MacBourne's Musings

So…this was originally going to be Midwest’s Sierra Nevada Pale clone modified with additional base and caramel malts for a 6 gallon batch. Best laid plans of mice and men and all that. I inadvertently grabbed the grains for a California Common Ale out of stock – as I was mashing I noticed the color was a bit darker than I expected. Oopsie.
I decided to roll with it, so now we have the birth of the California Uncommon Pale Ale. A bit over the top in IBUs for an American Pale Ale, but a tad weak for an American IPA. We shall see.

Ingredients:
Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 9.00 lb
Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 0.50 lb
Caramel/Crystal Malt – 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 0.50 lb
Caramel/Crystal Malt – 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3.00 lb
Perle [8.90 %] – Boil 60.0 min Hop 1.00
Perle [8.90 %] – Boil 30.0 min Hop 1.00
Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) Misc 1.00 tbsp
Cascade [6.80 %] – Boil 2.0 min Hop 2.00 oz
Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 1.00 pkg

8.75 gallons water @60°F

6:10 PM – 60°F
Power On – 100% (Both elements – more on that later).
6:50 PM – 108°F
7:10 PM – 130°F

7:30 PM – 145°F
7:40 PM – Noticed power cord for second element had not been plugged in…d’ya think that could help?
7:45 PM – 164°F
Reduced power on both elements until thermostats clicked off.
Added grains to bag – “Doughing-in.”

7:50 PM – Mash at 153°F – Started mash timer.

8:55 PM – Increase heat – Ramp up to 170°F
9:00 PM – 170°F – mash out.
Reduced power on both elements until thermostats clicked off.
9:10 PM – Pull grain bag out and hang above brew kettle to drain.

Power on both elements (really both of ‘em this time)
9:25 PM – Initial boil – initial hop addtion – Perle

9:30 PM – Hard, rolling boil

9:55 PM – Second hop addition – Perle

10:15 PM – Irish moss
10:23 PM – Aroma hop addition – Cascades
10:25 PM – Cut power
10:26 PM – Removed hop bags and false bottom.
10:27 PM – Whirlpool and cover brew kettle
10:40 PM – 185°F started transfer to sanitized tighthead fermenter
10:45 PM – 180°F – gently tilted brew kettle to get the last of the goodness – Capped tighthead fermenter.
1.5 quarts of wort reserved into sanitized half gallon jug – set in water bath in sink to cool.
10:50 PM – Tightened fermenter cap with wrench – turned fermenter on its side and rolled it around to heat sanitize. Set in sink to cool.
11:00 PM – Dead on OG – 1.056
11:15 PM – Pitched yeast in cooled reserved wort.
11:45 PM – Airlock on yeast starter bubbling already.

8:10 AM – Opened tighthead fermenter – pitched yeast starter. Set up blow-off and left for work.

My Squidoo lenses about this brew rig:
Brew-in-a-Bag All-Grain Homebrewing
Brew-in-a-Bag All-Grain Homebrewing Part 2
Brew-in-a-Bag All-Grain Homebrewing Part 3