I want a huge AAA - think Gordon or Undercover

[944play]

My target here is in the Lagunitas Undercover (9.3%) or Oskar Blues Gordon (8.7%) range - thick with lupulin, sugars, and booze. I haven't blown out my mash tun in a really long time! Thoughts?

14lb 72.3% 2-row
 4lb 20.6% Munich 6.5L
20oz  6.5% C-40
 2oz  0.6% Crisp Chocolate

1oz   4.8% Willamette FWH 19
1oz   3.2% Crystal    FWH 12
.5oz 14.4% Magnum     60  27
1oz  14.0% Chinook    20  17    
1oz  10.1% Centennial 10  8
2oz   4.8% Willamette 5   7
2oz   4.8% Willamette DH
2oz   3.2% Crystal    DH

Slightly sulfate water, mash 60min @154ºF, boil 70min, 2pk S-04, ferment @66F
OG 1.088, FG 1.022, 8.8% ABV, 16 SRM, 90 IBU (Rager)

If I adjust the FWH to 20min, I get 70 IBU, which is enough for me. I have some more hops - namely Ahtanum, Liberty, Simcoe and Spalt....

 

[bbrim]

That looks like an awesome recipe. How long will you let it sit in primary. and will you use a secondary?

 

[944play]

I think I'll leave it in the primary for two weeks after fermentation stops, the second week with the dry-hops, then rack straight to the serving keg. Hopefully, with a controlled ferment temp and a big amount of yeast the alcohol will be mellow enough to drink while the hops are still pungent!

 

[Brewmasters Warehouse]

The recipes looks good and tasty. Hav eyou thought about hop bursting this, to get some huge hop flavor/aroma.

 

[Damonic]

Had the Undercover last night for the first time and LOVED it. Probably for the exact reasons you're brewing this... "thick with lupulin, sugars, and booze." Definitely post how this turns out.

 

[user 22118]

Looks like a delicious recipe and great beer, you might want to think about either mashing a little lower using that yeast or change the yeast to something that will attenuate a bit more at that mash temperature. Though, that said I just had some english yeast get down to 1.008 so who knows...

S-04 for me has always hit the 1.016 range on normal beers, I haven't used it for a bigger beer yet.

 

[944play]

S-04 for me has always hit the 1.016 range on normal beers, I haven't used it for a bigger beer yet.

I've only ever used it in a Mild.:cross: It was drier than I expected, given that I mashed at 158. I think it should work well for this beer, which I WANT to finish in the 20s. Knowing that Lagunitas IPA is mashed at 160 and fermented with 1968 puts things in perspective.

 

[KingBrianI]

Throw some of that simcoe in at flameout!

 

[944play]

Throw some of that simcoe in at flameout!

Oh yeah, why not?

Bought the grain the other day, it barely fit in a grocery bag! LHBS doesn't list C80 on their website, but they have it and that's pretty much my fave level of crystal. I went with 12oz C40 and 8oz C80.

 

[ericd]

Is it possible to pick out that many different kinds of hops?

 

[Malticulous]

If you want it to finish that high more crystal (10-15%) and Windsor yeast will do it.

 

[944play]

Brewed yesterday. Spilled a good amount of wort, but hit 1.088 into the fermenter!
First runnings. This was a REALLY slow lauter.

Yeah, it boiled over, even with defoamer. Guess I was due.

I think I left my carboy bung inside a keg.

 

[mookie1010]

I'm a huge fan of Gordon's. I'll be interested in how this turned out.

 

[thelorax121]

Is it possible to pick out that many different kinds of hops?

Yeah, you just have to try really hard and drink a lot

 

[MVKTR2]

This looks great... Hmmmm I've got almost 1.5# of hops in the fridge and bought a bag of MO to split with a friend. Alas I've promised myself I'm doing a wee heavy & smoked bier, no more hoppy biers... not till I get around to doing something like this at least! Thanks for the inspiration.

Schlante,
Phillip

 

[944play]

This beer finished quite a bit drier than I was hoping for. It's 1.013 and 10%! :cross:

I have not tasted it lately. It's been aging at room temp in the keg for a month. As soon as I can get it chilled, I'll report how it tastes.

EDIT: Just took a sample of the warm beer. It's nicely balanced, but there is a pungent woody quality that I don't like. It's the same as in my Summer Pale Ale, so it's likely from the same whole leaf Centennials used.

 

[Ølbart]

I'm surprised the Jamil Show's podcast hasn't been mentioned in this thread. The latest episode is about Oskar Blues' Gordon. It's actually quite far from your recipe.

 

[user 22118]

When you chill that thing down, drop a line and I will help with quality control . I will let you know when my Black IPA is finished up and chilled down. 8.25%abv and FG 1.013. Sweet!