Hops Lamb

Hop Slam Brewing Notes

12/3/2016

Started at 1pm

Pre-heating tuns at 1:20pm w/ 4 gallons of water near boiling in each

boiling more to heat the tuns

got water in Tun to approx 167F

(filled to approx 5 gal mark on interior)

1:45pm

Added grain (16 lbs) and stirred.

put fresh water on for boil

by 1:50 temp near top was ~ 154

filled brewing bucket w/ water and 2 capfuls of iodophor

1:58

filled carboy with water and PBW

Concern: mashtun is pretty full ~7 gal mark on

2:10

started prepping dry yeast — boiled water via microwave in pyrex measuring cup

2:25

rinsed carboy and refilled with warm water plus amberdyne

Checked mash temp after a stir — still 152.

Started water boiling again.

at about 3:55 set up fly sparge but then scrapped it and poured ~3lb boiling water into kettle and started draining into boil kettle.  water temp “almost” got to 170

Mash out seemed decent

Did no sparging at all.  Should have rinsed a little, probably — lost a fair amount during the boil — could have rinsed 2 gallons of water thru maybe.  Next time!

boil started at 4pm

pitched 1 oz centennial

4:10pm started hydrating yeast

Washed Therminator for the first time (really).

SOaked in PBW for 40 mins

Then rinsed and soaked in Amberdyne for 30 mins.

Rinsed before using.

At 440 added glacier and vanguard

At around 450 Added an extra gallon of water since boil was running a bit low.

boiled 1 tsp of sugar with a cup of water

30 mins or so later the yeast seemed reasonably frothy. Although I didn’t see activity.

4:54pm

cooled and just added to yeast to “proof”

455 added 1 oz centennial

500pm

Added 2 lbs clover honey

Added 3x Amarillo

Yeast was pitched around 530.

Og was 1.090 at 60f

10/4/2016 7:30am (14 hours later)

Checked the brew in the fermenter — no significant activity yet.

10/5/2016 7:30am 38 hours later

Still no bubbles

10/5/2016 5:45pm 48 hours later — bubbles!  about once per 5 seconds thru blow-off tube.

 

12/17/2016

Racked to 2ndary.  OG is now 1.020.  Beer tasted pretty good!  A bit sweet, but expect that will be dealt with as it continues to ferment.  Have moved to different room and put it on a plastic lid to keep it off cold floor.

 

2/4/2017

Checked OG – 1.016 @ 66 F

Dry hopped w/ 3 oz Simcoe + 1 oz Amarillo

Tasted the beer — cleared up beautifully!  Good flavor — hoppy, reasonable mouth feel.  Didn’t get the florals yet.

 

2/24/2017

Kegged!  Tasted delicious.  “filtered the beer through metal screen and screened funnel — was a pain in the butt!  Next time need a better solution.  Think I managed to get it pretty clear though — tasted it again — best.  brew.  ever!