Tag Archives: Golden Wheat Red Ale IPA

Update on Latest Batch

If you have been following along I recently brewed another Golden Wheat Red IPA – with a twist! More hops!

I transferred the beer from the primary fermenter into the secondary while adding an ounce of Centennial hops – dry hopping the beer. As is my habit, I pull a sample and checked the gravity and yes, the taste. The gravity is close to the expected final gravity, that is a good thing. The taste…..I have to pat myself on the back….if the final product comes close to the sample it will be an outstanding beer!!!!!

I would love to have posted on the day of the transfer but work was calling and I had to head off to Paris for a few days. Rough duty but someone has to do the dirty work. Now the beer sits for 5 days or so at 64 degrees F and then I will crash it to 34 F to clear it up and drop the sediment to the bottom. I will keg 6 Liters into one of my minikegs and bottle the rest. Now the wait….first taste of the beer will be at the end of January for for the Super Bowl.
Enjoy a night shot of the Eiffel tower from my recent trip.

Eiffel Tower lit up with Christmas lights in Paris, Texas

Eiffel Tower lit up with Christmas lights in Paris, Texas

 

Drink Local and Drink Responsibly

2014 – My focus will be championing the “Drink Responsibly” element of my blog!

Bishop

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Dry Hopping Dilemma

I should not read any more! If you have been following along I am brewing an “inspiration” IPA based on my mistaken read of the chalkboard at the Lengthwise Brewery Pub out in the Marketplace, Bakersfield, California. The ale is designed to be a “Golden Wheat Red IPA” based o the combined three individual local beers on tap. I failed to report that the bartender had poured a mixed blend for some customers who gave the blend high marks. I just decided to try and brew that blend. Post with recipe located here;

http://wp.me/p1qlvz-ec

So here is my dilemma. I transferred the beer into the secondary carboy with 1 ounce of Amarillo hop pellets sitting on the bottom. Once the beer was transferred, I gave the carboy a nice swirl to get the pellets to settle. I then carried it out to my temperature controlled chest freezer. I now need to decide on a temperature scheme/schedule during the dry hopping phase. From my exploration of the web I find too many choices, schemes, schedules and opinions!

  • Two days at room temperature and then crash to 35 degrees for up to two weeks.
  • Five to seven days at low room temperatures then rack off and package.
  • Five to seven days at room temperature and then crash to 35 degrees for 2 days prior to packaging.
  • And too many variations to list!!!

My choice – the logic I like is; hold the beer at a temperature that will allow the aromatic oils in the Amarillo hops to best express their amazing aroma.  So, five days at 65-67 degrees then crash to 35 degrees for a couple of days to aid in clarifying the beer before I bottle. I am convinced that the beer will be very good!

While racking the beer into the secondary I noted that the fermentation was vigorous – the Krausen was thick and reached the lid of the primary. I guess that I was lucky that it didn’t lift the lid or fill the airlock. Note to self: consider a blow-off tube next time for the early yeast activity!

Transfer from primary fermenter to the secondary and hop pellets floating on top.

Transfer from primary fermenter to the secondary and hop pellets floating on top.

Hop pellets floating on top of the beer - kinda look like the rabbit pellets we fed them!

Hop pellets floating on top of the beer – kinda look like the rabbit pellets we fed them!

 

Evidence of the Krausen on the sides... gotta be a good beer.

Evidence of the Krausen on the sides… gotta be a good beer.

I bet some of you are thinking, is he going to drink that? Yes I am!

Drink Responsibly and Drink Local

Bishop