Comet Columbus Apollo IPA

[drewmarkwith]

Recipe Type: All grain BIAB
Batch Size: 7 gallons
OG: 1.056
FG: 1.014
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 47
SRM: 6.3
Yeast: A24 Dry Hop

The reason for 7 gallon batch was lack of blow off tubing. I was forced to split the batch into 2 fermenters, and wanted to increase batch size but limited by BIAB setup with 15 gallon kettle

Grain Bill

Golden Promise 81%
Light Munich (10L) 10%
Flaked Barley 4 %
C40 2.5%
Acid Malt 2.5%

Hops

0.5 oz Apollo @ 20 min (13 IBU)
0.5 oz CTZ @ 20 min (11 IBU)
1 oz comet @ 10 min (8 IBU)
0.5 oz Apollo @ 10 min (8 IBU)
0.5 oz CTZ @ 10 min (7 IBU)
1 oz each Apollo, CTZ, Comet @ 0 min
1 oz each Apollo, CTZ, Comet @ 160 deg WP
X 45 min

Cooled to 65 deg with IC then split into two 6 gallon PET fermenters, each with Imperial Organic A24 dry hop yeast

Batch 1 aka Dank

DH 1: 1 oz each Apollo, CTZ, Comet on day 2 x 6 days
DH 2: 1 oz Apollo, 1 oz Comet on day 6 x 2 day
DH 3: 1.5 oz Comet, 1 oz Apollo, .5 oz CTZ keg

Tasting notes: potent dank flavor/aroma, moderate citrus. Zero garlic/ green onion flavor. The yeast provides enough fruity esters to balance this out. 2017 Comet from YVH smells fantastic, a lot more pineapple and citrus than I was expecting.

Batch 2 aka Citrus

DH 1: 1 oz each Comet, Simcoe, Amarillo day 2 for 6 days
DH 2: 1 oz Simcoe, 1 oz Amarillo day 6 x 2 days
DH 3: 1 oz each Comet, Simcoe Amarillo keg

Tasting notes: very different from the other batch. Amazing orange/grapefruit bomb with a little pineapple and dank in the background

 

[IslandLizard]

That looks very yummy!
You're going for the cloudiness, yes?

Have you considered adding all hops to the "whirlpool" at different stages (lowered temps ~180-160F) and forego all boil additions except for bittering?
It's different, those maximize hop flavor and aroma while you still get some bittering but not a lot.

Splitting the batch is a good thing, 2 different beers for only a little more effort than brewing one.
You're kegging into closed 100% Starsan pre-purged kegs to avoid oxygen exposure?

 

[drewmarkwith]

Thanks!
I like the haze I get from white or flaked wheat, or in this case first time using flaked Barley, and I never use any fining agents, but don’t like it to look murky. I think it’s burned into my head from Hill Farmstead, Trillium and Treehouse.

I tried skipping the late boil additions once and didn’t like the result. That was also on my old kegerator and when I was doing autosyphon transfers to a CO2 purged keg. I have been really happy with the 30-0 min additions plus a whirlpool anywhere from 180-150, but I am overdue to try whirlpool only. I still like a solid bitter kick though.

I have done 5 batches of closed CO2 transfers into a completely filled star San keg then CO2 purged it, and it has made a huge difference.

I highly recommend getting some of the 2017 Comet hop pellets from YVH. They don’t smell or taste over the top dank/skunky. FWIW I am down on YVH for Columbus about 3 years in a row now so tend to use Farmhouse supply more for my pellets

 

[IslandLizard]

Aside for relying solely on whirlpool hops for bittering I still use a 60' bittering charge, Warrior, Magnum, Nugget, something to get around 12-20 IBUs or so. Some beers get more or less depending on style and what I want.

For most non-IPA beers I've also moved (and adjusted) the late additions to whirlpool ones. I may still do or a 10' addition, followed by a flameout one. Then chill rapidly to around 180-170F, which takes less than 1 minute with my plate chiller, often overshooting it. I guess I don't have to run it full bore either to make the transition last a few minutes. I then leave it there for 5-15 minutes as a whirlpool. Since I've been bagging all my kettle hops the pump and plate chiller work as they were designed to.

I wish Beersmith could predict whirlpool IBUs more closely. It's a big toss up now. The one variable that's sorely missing is whirlpool temp!

I've now put Comet on my list per your recommendation. But she has to wait, I'm still swimming in hops, so I made a pact with myself not to order any until coming harvest. YVH and HopsDirect FTW! I've ordered hops from Farmhouse Supply too, they're a good resource. Too bad NikoBrew went under, hard to beat their quality and $5 shipping.

You're adding dry hops during fermentation (2 days in) so most of your cloudiness comes from that. With some of my beers I need to watch closely as I've missed the 50% completion mark a few times. The last 1.056 NEIPA was 95% done after 2 days at 68-72F (slow ramp up) using WY1318. It's at 1.014 and drinking it now. I estimate it to be around 50 IBU, with only 13 from the Warrior, the rest from 2 whirlpool additions at 170 and 160F. 20 and 40 grams each of Galaxy and Eureka, respectively. It has a modest dry hop of only 1 oz each this time.

You're filling those 100% CO2 purged kegs through the beer out-port too?
I made a dedicated QD with a short pigtail hose on it, just for that purpose, but the restriction of the MFL connection (narrow channel) is noticeable, it takes about 10-15 minutes to fill a keg (by gravity). A barbed QD with a wider bore, like this 3/8" barbed QD would be more suitable.

 

[drewmarkwith]

I actually have filled keg through the beer out and gas in QD. Don’t have a preference yet. Bought a brass connector at Home
Depot to hook the CO2 tubing up to the orange carboy cap. Have fun using those hops up!

 

[IslandLizard]

That looks good! And very cloudy!
Just be careful not to put too much pressure on the carboy. Never clamp that carboy cap, hand held is safest.