So I started this brew on the 2nd (my typical brew day tends to be late at night). I might have started on the first but that was my wife’s last day of vacation so I spent the day with her instead. But I digress…
New Year IPA, crappy name but its fitting. If all goes well this should be a decent double IPA. So far, the mash and sparge have gone quite well. Multi-step infusion mash that pretty much went exactly as it should have. I tried a new sparge method (basically stabbing the mash with my stir spoon as if it were a mash rake). I am hoping that this helps to increase my yield, but then we should know soon enough.
I am using Pacific Gem hopes from New Zealand as my bittering hops. I have never used these before and these are the highest alpha acid hops (15%) I have ever used. I love the aroma they carry, I can’t wait to see what they do to the beer.
Well, I have some work to do and some beer to drink (currently drinking my kolsch off the tap).
Go find a pint, this one is mine…