Cry Havoc IPA experiment

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
jds

jds

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
1,912
Reaction score
38
Location
Littleton, CO
I was poking around the LHBS today getting supplies, and came up with a vial of Charlie P's Cry Havoc yeast.

Since I'm brewing up 10 gallons of IPA on the 1st, I think I'll try the Havoc in five gallons, with S-05 in the other five gallons. Should make for an interesting experiment. I've heard Cry Havoc can be a little slow, so I'm stepping up to a 2l starter for a 1.060 beer.

I'll try to remember to post results at some point in the future.
 
Definitely interested! I've been using CryHavoc for a few of my beers and had great results. I've seen about 70% attenuation, which is a bit higher than they say is the norm. I've used it for a couple APA's, cream ales, and of course a few American lagers as well. Sounds like a fun experiment!
 
I've heard of people having poor attenuation from Cry Havoc, but there's also a reviewer on the White Labs site who claims to have hit around 80% attenuation with CH. I'm building a big starter, and pitching at lager rates, even though I'll be fermenting at low ale temperatures.
 
I'll be using CH again Saturday...this one is a standard american lager. I'm using 2# of rice in hopes of making a very fermentable/dry wort so even if I only hit 70% it'll still dry out enough to fit the style. I am pitching a one gallon starter for this one (just 1.041 or so OG).

I like the yeast because I can use it at warmer temps for my ales and cooler for lagers. I don't have to have a large yeast collection...just one or two jars of CH :) It's a very clean yeast too (I've had no diacetyl issues even when fermenting it on the warm side for my hybrids and lagers)!
 
Thanks for the feedback. I ended up postponing the brewday to wait on a neighbor who wants to learn. I took the starter off the stirplate this morning, and damned if it wasn't already settling out by the time I got it to the fridge. I assume it's a true bottom-fermenting yeast, but I suppose I could be wrong on that front.
 
Well, it's in the bag. Woke up to a couple of inches of snow and 19F temperatures, but I brewed anyway. This was my first ten gallon brew, and I used a new cooler and sparge manifold (CPVC with lots of tiny holes).

I pitched the 862 about five hours ago -- we'll see how it is in the morning.

Here's the recipe:

[size=-1]BeerSmith Recipe Printout - BeerSmith Brewing Software, Recipes, Blog, Wiki and Discussion Forum[/size]
[size=+2]Recipe: Leftover Hops 2009[/size]
Brewer: Joe S
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications

Batch Size: 11.00 gal
Boil Size: 13.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 13.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 63.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
Code: 
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
17 lbs        Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        62.55 %       
5 lbs         Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)              Grain        18.40 %       
3 lbs         Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)     Grain        11.04 %       
1.00 oz       Sorachi Ace [14.00 %]  (60 min) (First WorHops         27.0 IBU      
1.30 oz       Columbus (Tomahawk) [8.00 %]  (60 min) (FiHops         20.1 IBU      
1.50 oz       Sterling [7.50 %]  (30 min)               Hops         11.2 IBU      
1.00 oz       Williamette [5.50 %]  (20 min)            Hops         3.3 IBU       
1.00 oz       Williamette [5.50 %]  (10 min)            Hops         1.9 IBU       
1.00 oz       Sorachi Ace [14.00 %]  (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Hops          -            
1.00 tsp      Gelatin (Secondary 5.0 hours)             Misc                       
1.00 tsp      Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)                Misc                       
2.00 tbsp     PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min)         Misc                       
2 lbs 2.9 oz  Turbinado (10.0 SRM)                      Sugar        8.02 %        
1 Pkgs        Safale US-05 (Fermentis #US-05)           Yeast-Ale                  
1 Pkgs        Cry Havoc (White Labs #WLP862) [Starter 15Yeast-Lager

Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 25.00 lb
Code: 
Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
35 min        Mash In            Add 30.00 qt of water at 170.0 F    155.0 F
Notes:
preboil 1.042 at 127 F = 1.055 adjusted
postboil 1.070 at 75 F = 1.072 adjusted

The Columbus hops used were 2006 crop, originally 14% AA. Adjusted for aging, 8% AA. Brewed as 11 gallon batch with my neighbor. Batch split after chilling, half pitched with S-05, and half with WLP872.
 
Bumping my thread to add: I think this will be a delicious IPA.

Plenty of body thanks to the high mash temp, but a dry finish, thanks to the sugar. Attenuation was good, finishing at 1.016 for about 76% apparent attenuation and 7.3% ABV.

I've been sampling* from a 2l I force-carbed. The 2l had no dry hops or oak. The keg has oak and an ounce of Willamette in it and smells like a little slice of heaven.

The force-carbed 2l is very tasty, although perhaps a little heavy on the caramel flavors. I expect it to brighten up with the dry hops and oak. Interestingly, I'm not getting tons of lemon overtones in it, even with 1 oz of Sorachi Ace at first wort and another at flameout (in 11 gallons). I think allowing the Sorachi Ace to age a bit mellows out the lemon.

I may enter this in a local competition, just to get some BJCP feedback.

*in this case, "sample" means "I drank it all in a couple of days"
 
Sounds like success! 76% from the Cry Havoc is pretty good!!! I've been playing around with the idea of subbing a little table sugar when using it to get a little bump in attenuation, but haven't yet. My Standard American Lager turned out GREAT with this yeast. I mashed single infusion at 149º and had 2# of rice in the mash so it actually dried out fairly well. I wasn't sure if it'd be light american lager or not, and sure enough I think it's right inline with the Standard guidelines. :) I enjoy this yeast so I don't have to keep a bunch of different strains in the fridge!
 

Similar threads

N
My Experience with SS Brewtech
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
ninkwood
N
Hop
Ongoing Review: BrewHardware Premium Recirculating BIAB Package
Replies
4
Views
674
Bobby_M
Bobby_M
G
Fermentis BR-8 dry Brettanomyces Experiences
2
Replies
62
Views
7K
Miraculix
Miraculix
12PACFan
Fermentation temp experiment
Replies
7
Views
1K
Bobcatbrewing42
B
R
"This IPA" from Cascade Lakes Brewing
Replies
5
Views
1K
Biggz1313
Biggz1313

Latest posts

Back
Top