Batch 254, Basil IPA

 Another batch of this seasonal ale. Our basil plants in our garden are full and ready, so Basil IPA is on for today. It's like a glass of pizza and beer all in one!

 

This is an odd recipe, I didn't make this one up. A guy in my beer club made it, I've found the same recipe elsewhere on the internet, so I'm not sure who really came up with it in the first place. Both the biscuit and Special B seem out of place in an IPA, but it does give a bready flavor, in keeping with the pizza theme of this recipe. Although, I usually think of Special B giving raisin flavors, but it does work in this recipe. The hops schedule is also a little strange in using Magnum as first wort hops. Magnum is known for a clean bitterness, where first wort hopping is intended to increase the flavors of finishing hops. Odd. Regardless, this is a great beer!

 

10 gallon batch

 

22 lb 2-row -- 18.5 lb actual, I'm out of 2 row now

2 lb biscuit

1 lb special B

1.5 lb white wheat -- 2 lb actual, compensating slightly for the lack of 2-row

Mashed in with 7 gallons of 170F water, hit 151F. Adjusted pH to 5.2. 60 minute mash, vorlauf 15 minutes both batches.

1 oz Magnum, FWH

2 oz Chinook, 60 min

2 oz Cascade, 30 min

2 oz Cascade, 15 min

1 cup basil leaves, 15 min

2 tsp Irish Moss, 15 min

1/2 cup basil leaves, 8 min

2 oz Citra, 5 min

1 cup basil leaves, 5 min

90 minute boil. For measuring the basil leaves, I just used a measuring cup and packed them fairly tight. 

Oxygenated, then pitched 2 quarts Wyeast 1272, American Ale II.

OG:1.060, hit that on the nose!

FG: 1.015

IBU: 78

SRM: 8.4

ABV: 6.1

Basil in my garden