Miss me?  I mean, did you miss me?

Don’t worry if you didn’t.  I’ve been off of brewing for so long now it’s embarrassing, so I don’t expect any teary welcome backs or anything.

So.  It’s nearly summer, and what could be nicer than a lovely refreshing summer ale – something that’ll glide across the taste buds, slake a parched throat or re-hydrate a tried work-worn body?  Yeah, that’d be really nice…if only I wasn’t such an efficient brewer.

5.2% – that’s what Beer Engine reckoned it’d be; 1052 OG or thereabouts for my 5 and a bit kilos of grain.

Well, I got 1061 and if that US ale yeast does it’s job and wrestles the lot down to 1009, we’ll be looking at 6.7% or so ABV.

I planned on dry-hopping with some more Styrians (Bobek) but it might end up getting a dose of centennial as well, plus the rind of two or more pink grapefruit.  Anyone for another (hastily invented) beer style?  IVPA – India Very Pale Ale?

Yeah, suck it up craft breweries, I can make those moves too…

Notice the deceptively simple grain bill?  That’s because I needed to ease myself back in gently and that little bit of wheat malt is only to work up a bit of head protein and interest in the mouthfeel.

The mash was simplicity itself:

• Dough-in 38C,
• Sacch Rest: 67C for 80 Minutes
• Mash Out: 76C for 10 Minutes

I sparged with 2 litres of hand hot water – mainly because I’d already mashed out and to be honest sparging a Braumeister malt tube with 82C (or whatever) water?  Life’s too short…

Heaven only knows how this one will shape-up, especially as it’s fermenting in the shed in my new fridge-based-fermentation chamber.  We’re currently at a reasonably steady 17-18c so I have hopes that it’ll be as clean as a whistle.

…and of course, when I want to clear the finished beer, I’ll drop the temperature down to 5 or so degrees.  That’s how we roll in these temperature-controlling times.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Next up: probably a rendition of Ommegang Hennepin Saison – especially now I’m able to ramp up a temps to 25c…  Cha-ching.