1st 100% Me Recipe

[bizoneill]

So this is my 3rd ever all grain batch and I know it might be early but I decided to throw together my 1st own recipe. I love IPA's and Citra hops so that's the direction I went! A 100% Citra IPA! It was also my first time makeing and using a yeast starter. I just have a few questions...

I made my yeast starter the night before. So it had about 19hrs to get going.

Here is the recipe I used

5 Gal Batch Citra IPA

Grain Bill
10 lb - American - Pale 2-Row
2 lb - American - White Wheat
1 lb - American - Pale 2-Row

Mash In
4.5 Gal/60 min

Sparge
3 Gal

Boil/60 min

Hop Additions
50 - 2oz Citra
30 - 2oz Citra
0 - 2oz Citra

Added yeast starter to fermenter
.50 lb - Light DME/32oz water
Wyeast - American Ale 1056

I took a gravity reading post boil and got 1.044. I made this recipe on Brewer's Friend and it called for 1.068 OG. So I am hoping it will still be ok with it coming out at 1.044...

The morning after brewing the beer was very much alive with a lot of activity in the blow-off. Not so much the second day though. I guess my question is... When is it safe to move to secondary? I think I'll wait out the week and transfer then.

I also have dry hopping on my schedule for secondary. Is 4oz of Citra too much?

 

[mbobhat]

You can always check to see what you ibu's will come out too after your lower original gravity. Just go to edit your recipe and lower your efficiency until you get close to your 1.044 gravity. Then you ibus should go up I think.

I bet the room smells nice with all that citra

 

[twistr25]

Have you ever gotten that low efficiency before? If you based your hop schedule off the higher OG, you will likely have an even higher IBU beer. Reason you want to move it to secondary? I started dryhopping in my primary bucket and it works just as well and one less step. But if you do decide to move it, just make sure it is at FG, so check after about 10 days. I dryhopped hopped with Citra on a Honey Rye Pale Ale and did 2 oz and it was glorious, so for an IPA, don't see why 4 would hurt, but you may be able to hang on to some of that Citra for future use as well.

 

[MuddyCreek]

What temp did you mash at? I didn't see that above.

 

[JR_Brewer]

I took a gravity reading post boil and got 1.044. I made this recipe on Brewer's Friend and it called for 1.068 OG. So I am hoping it will still be ok with it coming out at 1.044...

Did you measure the OG at room temp? If not, you'll need to convert and you'll see that your OG is higher than measured.

Use this calculator from Brewer's friend.

 

[bizoneill]

Sorry Yes, I mashed in at 153 and it held at 140 for an hour.

The OG was @ 70 when measured.

Oh wow... @ mbobhat I just went in and lowered my efficiency to 45% (oy vey...) now I get the 1.044 ABV: 4.3% and IBU: 110

I'm not sure what my efficiency was last time because I forgot to measure my OG but the FG ended up around what it was supposed to be.

I'll check it out 10 days in and see whats going on.

Thanks for the input!

 

[twistr25]

140 is a really low mash temp, that's likely where your issue is, doesn't seem like you got a lot of conversion. Majority of mash temps should be 150-154 from what I've seen.

 

[bizoneill]

Ok, cool. Thanks I'll try out a higher mash temp next time.

 

[bizoneill]

Also another question about dry hopping! To use a bag or just throw them in? I have pellets so throwing them in is going to get messy...

 

[rgauthier20420]

I'd use a bag regardless of pellet or leaf, but your going to still get some gunk escaping the bag with pellets. Just give it a little more time cold crashing after the dry hop is done and you should be good to go.

 

[insanim8er]

Sorry Yes, I mashed in at 153 and it held at 140 for an hour.

Malted barley contains two different types of enzymes—alpha-amylase and beta-amylase. The alpha enzymes break up the long chains of starches by splitting them in half while the beta enzymes break down the starches by chopping them off a couple at a time from the ends of the chain.

In order for the conversion to happen within a reasonable amount of time, these two enzymes must work together. However, there is a catch.

The alpha enzymes become most active at a temperature range of 154 to 162 F (while beta is denatured—the molecule falls apart).

The beta enzymes become most active at a temperature range of 131 to 150 F.

The temperature most often quoted for mashing is about 153°F. This is a compromise between the two temperatures that the two enzymes favor

This is why it is very important to carefully control the water temperature and duration of the mash.

Mashing at 140f just means you're going to end up with a dry beer. Mashing at higher temps creates more complex (un fermentable) sugars, so the beer is sweeter.

Also, your efficiency suffered because generally when mashing at lower temps, you up mashing time beyond 60 minutes to allow the conversion to run its course.

 

[bizoneill]

I'd use a bag regardless of pellet or leaf, but your going to still get some gunk escaping the bag with pellets. Just give it a little more time cold crashing after the dry hop is done and you should be good to go.

Sounds good man! Thanks!

 

[bizoneill]

Malted barley contains two different types of enzymes—alpha-amylase and beta-amylase. The alpha enzymes break up the long chains of starches by splitting them in half while the beta enzymes break down the starches by chopping them off a couple at a time from the ends of the chain.

In order for the conversion to happen within a reasonable amount of time, these two enzymes must work together. However, there is a catch.

The alpha enzymes become most active at a temperature range of 154 to 162 F (while beta is denatured—the molecule falls apart).

The beta enzymes become most active at a temperature range of 131 to 150 F.

The temperature most often quoted for mashing is about 153°F. This is a compromise between the two temperatures that the two enzymes favor

This is why it is very important to carefully control the water temperature and duration of the mash.

Mashing at 140f just means you're going to end up with a dry beer. Mashing at higher temps creates more complex (un fermentable) sugars, so the beer is sweeter.

Also, your efficiency suffered because generally when mashing at lower temps, you up mashing time beyond 60 minutes to allow the conversion to run its course.

Thank you for making that clear. Now I know for the next time! What a waste of grain...

 

[bizoneill]

Update!

So fermentation was really quick. Its my first time using a yeast starter and boy did that really accelerate the process! On the fourth full day where I saw no fermentation happening I dry hopped with 4oz. of Citra. Last night was the fifth day of dry hopping so I racked out the beer into my carboy. Its smelling and tasting really good... Took the gravity and it came out to 1.010 which after bringing my efficiency down in BF to 45% was spot on! BF OG - 1.044, FG - 1.011. I'll be bottling one day this week.

Thanks for all of your helpful information!
Cheers!

Bobby

 

[rgauthier20420]

Glad to hear this worked out. Where's my bottle?

 

[bizoneill]

HAHA! Just bottled! Now we play the waiting game...

 

[bizoneill]

Opened a bottle last night just for sh!ts and gigs at a tasting and it was mighty tasty... Might need another 5 days. Carbonation was good though for 5 days in bottle!

Cheers!
Bobby