Quarter Life Crisis
For my 40th birthday,
I got Jamil Zainasheff's and John Palmer's book Brewing Classic Styles
from the SheppyBrew
Beer Model. My sister also got me some cool customized bottle caps.
So, I wanted to use both those gifts to brew a beer. The name I thought of
was quarter life crisis as now that I am 40, I figure my life is probably about
1/4 of the way through. Of course, it would have to be a pretty big beer with
lots of hoppyness, and I came across the recipe "West Coast Blaster", which is Jamil's
interpretation of a "West Coast" American Amber ale.
I scaled the recipe down for my 2.4 gallon batches and tinkered with the ingredients
based on what is easiest for me to find and my overall preferences. I scaled
back a bit on the hops because I am (after all) not having a mid-life crisis or
anything. I guess I'm just not really a west-coast kind of hop-head.
But, this is well over the OG, ABV and hoppy bitterness of a normal American Amber
Ale. Actually, I am well pleased with this beer and plan to make it several
times.
Quarter Life Crisis Batch 1 --- cost $20.22
|
Style |
|
American Amber Ale
|
|
Batch Size |
|
2.40 gal |
|
Type |
|
Partial Mash |
|
Boil Size |
|
1.92 gal |
Recipe Characteristics
|
Recipe Gravity |
|
1.071 SG |
|
Estimated FG |
|
1.018 SG |
|
Recipe Bitterness |
|
55.4 IBU (Rager) |
|
Alcohol by Volume |
|
6.85 %
|
|
BU : GU |
|
0.785 |
|
|
|
|
|
Recipe Color |
|
17.7 SRM |
|
|
|
|
|
Measured OG |
|
1.071 |
|
Measured FG: |
|
1.018 |
|
ADF: |
|
74.6% |
|
Measured ABV: |
|
7.10% |
Ingredients
|
Amount |
Item |
Type |
% or IBU |
|
3 lbs 8.0 oz |
Briess Pilsen Light LME (2.0 SRM) |
Extract |
67.50 % |
|
6.0 oz |
Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) |
Grain |
7.79 % |
|
4.0 oz |
Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) |
Grain |
5.19 % |
|
4.0 oz |
Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) |
Grain |
5.19 % |
|
4.0 oz |
Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) |
Grain |
5.19 % |
|
3.0 oz |
Caramel/Crystal Malt -155L (155.0 SRM) |
Grain |
3.95 % |
|
2.0 oz |
Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM) |
Grain |
2.60 % |
|
0.50 oz |
Nugget [12.20 %] (60 min) |
Hops |
47.0 IBU |
|
0.25 oz |
Centennial [9.20 %] (10 min) |
Hops |
3.5 IBU |
|
0.50 oz |
Cascade [7.80 %] (10 min) |
Hops |
6.0 IBU |
|
0.50 oz |
Centennial [9.20 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) |
Hops |
-
|
|
0.25 oz |
Cascade [7.80 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) |
Hops |
-
|
|
0.25 tsp |
Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) |
Misc |
|
|
0.25 tsp |
Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min) |
Misc |
|
|
2.0 oz |
Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) |
Sugar |
2.60 % |
|
1 Pkgs |
SafeAle American Ale (Fermentis #US-05) |
Yeast-Ale |
|
Mash Profile
Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge
|
Step Time |
Name |
Description |
Step Temp |
|
60 min |
Mash In |
Add 1.80 qt of water at 161.4 F |
150.0 F |
Batch Sparge Round 1: Sparge with 0.73 gal of 168.0 F water
Batch Sparge Round 2: Sparge with 1.01 gal of 168.0 F water
Recipe Notes
Started as West Coast Blaster from Brewing Classic Styles. Modified for my system
and available ingredients. I also cut back on the hops a bunch. Jamil wanted me
to put in twice as much flavor and aroma hops, but just seemed too much.
http://www.fermentis.com/FO/pdf/HB/EN/Safale_US-05_HB.pdf
Ferment 1 week ~64F followed by 1 week wherever the house temps take it.
Batch prime with 2.25 oz table sugar boiled in 1 cup water.
|
Date |
Note |
|
02/11/2010 Thur |
Stopped by the LBHS over lunch to get these ingredients. No Crystal 120, so
went with 150 instead. Also made the decision to dry hop. 10 minute
addition of hops went into a hop bag. Actually did most of the mash and "sparging"
while reading to Connor which worked out well. Pitched at 66, used blender
to aerate, and put straight in conditioning cooler. Measured 1.070 which adjusts
to 1.071 for temp. |
|
02/14/2010 Sun |
Really good fermentation so far. Scooped out some kraussen today as it was
starting to overflow. Not sure it will be enough. Temps have mostly
been around 62, but rising today. I'll probably not change the ice anymore
and let it get up to 70 from here. |
|
02/15/2010 Mon |
Thought maybe the temp was starting to fall a bit, so moved to the spare room.
Added in the dry hops. |
|
02/17/2010 Wed |
Opened up the keg to see hop sack floating. Probably should have sunk it,
but not going to do that right now. Have the space heater set up in the room
to keep this warm while I set the rest of the house to around 55 so that the lager
will be at a good temperature for its fermentation. |
|
02/23/2010 Tues |
Tried a little sample. Still very cloudy. Not sure the hoppy taste is
quite as intense as I was expecting. Seems to be a good amber, though. |
|
02/27/2010 Sat |
Bottled up with 2.25oz sugar in one cup water. FG came out to 1.018, so I
actually hit the expected OG and FG on this one (first time ever). LB was
full, but had a bunch of hop particles. Sample tasted good, but not quite
as intensely hoppy as I figured it would
|
|