LowTech IPA v3

I loved the IPA brewed for BSB2013.   Couldn't wait to get another in the pipeline.  Not to mention I have an incredible inventory of hops at the moment.  First order of business... Amarillo/Simcoe IPA.  WLP023 should be an interesting twist to the standard American IPA.  Hoping a lower mash temperature and sugar addition will aid to fully attenuate the beer.  If this could finish lower than 1.013, I'd be happy.

LowTech IPA v3

LowTech IPA v1

OG 1.060/ IBU ~77/ SRM ~ 6/ ~21L

65.0% OiO Domestic 2-Row
32.0% Gambrinus Vienna
03.0% Corn Sugar (added to the boil)

2 tsp of Gypsum
25g of Columbus @ 60 minutes
25g of Cascade @ 30 minutes
30g of Simcoe @ 10 minutes
70g of Amarillo @ 10 minutes

Dry Hop (keg):
60g Citra

WLP023 (2nd gen, cropped from Mild v2)

Brewed July 2nd

I decided to revert back to my standard batch sparging method, this time using the newly converted turkey fryer pot and manifold as my MLT (rather than the old coleman cooler).

Preheated MLT and striked at 71.2c.  After a good stir with the paint mixer, this settled to 66c which is 1c hotter than brew software projected.  Would have liked 65c for better attenuation.  Held temp at 66c for the entire 1hr mash. I didn't need to adjust temp or anything, held rock steady.  Sparged with 88c water which only raised the temp to 71c.

After collecting 30L pre-boil, a quick gravity reading with the refractometer showed a pre-boil gravity of 1.047-48 which equates to a mash efficiency around 80%.  1/2tsp Gypsum, 1tsp Epsom, 2tsp Calcium Chloride and 40g of Acid malt added to mash for a pH of 5.50.  2 tsp of Gypsum added to the boil for final water numbers:

Ca 119, Mg 14, Na 18, Cl 93, S04 221

Proceeded with boil for 70 minutes adding hops and sugar as scheduled above.  After chilling to 25c, wort was transferred to primary and aerated with a Fizz-x wine degasser for a couple minutes.  The pail was then placed into the fermentation freezer and chilled to 17c.  

I had intended to collect 21L but due to a low boil-off rate (10%/hr), 23L made it into the pail.  This meant my OG was slightly lower than anticipated, 14.6 brix (actual reading) = 1.057 (14.04°P)

Update July 3rd

After chilling for the night, I woke this morning @ 6:30am and pitched 100ml of 2nd gen WLP023 slurry to 17c wort.  The temperature controller was then set to 20c.  The wort will free rise to this temperature.

@3pm - Light Krausen 
@7pm - Krausen has completely covered the surface and starting to rise 
@11pm - First (dirty) skim 

Update July 4th

Temperature controller raised to 21c

Update July 5th

I wasn't able to tend to the skim yesterday and today I find the yeast krausen has breached the pail.  After cleanup, I skimmed again. 

Update July 6th

Skimmed again 

Update July 7th

Skimmed again, likely a final time 

Update July 8th

Skimmed yet again.  FG reading 1.0132 (3.38°P)

Update July 9th

...and again

Update July 10th

... again

Update July 14th

Returned home from vacation, light krausen has once again covered the surface of the beer.  At this point I will rack from under the Krausen to either secondary or keg for dry hopping and further conditioning.

Update July 16th 

First taste test.  Nice bitterness.  Colour is awesome.  Aroma and hop flavour lacking.  FG measured
1.0126 (3.23°P).  Racked to keg and made an split decision, added 60g of Citra