Batch 292, Guava IPA

 I guess I'm just getting lazy, I'm three brews behind on updating this blog. This is my first batch in Baja this season, I'm still trying to get a grip on my system here. I brought a lot (a LOT) of dry yeast down, so I figured I'm good to go. I should not have bothered with doing a guava IPA first, I really should have done something simple and easy just to get used to the system again and to get some fresh yeast going.

Anyway, I forgot to write down anything, this is pretty much like what I've done before:

10 lb 2-row

1 lb wheat

1.1 lb guava paste (added after primary fermentation is complete)

Missed my temp, got about 147F instead of the 155F I was aiming for.

2 oz Citra, 60 min

2 oz Citra, 5 min

Overall, it was barely drinkable. I used a lot of yeast, maybe 5 packets as it just didn't seem to want to take off. It was beer in the end, so there is that.

Batch 233, Guava IPA

I'm continuing to brew to get beer on all my taps again. At the moment, I have one empty, but 2 are repeats, I have the Oktoberfest on 2 taps and the Panama Red on 2 taps. This is sort of a double batch day, I made this Guava IPA, same as last time, and another berry cider, again, like last time.

10 gallon batch

OG: 1.058, 1.056 actual
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 82.6
SRM: 9.7

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

Mashed at 154F, adjusted pH to 5.25, recirc 10 minutes each batch. Ran off 13 gallons into the boil kettle, and another 1/2 gallon into a fermenter for the cider.

1.75 oz Citra, FWH
2 oz Magnum, 60 minutes
1 tsp Irish Moss, 15 minutes
3 oz Citra, 5 minutes

90 minute boil.

2 quarts Wyeast 1272 from batch 231. No starter since this is very fresh yeast.

Update,  22 April 2020 -- primary fermentation is done, it's at 1.014. Added the guava. I prepared the guava paste by cutting it into ~1" cubes, put half in the blender, covered with hot water (~105F), blend until smooth, repeat with the other half, then add it all directly to the fermenter.

Berry Cider

I always seem to forget to write down the details of the ciders. For this one, I ran off 1/2 gallon of wort into a fermenter, strained another 1/2 gallon out of the left over mash, so

1 gallon wort
11 cans Winco frozen 100% apple cider
~2 gallons water to make 4 gallons total

Mix it all together in the fermenter, added 1 quart Wyeast 1318 from batch 232, which I harvested today when I kegged that batch. At the end of fermentation, I'll add 4 lbs of frozen mixed berries that have been blended in a food processor plus enough water to make another gallon.

Update, 22 April 2020 -- primary fermentation is done, it's at 1.010. Added the berries. I prepared the berries by pouring half a bag into the blender, covering with hot water (~105F), blend until smooth, repeat for the other 3 half bags, then add it all directly to the fermenter.

Update, 28 April 2020 -- siphoned to a keg, then filtered to make sure there isn't any berry parts (skins, seeds, whatever) to clog things up later on.

Filtering the berry cider. It's a very pink color in the hose, it's very red in the glass.

Batch 187, Guava IPA

Yet another attempt at perfecting a guava IPA recipe. I didn't have on hand the same ingredients as last time, so I made some changes that should still be good.

10 gallon batch

15 lbs 2-row
5 lbs pilsner
2.5 lbs wheat
1 kg guava paste

Mashed at 153F for 1 hour. Batch sparge. Collected 4 gallons in the BK, so I used 10 gallons for the sparge, 9 to go into the BK, and an extra gallon for a batch of malted cider. Adjusted pH of the mash and the sparge to ~5.3. Recirc for about 10 minutes each batch.

90 minute boil

5/8 oz Citra and 1 oz Sorachi Ace, FWH
3 oz Magnum, 60 min
3 oz Citra, 5 min

I was short on Citra, last time I'd used 1.75 oz as FWH. I figured it would be better to use the Citra for a flavor addition at 5 minutes, and the Sorachi Ace has enough citrus flavors that it should be complimentary.

London Ale III, 2 quarts from a previous batch.

Specs:
OG: 1.057, 1060 actual
FG: 1.015
ABV: 5.6
IBU: 98
SRM: 9.6 (I have set the SRM for the guava paste to 60 in my brewing software, it's just a guess.)