Tommy Hawk APA Batch #1

Recipe Tommy Hawk APA Style American Pale Ale
Brewer SheppyBrew Batch 2.13 gal
Extract

Recipe Characteristics
Recipe Gravity 1.062 OG Estimated FG 1.015 FG
Recipe Bitterness 39 IBU Alcohol by Volume 6.0%
Recipe Color 11° SRM Alcohol by Weight 4.7%

Ingredients
Quantity Grain Type Use
0.81 lb MrB. Booster Sugar Other
0.25 lb CaraPils Grain Steeped
0.25 lb Crystal 20L Grain Steeped
1.21 lb MrB. Cowboy Lager Extract Extract
1.21 lb MrB. Mellow Amber UME Extract Extract
Quantity Hop Type Time
0.25 oz Amarillo Pellet 25 minutes
0.25 oz Amarillo Pellet 10 minutes
0.25 oz Cascade Pellet 10 minutes
0.25 oz Cascade Pellet 25 minutes
1.00 oz MrB. Cowboy Lager Pellet 5 minutes
Quantity Misc Notes
1 unit   Mr. Beer Yeast    

Recipe Notes

 

Dissolve booster in 8 cups water add into boil with about 5 minutes left. Bring 1 gallon water to 155F. Add specialty grain in muslim sack to water and steep for 30 minutes. Remove grain sack and let drain into wort. Bring water to boil. Add UME and 1/4 oz of each type of hops. After 10 minutes, add in second set of hops. Boil another 10 minutes remove from heat and add in the HME. Pitch yeast as usual.

Ferment for 3 weeks.

Batch prime with 2.25oz table sugar.

Batch Notes

Based on similarity I noted between 1776 and New Belgium's Mighty Arrow. This will be much hoppier than 1776 with the same hops as Mighty Arrow and a target bitterness of an APA.

Date Note
10/02/2009 Fri Mixed it up in Rutt.  Steeping (and therefore boiling) volume was higher than usual, but that should not affect anything.  I love to smell the hops off the steam coming from the pot.  Used Irish Moss on this one.  Forgot about the booster water until the very end.  If I get an infection, that is what I am blaming it on.
10/06/2009 Tues NOTE:  Fermentation temps got up to 74 during the the active crazy period.  Last couple of nights have been cold.  Still seems to be in the 68 or 70 range, but might have fallen below.  Mr. Beer yeast suggests 68 - 76, and I think things should be fine.  Do not want this yeast to get much colder.
10/16/2009 Fri Tried a wee little taste.  Still very cloudy.  Hard to tell how a full - fledged swallow would taste, but it seems to be on track.  As I review the hop schedule I think maybe spreading out the time intervals might have been appropriate.  Can't wait to taste how this actually turns out from the bottle.
10/22/2009 Thur Bottled into 16 12 oz bottles and 2 1 liter bottles.  Got about 2/3 into one last bottle so decided to drink that one.  I did not have any mighty arrow, but I have some Hoptoberfest that I compared to this.  Mine is too hoppy and could use some bitterness.  I think conditioning will improve this, but I do want to modify my hop schedule quite a bit for next time.
10/29/2009 Thur Got an update on the Mr.B ingredients.  My BU/GU ratio went from .462 (pathetic for an APA to .629.  This is a much better ratio for an APA.
11/05/2009 Thur The carbing phase is over, but am starting the conditioning at room temp in hopes that the process of melding the hops will accelerate.  I also put one in the beer fridge to taste this weekend.
11/07/2009 Sat Tasted the beer in the fridge.  I have to say that I am extremely pleasantly surprised.  Seems to be just the right amount of hops.  I think this is a beer that I will want to drink young.  Put all the bottles in the conditioning keg.
11/13/2009 Fri Really like the taste.  Might have a bit more caramel and be a bit darker than I would normally consider an APA, but seems to be in the guidelines (for the color at least).  I do not know if I should put the rest of these in the fridge yet or not.  Definitely need to get some Mighty Arrow to compare. Very very pleased with how this turned out.
11/22/2009 Sun Still tasting good.  Can't decide if this is actually an APA or a hoppy Amber. 
11/26/2009 Thur Had one to photograph during halftime of the second Thanksgiving game.  Really good.
12/01/2009 Tues Found a bonus bottle in the conditioning cooler.  Put it with its friends in the fridge.
12/25/2009 Fri Had another.  I like this beer, but I feel that maybe it should be just a bit lighter on the mouth-feel and perhaps it is too sweet and / or full of a carmel taste for a pale ale. 
01/05/2010 Tues Had one while watching the Blackhawks beat the Wild.  Nice hoppiness.
01/24/2010 Sun Yum yum yum yum.  Perhaps too much hop-matter in the beer.  Might want to use hop sacks next time.  But, really not that big a deal.  So maybe not necessary.
01/29/2010 Fri Had a liter.  Very very good.  Do want to cut back on the hop matter next time.
02/11/2010 Thur Had one while making quarter life crisis.  Nice treat while brewing.  Also had one in the hot tub with the Beer Model in the hot tub at my birthday B&B.  Extremely good in the hot tub.
 
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