Octane IPA

[DrVertebrae]

I stole a recipe from Midwest for an IPA called Octane IPA. I got the ingredients from a local homebrew supply store.

It calls for 6lbs golden LME, 3.3lbs amber LME, 8oz caramel 40L, 2oz cascade hops, 1 oz Willamette hops, and 1oz Golding hops, a 1/4 cup of oak chips.

I did the boil as instructed on the Midwest website and put it in a 6gal betterboy bottle. I actually thought I might have it a bit above 5 gal but I checked and it is right at it.

The SG was 1.080, much higher than I calculated it should be. This was measured just after I pitched the rehydrated yeast.

At 36 hours it started bubbling and at 48 hours to now it is rolling. It looks alive it is churning so much. Holding the temp at about 73 with cold towels and a fan.

I'm wondering why the SG was so high.

 

[amedelman]

Hey, check out this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/at...inal-gravity-reading-wrong-dont-panic-289735/

He does a pretty good job explaining why/how the SG readings are sometimes off

 

[krazydave]

Does the recipe call for a final volume of 5 gal? I know a lot of recipes call for 5.25 or 5.5 in the fermenter. I don't think that would make a HUGE difference, but it may affect it enough to throw your SG off to the high side like you mention.

 

[DrVertebrae]

5 gallons. I'm not worried about it, I was just curious. My guess is that the guy at the homebrew store gave me a bit more than I asked for. And like I said, its going like crazy. I'll check the SG when its been about three weeks. If its too high I'll maybe add a bit of spring water when priming to bring it down a bit.

The best part of this brewing thing is the smell when boiling it (my oldest daughter agrees) and then the smell around the fermentor when its in the big bubbking stage. It seriously looks like someone is inside stirring it up continuously.

This will also be my first kegged batch.

I will check out the link above as well.

Thanks.

 

[DrVertebrae]

Good info on mixing. I hadn't thought about that. I mix really vigorously but it could still not be thoroughly mixed.