Astronomical American Pale
Astronomical American Pale
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.059 FG = 1.012 IBU = 70 SRM = 6 ABV = 6.4%
An experimental batch with several new hops in my freezer. It proved to be a pungent/grassy mix with a healthy citrus and tropical fruit kick to the nose.
Ingredients
9.5 lbs. (4.3 kg) 2-row pale malt
2 lbs. (0.91 kg) white wheat malt
6 oz. (170 g) flaked oats
6 oz. (170 kg) Weyermann Caramunich® I (34 °L)
14.5 AAU Galaxy hop (0 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 14.5% alpha acids)
22.5 AAU Equinox™ hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./21 g at 15% alpha acids)
14.7 AAU Comet hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./21 g at 9.8% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Comet hop pellets (1st stage dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Apollo hop pellets (1st stage dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) Galaxy hop pellets (2nd stage dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Equinox™ hop pellets (2nd stage dry hop)
White Labs WLP005 (California Ale IV) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
1 tsp. gypsum
2/3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
This is a single infusion mash. Heat 4.6 gallons (17.4 L) strike water to 170 °F (77 °C) to stabilize the mash temperature at 154 °F (68 °C). Rest at this temperature for 45 minutes then begin lautering Collect 5.75 gallons (22 L) of wort and add gypsum. Boil for 60 minutes adding the hops at the termination of boil. Do not chill, but rather give the wort a stir to create a whirlpool for a minute. Let the hot wort settle for a total of 30 minutes with the lid on the pot to keep those essential oils contained. After the 30 minute whirlpool phase, chill the wort to 68 °F (20 °C), then pitch an appropriate yeast starter (~1 qt./1 L) and aerate the wort thoroughly. Ferment at 68 °F (20 °C). Let primary fermentation proceed for several days until you notice airlock activity to be greatly diminished. Rack off the beer into a receiving vessel with the 1st stage dry hops at the bottom of the receiving vessel. This yeast strain is fairly flocculent, but the goal after 3-4 days on the 1st stage hops is to get the yeast to drop out. Your options are to chill the beer to about 55 °F (13 °C) or possibly add a fining agent of your choice. If you do chill the beer, be careful of suck back (when air is sucked back into the fermenter). You can either put a stopper on the carboy/bucket or do this in a corny keg. You can either rack off into a CO2 flushed receiving vessel or you can just simply add the 2nd stage dry hops once the beer has cleared. Wait another 3-4 days. Transfer to keg and force carbonate or bottle with priming sugar. Carbonate the beer to 2.4 volumes CO2.
Astronomical American Pale
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.059 FG = 1.012 IBU = 70 SRM = 6 ABV = 6.4%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) light liquid malt extract
1 lb. (0.45 kg) wheat dried malt extract
6 oz. (170 kg) Weyermann Caramunich I (34 °L)
18 AAU Galaxy hop (0 min.) (1 oz./28 g at 14.5% alpha acids)
22.5 AAU Equinox hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./21 g at 15% alpha acids)
14.7 AAU Comet hops (0 min.) (1.5 oz./21 g at 9.8% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Comet hop pellets (1st stage dry hop)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Apollo hop pellets (1st stage dry hop)
2 oz. (57 g) Galaxy hop pellets (2nd stage dry hop)
1 oz. (28 g) Equinox™ hop pellets (2nd stage dry hop)
White Labs WLP005 (California Ale IV) or Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II) yeast
2/3 cup corn sugar (if priming)
Step by Step
Place the milled grains in a muslin bag and steep in 3 qts. (2.8 L) of 160 °F (71 °C) water for 20 minutes. Remove the grain and rinse grains with 2 qts. (1.9 L) of hot water. Add water to reach a volume of 5 gallons (19 L) and heat to boiling. Turn off the heat, add the dried and liquid malt extract, and stir until completely dissolved. Return to heat and boil for 15 minutes adding the hops at the termination of boil. Do not chill, but rather give the wort a stir to create a whirlpool for a minute. Let the hot wort settle for a total of 30 minutes with the lid on the pot to keep those essential oils contained. The fermentation, dry hopping and packaging instructions are the same as in the all-grain version.
