Sharing MY Brewing Process for NEIPAs

[mlafnitzegger]

This is written somewhat in short hand but wanted some feed back to improve. Warning spelling errors possible

Brewery;
Single tier with direct heat insulated mash tun
2 pumps
Quick disconnect hoses
3 burners
Lauter grant
Heat exchanger
Fermentation chamber
Keg setup with keezer
Grain mill
O2 tank and stone

What to know first…
Grain bill
Water
Yeast
Hops

Grain Bill;
Select grains
Condition grains; Spray with clean water, mix while performing, allow to dry
4oz h2o for 10lbs of grains to condition (condition wheat and barley separately)
I use a rubber maid tub (no lid) large enough so that I can have roughly 1 to 2in deep grain bed. After wetting I let it air dry for about 20minutes
Mill grains

Water;
Water Prep; Do you have a water report? Get one.
If not you can get RO water or purified water
Modify as desired

Yeast;
Select yeast; dry or liquid
Liquid; let yeast rise to room temp
Activate if smack pack
Starter; 10g of DME per 100ml
Warm water
Add water to 2L flask; usually I use 1L to 1.5L starters
Add DME to flask and gently mix
Bring to boil for 10minutes
Cool to desired temp; same as yeast temp
Aerate wort and add yeast and cover with a breathable top
Use stir plate to culture for 24hrs

Hops;
Select hops
Measure in advance

Brew Process
MASH;
Ready water to HLT; add additives if required, optionally check ph
Once h2o is at correct strike temp add 2/3 of it to MLT, cover and let sit for 5min
Check remaining h2o temp and heat if needed during the 5min; add to mash tun
Stir in grains; mix well but don't let foam form as that is a sign of adding o2
Once at correct mash temp cover and let sit checking temp as needed, if it gets to cold add heat and recirculate
Make sure to bring sparge water to correct temp. 180f
15min before end of mash check temp and add heat stirring, after a few min begin recirculating. I use a direct fire MLT
* https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=154652
Raise to desired mash out temp (I raise 3 to 5 degrees above mash temp), let sit for 5 min and stir again
Recirculate (Vorlof) and drain. I gravity drain into a lauter grant (I use lots of wheat and flaked adjuncts) and pump from there into BK. This helps prevent any stuck sparges.
* https://beerandbrewing.com/3-advantages-of-a-lauter-grant/
Add first sparge water to MLT and stir. Let sit for 5min. Temp should be around 162-164f
Drain lauter grant into BK
Stir MLT again, recirculate (Vorlof) and gravity drain into lauter grant
Add second sparge water to MLT and stir. Let sit for 5min. Temp should not be over 168. If it is keep stirring until below.
Drain lauter grant into BK
Stir MLT again, recirculate (Vorlof) and gravity drain into lauter grant
Drain lauter grant into BK
BOIL; take samples for tests
Bring to a boil making sure to skim off hot break just before boiling
Once boiling follow hop schedule and add any adjunct\additives
Turn off heat at end of boil, add FO hops if any
Recirculate until correct whirlpool temp, 170f
Add WP hops and recirculate for 20 to 30min maintaining temp between 160f and 170f
Remove all hops
Cool to 72f
Drain into fermenter with muslin bag as a filter
Take sample for OG reading; record gravity, temp, and volume
Aerate wort
Add yeast, stir gently
Move to temp control area\fridge
Ferment;
Check each day only once to make sure blow off doesn’t occur
Day 3 remove from temp control fridge and let free rise to ambient temp, my area is 69 to 71f
Add DH if any according to schedule, I add mine between day 3
Take gravity reading and record
Add Second DH hop if any, I add mine between day 5 and day 7
Cold crash 2 days before kegging
3 days primary fermentation + 5 days DH + 2 days cold crash = 10 days
Condition;
Take gravity reading and record
Remove from fridge
Drain beer into cold clean keg purged of all o2
Close keg; purge o2 and sanitize outside of keg
Connect co2 and set to desired psi; I do not set high and then back down, I set to right psi and shake off and on for about an hour
Put keg and co2 tank into fridge and wait; I test each day until I am satisfied (usually by day 3)
DRINK
13 day turn around (some more aging will improve the beer <6weeks, too much age will ruin the beer >6weeks)

 

[doug293cz]

So, what areas do you think you need improvement with?

One area where NEIPA's are particularly sensitive is packaged O2. Your basic process flow is ok, but there is not enough detail on your kegging procedure to tell if you are using best practices for O2 minimization.

Brew on

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I didn't read in extreme detail, but a few things popped out at me that I don't worry about. Worrying about foam in the mash, for example. I brew 90% NEIPA's, I've had no issues with oxidized beer or off flavors and I've never given that, or any hot side aeration a thought. I don't go splashing about, but I don't go to extreme measures either.

I don't worry about skimming off the hot break.

I use flaked oats and flaked wheat in my NEIPAs. I just vorlauf and drain directly to the boil kettle.

I chill to my fermentation temp (usually 66) prior to adding yeast. I do a starter 3-5 days in advance, cold crash and decant. Let warm while I'm brewing to ferm temp.

As doug noted above, I'd be infinitely more worried about O2 exposure when transferring to a keg than during the mash. Are you doing a closed transfer?

I don't worry about "removing hops" prior to transfer to the fermenter. I think some hops from the whirlpool addition making it into the ferm is a good thing.

I only take one gravity reading while fermenting...on the day I add the second dry hop. I don't really care for the first since I do it while ferm is pretty active...that reading means nothing to me. I do a final reading after I keg...just take a draw from the tap.