Citra/Target/Fuggle IPA

[Matplat]

So i received the target and fuggles in the mail today... and i can smell the difference, to be honest they smell similar to each other, i only have citra/Amarillo/casacde to compare them to and they smell kind of similar but with that earthy/dirt tinge anyway... still doesnt change the plan but i will be keen to see how it turns out, as ive said i like old peculiar which is supposedly Fuggle flavoured.... watch this space.

 

[technobabble66]

See my post from yday in the "What are you Brewing 2015" thread

 

[Matplat]

Well, I brewed this on the weekend and the final recipe went like this

3.5 kg LDME
0.5 kg Crystal 120

35g Target 60mins
40g Fuggles 30mins
30g EKG 15mins

OG was a bit high at 1.062
IBU calculated at 41

This was my first go at steeping grains and I'm so glad I did! The whole kitchen was filled with a delicious biscuity malty aroma, I am excited! Also my OG sample tasted significantly better than other brews that I have done (although I didn't drink it all!)

I reduced the IBU to achieve a BU:GU ratio of 0.7, as the pale ale I had done previously at 0.8 was overly bitter, however I have just been looking at the typical ratios for various beer styles and for this to be an IPA it really should have been up at 0.8..... I am wondering if I simply didn't let my earlier ale condition for long enough to allow it to smooth out.

I was planning on dry hopping with another 25g EKG, but considering I may have missed the mark on achieving an IPA, should I just leave it out and let the malty flavour be the hero?

 

[Blind Dog]

personally I'd skip the dry hop this time, but at the very least taste a sample fairly close to expected FG (and cooled to serving temp) to decide whether to dry hop or not.

whichever way you go, take critical tasting notes and then brew it again but switch the dry hop or not answer to compare.

 

[Matplat]

Yep fair point...il play it by ear either way im pretty sure it's going to be a cracker!

 

[Matplat]

Going over it all again and again (as I do!) I realised why this one tastes so much smoother straight off the bat... this is the first time I used a hop sock! So yeah the hops were actually in the boil for the specified amount of time, without them all steeping for that bit longer during the chill... at least that's my theory!

 

[Matplat]

Well... the results are in, after only 2 weeks in the bottle, i couldnt restrain myself any longer!

To put it bluntly its bloody delicious! I could have used a stronger expletive there but just about managed to hold it in .

Im glad i didn't dry hop, because it doesn't need it. It is well balanced, and what i assume is the EKG has enough presence to make me smile from ear to ear, floral and fruity is as about as specific as i can be through my partially blocked nose.

It still seems a little under carbed and didnt hold much of a head, but i think that is just because of colder temps that it has been conditioning at 10-17°...

i will brew this again without doubt and i won't change a thing, might even qualify for adding to the recipe db.