It’s a favorite summer drinker and a regular on tap.
Rad
The SoS looks interesting. What’s “medium crystal”? I think I have some c40. Challenge for me is going to be what hops I have after the cleanup of the freezer death.
Yeah, mine turned out just under 9% so I need to be a bit careful with it. 
It will clear up some more as it pours as well, this was the third pour and still a bit hazier than the final product will be as it settles out.
Rad
Your getting 9% with only 11.25# of fermentable grain. That’s pretty high efficiency
I plugged the recipe into beersmith at 80% efficiency and it predicts 9.9% abv for me. I’ll have to scale that back a bit… I’ll likely delete the sugar.
1 Like
I’ve been on a HUGE ‘sessionable’ beer kick lately. I like to drink but want to keep some form of “wits” about me.
3 Likes
Yeah, target was FG of 1.020 and it finished at 1.010 so that drove it up some too. My preboil OG numbers plugged into brewersfriend came up right at 80%, which is about normal for me.
Rad
1 Like
I was just looking at a recipe of bine IPA from root down and that also called for dextrose. Brewer says to lighten the beer and make it more sessionable on the palate. Nothing says sessionable like 8.5- 9%abv beer to me. Actually most of my IPA beers I brew around 6.5% but I do brew a bit stronger for napping in a lawn in summer. I often get Sip of Sunshine. Does it compare?
2 Likes
Yea I prefer my IPAs in the 6.5ish range frankly. Try not to brew IIPAs often and keep them near the bottom of the style guideline.
I’ll try to dial this one back below 7 and get something similar. I do understand not wanting a big malt bomb but I think you can accomplish that without increasing the abv so much too.
Water profile for that SOS ? I’ve seen recipes favoring chloride and some favoring sulfate. I’m leaning towards chloride because I don’t find Sip of Sunshine to bitter.
Here is my Ward report:
ph: 7.7
TDS 202
mmho/cm 0.34
Cations/Anions 3.3/3.2
Sodium 29
Potassium 2
Calcium 28
Magnesium 8
Total Hardness 103
Nitrate 0.5
Sulfate 25
Chloride 23
Carbonate < 1.0
Bicarbonate 60
Total Alkalinity 49
Total Phosphorous .17
Total Iron <0.01
The only modification I’ve done is 1/2 tab campden to mash and sparge water. Water is my next project to delve further into, need to get back to playing around with bru’n water. I agree that the real thing wasn’t overly bitter when I got some last fall on my trip to NH.
Rad
So you’re 1:1 chloride:sulfate which is fine.
Finishing up my ipa that I made with all my left over odds and ends hops as well as the ones that I grew in my yard last year. Best beer I have ever made! I’m thinking I really enjoy the maris otter as my base malt since it’s the first time using it in an ipa as well. Might be my new go to, it’s so smooth and delicious.
3 Likes
Then, try some lawn mowing ales… 50/50 MO and Pils… Another brew to hone yer chops on… I’ve got one that varies but usually under 5%… And I’m really enjoying lemon juice as the acid correction…
Sneezles61
2 Likes
Went to the LHBS this morning for some yeast. Called in for curbside pickup and asked the owner if he had any canned IPAs I should try. He recommended this one. It’s citra and el dorado apparently. 6.2abv. It had strong aroma of pineapple and stone fruit when I first opened the can and a thick white head on pour. It’s got 3.9 on untappd which I’d say is about right. It’s good.
4 Likes
Just tapped the Lemon Shandy kit Tuesday and damn, it’s a delicious, refreshing beer. This was the kit that NB had screwed up my order and sent by mistake. I would’ve never ordered this kit but guess what, I will be shortly. Had a few friends try it and they each took growlers of it home!
3 Likes
It just goes to show that fresh homebrewed anything is hard to beat…the Germans make some good similar products, I think the Big Macro brewers are the ones that have screwed up the shandys, radlers, fruit beers etc.
Again, I hear @sneezles61 is a purveyor of fine shandys!
1 Like
Kit from NB, or named after the hop? Does look tasty, even at 6:30 am…
Sneezles61
1 Like
