Something not so Farmhouse-y! Here comes Squeegee!

So I know this blow is about farmhouse brewing and my obsession with brewing these fantastic beers.  But it is also going to serve as an easy to access brew journal for me.  From time to time there may be posts that aren't about just farmhouse beers being made.  This is one of those.

I like to drink low ABV beers more than I like big 8+% offerings.  I don't always like to catch a buzz or deal with what can come from having too many of those higher alcohol offerings.  Every now and then I'll have them but I prefer a low ABV, session-able beer.  I also like hoppy beers.  I like them to be well hopped but not overly bitter.  So today this entry is about a hoppy beer I brewed that took some of my farmhouse techniques of developing the grist.  I'm using some of the really popular IPA/Pale Ale hops and trying to develop something I can turn around quickly and keep on tap.

Here's the recipe I brewed 8-29-15.  I've deemed this beer, Squeegee.

Recipe: Squeegee
Brewer: Gus
Asst Brewer: 
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.98 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal   
Bottling Volume: 4.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.052 SG  Actual OG: 1.050
Estimated Color: 4.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 58.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 % Measured: 67.9
Est Mash Efficiency: 80.5 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt           Name                                     Type      #    %/IBU
1 lbs         Spelt (3.0 SRM)                          Adjunct   1    10.0 %
8 lbs         Pale Ale (Dingemans) (3.3 SRM)           Grain     2    80.0 %
1 lbs         Oats, Flaked (Briess) (1.4 SRM)          Grain     3    10.0 %
0.25 oz       Amarillo [8.20 %] - Boil 20.0 min        Hop       4    4.3 IBUs
1.00 oz       Rakau  [9.40 %] - Boil 10.0 min          Hop       5    11.7 IBUs
1.00 oz       Galaxy [15.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min          Hop       6    10.3 IBUs
1.00 oz       Galaxy [15.00 %] - Whirlpool  20.0 min   Hop       7    15.6 IBUs
1.00 oz       Rakau  [9.40 %] - Whirlpool  20.0 min    Hop       8    9.8 IBUs
0.75 oz       Amarillo [8.20 %] - Whirlpool  20.0 min  Hop       9    6.4 IBUs
1.0 pkg       London Ale III (Wyeast Labs #1318)       Yeast     10   -
1.00 oz       Amarillo [8.20 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days     Hop       11   0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz       Galaxy [15.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days      Hop       12   0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz       Rakau  [9.40 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days       Hop       13   0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 10 lbs
----------------------------
Name              Description                         Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In           Add 12.50 qt of water at 164.9 F    150.0 F       75 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 4.85 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
------

I have been wanting to try out Wyeast 1318 since it's gaining a lot of favor with brewers.  It's also rumored to be the house ale yeast for one of my favorite breweries, Hill Farmstead.  I love using their farmhouse dregs so I thought I'd use this for some pale ale/IPA and English beers I plan on brewing.

I used food grade lactic acid to get the mash pH to 5.2 with this beer as well.  My preboil gravity was a little low so I had to boil the wort a little longer.  Even with this I missed my target starting gravity by .002.  Still working out kinks!

I used a hop spider for the boil hops then put the whirlpool/steeping hops in a hop bag to help with the transfer after the boil.  I've started doing this and it's lead to much easier transfers and better quality beer over all.  If you notice, I didn't have any bittering charge of hops in this beer.  I started adding my hops with 20 minutes left in the boil.  Hoping to accentuate hop flavor and aroma while limiting the bitterness.  I used a good bit of hops in steep/whirlpool and I believe that adds a good bit of bitterness.  I don't think it will last as long as a beer that has a good bittering charge but we will see.

I used malted spelt and flaked oats in the mash to add a bit of head retention and establish the creamy mouthfeel of the northeast IPA/Pale Ales I've had.  Ed Coffy from Ales of the Riverwards has a great running recipe on his blog about using oats in the mash to create this mouthfeel.  He, like I, loves Tired Hands Brewing Company's HopHands beer.  Check out his cloan/tribute attempts here.  While you are there, check out all his posts.  They are all super informative and great reads!

The beer fermented to 1.008 in about 6 days.  I tossed the dry hops in and waited as patiently as I could.  I had a work trip to Boston and Long Island so that helped out with the wait.  The tasting notes will follow soon.  You can check them out here.

I like brewing hoppy beers.  I like drinking hoppy beers.  And they can be very exciting.  I'm always trying to sharpen my brewing skills in all areas!  I'll be sprinkling in a few different styles every now and then.  Some funky and some hoppy.  Thanks for reading!

Cheers!


Andrew "Gus" Addkison
gusaddkison@gmail.com
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