that was probably the closest/best bet from what I had to choose from. Anyway, a few hours before pitching, I took a little DME (all I had on hand) and the yeast, and put them into a container with some water and shook it up to try to get it active as soon as I could.

2nd mistake was that I heated up the water too high and my mash temp for the first 20 minutes or so was way too high. I was expecting once the grain was added that the temp would drop ~13*, and it didn't. Mash temp was 158-163, and I tried to add as much water as I could, but my pot wasn't big enough to add any more cold water to bring it down so my only option was to wait it out. It probably was around 152* for 20-30 minutes at most during the mash. This is where I think my error may have been, not enough starch conversion, or I killed too many sugars.

My SG came to 1.060, but this was probably about 6 gallons so I estimate it was a little higher, but I don't know just how much. When I took a gravity reading after 2 weeks in the primary, it was 1.028. When books tell you to "forget" about your beer once it's fermenting to not make it seem like you're waiting so long, well I actually sort of did for once-but wish I hadn't so I would have remembered to take a couple gravity readings prior to moving to a secondary and dry hopping!

My question is, do I just leave it and see how it turns out? Will it ferment a little yet to get the FG down? IIs it too late to even try to get it to drop the FG with 6 days left before bottling? I just checked on it and there is some krausen on the surface, and it looks like its churning a little bit. I recognize some of the mistakes I made, and despite those I did try it and still tastes pretty good except its a little sweeter-unfermented sugars I presume. Any thoughts from you guys?

If there's some krausen on top your gravity is probably still dropping. It could have restarted when you transferred to the secondary. There's no harm in letting it finish up in the secondary. The only thing is some of your dry hopping might be driven off from it still fermenting. I definitely wouldn't bottle with your OG at 1.028. Try and warm it up to get that gravity lower before bottling.
 
If there's some krausen on top your gravity is probably still dropping. It could have restarted when you transferred to the secondary. There's no harm in letting it finish up in the secondary. The only thing is some of your dry hopping might be driven off from it still fermenting. I definitely wouldn't bottle with your OG at 1.028. Try and warm it up to get that gravity lower before bottling.

Alright, thanks for the advice. What kind of temp are you thinking? I had it going 62-63* for the first 2 weeks, right now its at a perfect 65*. If I brought it upstairs, its been around 70*, but being in WI, are temps are all over the damn place right now :D
 
65- 70 seem to have woken your yeast up if the krausen is on top. Recheck your gravity in a day or two and see where your at.
 
Just took a reading now, and it looks like its at about 1.026. Should I haul it upstairs to the 70* then? I am *supposed* to bottle Sunday, if I follow the directions.. Should I delay bottling, and if so for how long?

I must say, however this beer turns out, it still tastes damn good.. Took a sip after my reading, and it certainly tastes like an IPA.. Its been so long since I've had Ruination though, I don't know how similar it actually tastes.
 
Just took a reading now, and it looks like its at about 1.026. Should I haul it upstairs to the 70* then? I am *supposed* to bottle Sunday, if I follow the directions.. Should I delay bottling, and if so for how long?

I must say, however this beer turns out, it still tastes damn good.. Took a sip after my reading, and it certainly tastes like an IPA.. Its been so long since I've had Ruination though, I don't know how similar it actually tastes.


Delay the bottling! Wait until fermentation is stopped, and stable, over at least three days. Once that happens, then the beer will start to clear. Then it an be dryhopped. After the dryhopping period, that's when it should be bottled.
 
I would warm it up to 70. I brewed this as an extract an my FG was 1.018. I looked at your original thread and it said your mash temp was 158-163 for the first 20 min. Is that correct. If that's the case I don't think you will get it below 1.020. But get it as close as you can before bottling. It is dropping so that's good news.
 
Yooper, I dry hopped on Sunday already.. I should have waited on second thought, but I thought the gravity might drop over the last week.

Orangemen, you are correct, my mash temp was way too high. That's good to know or at least have an idea of what to expect. It sucks I missed my point, but it is what it is. I moved it to a higher temp right after I replied, so hopefully that helps. Ill check it again and see where it's at. I will hold off on bottling like said above until the FG is sitting still.. Unfortunately it sounds like ill lose out on some aroma at this point, I suppose there is nothing I can do for that?

Thanks for the help and advice, greatly appreciated!
 
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