Batch 220, Guava IPA

Update, 6 May 2019:

OMG! This is it! This is the best version of this recipe so far! The guava is present, but subtle, the hops are prominent, but not overwhelming. Yeah, this is the one.

And back to your regularly scheduled programming...


Yet another variation on the guava IPA.

10 gallon batch

20 lb 2-row
2.5 lb white wheat
2.2 lb (1 kg) guava paste, added at end of primary fermentation

Mashed at 154F. I missed the initial mash temp due to cold equipment, so I turned on the flame under my mash tun and got it up to 154F, stirring constantly. Unfortunately, unknown to me at the time, I'd knocked the SS braid off of the internal plumbing, so when it came time to recirculate, nothing happened. I scooped most of the mash out into buckets, got the plumbing cleared of grain and got the braid reattached. Kind of a pain, but not a big deal. Adjusted pH to 5.2. 60 minute mash, 10 minute recirc, and again on the sparge batch.

1.75 oz Citra, FWH
2 oz Magnum, 60 min
3 oz Citra, 5 min

90 minute boil

Pitched about 1.5 quarts Wyeast 1272 from Batch 219.

Stats:
OG: 1.058
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 82
SRM: 9.7

In previous batches of this, I've added the guava at the end of the boil. This time, I'm going to add it towards the end of primary fermentation, which I hope will help improve the guava flavors. I have some notes about a side-by-side comparison with Short's Freedom of '78 guava IPA that I did a while back, one suggests adding the guava later, so I'm giving that a try. I'm not sure I like the canned guava concentrate, so I didn't use any in this batch.

Here's a picture of a nifty antique colander that I'm using to distribute the wort more evenly during recirculation:

And here's what the grain bed looks like afterwards:

Looks nice, no channeling at all. 

This is the guava paste I used, bought it on Amazon:

Batch 219, Panama Red

We've been gone since last October, just got back to the world 2 days ago, so of course I had to brew some Panama Red. Unfortunately, my prior planning was a bit off -- I thought I had enough 2-row, but I was short a few pounds...

10 gallon batch

17 lb 2-row
To make up for the 3.25 lbs I'm missing:
2.5 lb pilsner
.75 lb british brown
And the usual:
1.25 lb Crystal 60 (short 1/4 lb, but I think the brown will compensate)
.25 lb chocolate malt

Mashed at 150F, which is lower than usual, so this might come out a bit drier that I'd like, but oh well.

2 oz Mt Hood, FWH
2 oz Centennial, 60 min
2 oz Cascade, 30 min
2 tsp Irish Moss, 15 min
2 oz Mt Hood, 5 min
2 oz Cascade, 5 min

Wyeast 1272 from last August, did a 2 qt starter that looked really good.

OG: 1.061, 1,058 actual
FG: 1.015
SRM: 13
ABV: 5.9