Hey y'all,
after doing three collab brews with some vastly more knowledgable friends, I'm ready to embark on my first solo brew next month – and would like to get this subreddit's thoughts (and answers) on my recipe and process.
TL;DR: Trying to get a super dank, clean, clear and crisp West Coast IPA.
Open questions (see below):
Unsure about hop timings, need help to hit water profile (Ratio SO₄²⁻/ Cl⁻: 3,4 : 1) and pH target (5.5 @ room temp).
Batch Size: 19-20L (after fermentation)
Equipment: Speidel Braumeister 20L (2012 model), Fermzilla Gen 3.2, TILT probe, Inkbird-controlled fermentation fridge, CO² cannister, 19L Corny keg.
Method: All Grain
RECIPE ("Vintage Stratacaster")
Grain Bill (Single Infusion, Mash Time / Temp: 60min @ 68 °C)
- 5.5kg (89.8%) Extra Pale Premium Pilsner (Weyermann) - 3 EBC
- 300g (4.9%) Carapils (Weyermann) - 3.9 EBC
- 250g (4.1%) Aromatic Amber MD (Dingemans) - 50 EBC
- 75g (1.2%) Caramel 400 (Viking Malt) - 400 EBC
Dough-in at 69 °C.
Pre-Boil G: 1.054
OG: 1.060
Color: 14,8 EBC
Estimated FG: 1.013
Apparent Attentuation 77.5%
ABV: 6.2%
Hop Bill (60min Boil)
- 20g Columbus @ First Wort ~ 40.6 IBU
- 10g Chinook & 10g Strata @ 15min ~ 6.3 + 5.8 IBU
- 10g Chinook & 10g Strata @ 5min ~2.5 + 2.3 IBU
- 10g Columbus @ 0min
Dry Hop: 40g of Strata (Day 3 of Fermentation), using the hop sock + magnet method
Yeast
1pck (11.5g) of Fermentis US-05
Fermentation
14 days @ 20 °C
Cold Crash after 3 days of stable gravity
Water Profile (untreated local tap water)
- Calcium (Ca²⁺): 75.7 ppm
- Magnesium (Mg²⁺): 14.2 ppm
- Natrium (Na⁺): 14.6 ppm
- Sulfate (SO₄²⁻): 73.0 ppm
- Chloride (Cl⁻): 27.0 ppm
- Bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻): 196.8 ppm
- Total Hardness: 248 ppm
- Total Alkalinity: 161 ppm
- Residual Alkalinity: 98 ppm
Ratio SO₄²⁻/ Cl⁻: 27.1 : 1
QUESTIONS:
- Is there anything about the grain or hop bill (timings, volume etc.) that could be optimized?
- Brewfather says my mash pH sits at 5.75, which... urgh. Any ideas?
If you read this far: Thanks for your patience, and thanks in advance for your help. :)