# Elmer's 4th boil



## Elmer (May 3, 2015)

For my 4 boil I made a West Coast IPA, mid 60 IBU (brew toad had it at 83, brewers friend had it at 50)
Picked up a Brewers best kid, my first time making a Brewers best.
Recipe is as follows:
6.6# light LME
1# corn sugar
8 oz Carmel 80L (steep)
8 oz victory (steep)
4 oz carpils (steep)
1 oz Columbus (60 mins)
1 oz citra (15)
1 oz Amarillo (10)
1 oz Amarillo (5)
1.5 oz cascade (dry hop)
Dan star American west coast yeast
.

I ended up steeping form 30 min at 160f
It became more of a mash.
The grains gave the wort a great resist color, before the hops turned it all green.

Sg was 1.058, so the ABV should be between 5.5% & 6%

The wort had no distinct smell, but SWMBO complained it smelled like cat pee.
This time around I am using a cooler with a heat pad to keep the bucket warm. This way I don't have to leave the bucket in my family room, where it will smell up the place.


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## wineinmd (May 4, 2015)

What temp are you planning on heating it to?

I've read up on the yeast and it sounds like it is a slow starter. Don't be surprised/concerned if it takes 36+ hours for it to get going. It also sounds like it allows more malt flavor to come forward in IPAs and slightly mutes hop flavor. Did you pick out that yeast or was it provided in the kit?


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## Elmer (May 4, 2015)

wineinmd said:


> What temp are you planning on heating it to?
> 
> I've read up on the yeast and it sounds like it is a slow starter. Don't be surprised/concerned if it takes 36+ hours for it to get going. It also sounds like it allows more malt flavor to come forward in IPAs and slightly mutes hop flavor. Did you pick out that yeast or was it provided in the kit?



I steeped at 160F for 30 minutes.
I boiled at 200+ for 60 minutes.
The yeast was provided!


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## wineinmd (May 4, 2015)

Elmer said:


> I steeped at 160F for 30 minutes.
> I boiled at 200+ for 60 minutes.
> The yeast was provided!


I'm curious how it comes out. I couldn't find a whole lot about the yeast, other than the consistent theme that it is slow to start.

I wasn't clear, but I was talking about fermentation temperature. I couldn't really find a consensus on the forums as to what the ideal range is for that yeast, but the manufacturer says 17C and up. Some people reported esters up in the 68+ range, but I imagine the hops will hide anything small. 

I like to ferment on the low side for most yeast. The times I haven't, I've ended up with some off-flavors that took a while to smooth out. I got a bubblegum flavor in an amber ale that got away from me at the beginning and a bit of harshness on a blonde ale that didn't make it into the swamp cooler since it was occupied at the time.


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## Elmer (May 4, 2015)

My basement is 61F, but I have it in a cooler wrapped in a blanket and the bucket temp is 68.
It is currently bubbling away.
I also have no clue about the yeast!


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## wineinmd (May 4, 2015)

Looks good. For a little unsolicited advice, I'd take the blanket off once fermentation gets going since it will be creating heat on its own. I'd try to keep the wort/beer temperature 70 or below.


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## Elmer (May 5, 2015)

wineinmd said:


> Looks good. For a little unsolicited advice, I'd take the blanket off once fermentation gets going since it will be creating heat on its own. I'd try to keep the wort/beer temperature 70 or below.



I will take it off when I get home.
My basement is the coolest spot and still gets cold when the temp drops at night.

If anything this was an experiment for when I plan on fermenting in the winter in my basement.
Fermentation in my basement is a constant concern considering the lack of heat and coolness.
I actually had a batch stall on me in the 2nd week when I had moved the bucket from the 1st floor to the cooler basement.
But I learn from my mistakes


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## wineinmd (May 5, 2015)

Elmer said:


> I will take it off when I get home.
> My basement is the coolest spot and still gets cold when the temp drops at night.
> 
> If anything this was an experiment for when I plan on fermenting in the winter in my basement.
> ...


Sounds like you've got a good plan.

This past winter was the first one for me at the new house, and the basement sits around 62 +/- a couple degrees depending on outdoor temps in the winter. That's a pretty good temperature for me, so I just let the couple batches I did ride in a tub of water to help moderate temperature swings. I'd toss in a couple of frozen water bottles if the water temperature started to get past 65 or so. After about a week I'd bring the bucket upstairs to warm up to help the yeast finishing things off. 

Lugging buckets up and down stairs isn't ideal, and others in the house didn't care for the aesthetics, so I'm going to look into some sort of heating pad/brew belt/etc. for those times I need to warm a batch up just a bit.


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## Elmer (May 5, 2015)

wineinmd said:


> Sounds like you've got a good plan.
> 
> This past winter was the first one for me at the new house, and the basement sits around 62 +/- a couple degrees depending on outdoor temps in the winter. That's a pretty good temperature for me, so I just let the couple batches I did ride in a tub of water to help moderate temperature swings. I'd toss in a couple of frozen water bottles if the water temperature started to get past 65 or so. After about a week I'd bring the bucket upstairs to warm up to help the yeast finishing things off.
> 
> Lugging buckets up and down stairs isn't ideal, and others in the house didn't care for the aesthetics, so I'm going to look into some sort of heating pad/brew belt/etc. for those times I need to warm a batch up just a bit.



I have the big plastic water buckets (kids toy buckets). I intend to get a aquarium heater, $30 at Petco ($18 on amazon). My intention is to keep the big bucket of warm water and let the fermentation bucket just ride fermentation in a cool basement. 
Then my only issue will be lugging and dumping gallons of water. But I got the washing machine close by!


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## Elmer (May 23, 2015)

Racked, primed & bottled. 46 total bottles.
Took a sip and this stuff is good, very hop forward , piney definitely an IpA in the mid 60's IBU wise.
I ended up using 4.5 oz of corn sugar for 4.5 gallon.
After under carbing my last batch I was going to make sure these had some good head!


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## jamesjr (May 23, 2015)

Looking good making me thirsty


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## Elmer (Jun 6, 2015)

2 days shy of 2 weeks in the bottle and this stuff is excellent.
Cascade gives a slight spicy/grapefruit aftertaste


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## wineinmd (Jun 6, 2015)

Lookin good!


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