Double Brew Day (Evening Glare IPA/Lava Rock Pale Ale)

Saturday 4/23/11 (Day before Easter)


Evening Glare IPA

Got a later start (10:00am) on today's brew sesh then I really wanted to, but wasn't to worried about it since I had all day!

Decided I was going to try my hands at an IPA today! Came across a recipe on www.homebrewtalk.com  that look really interesting and thought I'd put my own twist on it. Loved that included Amirillo, Cascade and Centennial hops, along with a high AA% bittering hop (Nugget) and totally off the wall dry hop addition of Glacier (which I ended up using Williamette).

The brew went pretty good! Hit 73% Efficiency and ended up with an OG of 1.070. Cooled down to 72 degrees in 25 minutes and pitch WLP001 yeast!

Really Looking forward to trying this beer! 

So now that Cracker has converted her kegerator from a sanke keg set up to a corny keg set up, she's been really interested in making her own beer!

So after my Evening Glare IPA was cooling, Cracker came over with the ingredients for a batch of my Lava Rock (Kona Fire Rock Clone). I was really stoked she was able to head to Home Brew Mart,  measure out the grains and grab the yeast all on her own! ( Being her first time and all! I know how hectic that place could be on a saturday!)

We started the mash around 1:30pm and was converted and boiling by 3:30! By this time, my IPA was pitched and nice in safe with a towel around it! :)

I had Cracker do most of the switching of the hoses, turning of the valves and also the whole hop schedule addition! I must say, she's catching on fast!!!

We hit an OG of 1.057

The Lava Rock Pale Ale was cooled in record time, 20 minutes, and the yeast was pitched at 75 degrees! 

Everything done and cleaned by 6:00pm!

Long, but great day of brewing! Looking forward to both these beers out by the pool this summer!