Brewday - "Sunset Ale"

Notes
An Amber ale [Imperial Red Ale].  Named in tribute to the beautiful sunsets seen over our summer of camping.  I believe this batch marks my 4th attempt at the style.

Through trial and error, I've made a few recipe changes from previous attempts.  First, reduce the amount of Roast Barley.  A measly 40g for colour only.  I've reduced the total amount of crystal malt significantly.  Finaly, I've included a protein rest and lowered the sacc temp 2 degrees.  On the hop side, I've increased the total IBUs, added an addition at the 20 minute mark and will include some dry-hops as well. 

American Amber Ale (10B) [Specialty (23)] 
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Fermentis S-04

Yeast Starter: N/A
Additional Yeast : N/A
Batch Size (Post Boil): 26L
Original Gravity: 1.054 [1.060]
Final Gravity: 1.012 (est) [1.014]
IBU: 40 [57]
Boiling Time (Minutes): 70
Colour (SRM): 11 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 15 @ 66F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 12 @ 66F 
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21 @ 66F

Ingredients

88.7% Pale Malt (Gambrinus)
07.1% CaraMunich I (Weyermann)
03.5% CaraAroma (Weyermann)
0.07% Roast Barley (Muntons)

28.6 IBU Columbus @ 60 min (1oz)
1/4oz Willamette @ 30 min
1/4 [1/2oz] Cascade @ 20 min

1/4 [1/2oz] Willamette @ 10 min
1/4 [1/2oz] Cascade + 1/4 [1/2oz] Willamette @ 1 min
1/4oz Willamette Dry-hop (12 days)
1/4oz Cascade Dry-hop (12 days)
1/4oz Columbus Dry-hop (12 days)
1/4oz Centennial Dry-hop (12 days)

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Calcium Chloride, Gypsum and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.50

Ca-86/Mg-14/Na-18/Cl-97/S04-138

Mash Instructions
Protein Rest, 30 minutes (125F), 1.0qt/lb
Alpha Infusion, 60 minutes (152F), 1.50qt/lb
Double batch sparge (170F), collected ~30L into the boil kettle

28/08/2012 - Mashing

Second time using Gambrinus Pale malt for a base, second time with an extraction efficiency over 90%, 93% to be exact.  I've made some last minute recipe (hop) changes to account for the new anticipated OG (1.062).

Wort was chilled to 75F, took about an hour due to warm, summertime ground water through my immersion chiller.  Will need to build a prechiller for future summer brews.  Brewday lasted 5.5hrs, longer than normal since I had problems chilling.  S-04 Yeast was re-hydrated and  pitched to an aggressively aerated wort.

I'd like to brew this again but this time factoring in my proper extraction efficiency and actually coming close to my gravity numbers.

Here's the brew I ended with.:
26L@ 1.060, 22L into the primary.
57 IBUs
I updated the hop schedule (posted above) accordingly.

29/08/2012 - Primary shows signs of fermentation.

03/09/2012 - Airlock quiet.

Brewday - "Impromptu Red"

Notes
My 20th All Grain batch!  The Red Ale style is my wife's fav and I love american hops.  This brew was totally impromptu.  While my wife was watching some prime-time cheese on the tube, I decided to fire up the strike water, 4hrs later I had another batch in the primary.  Dry-hopping will depend on the availability of a carboy.

American Amber/Red Ale (10B)
Recipe Type: All Grain

Yeast: Fermentis Safale S-04
Yeast Starter: Nope
Additional Yeast: Re-pitch (cake from Wheat on Rye)
Batch Size (Post Boil): 24L
Original Gravity: 1.051
Final Gravity: 1.013 (est)
IBU: 34
Boiling Time (Minutes): 65
Colour (SRM): 12 (est)
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 @ 65-68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): TBD
Conditioning [Bottle] (# of Days & Temp): 21'ish @ 65-68F

Ingredients

81.0% Canadian 2-Row (OiO)
18.0% Crystal 110 (Muntons)
01.0% Roast Barley (Muntons)

35.5 IBU Summit (17g @ 60 min)
28.0 grams Cascade @ 5 min
28.0 grams Cascade Dry-hop (10 days)

Water (City tap water treated with Campden)

Gypsum, Calcium Chloride and Epsom Salt added, pH 5.43

Ca-93/Mg-15/Na-18/Cl-105/S04-147


Mash Instructions

Single Infusion, 60 minutes (154F), 1.25qt/lb
Double batch sparge (170F), collected ~27.6L into the boil kettle