Homegrown Hop Pale Ale

Brew date: Feb. 6, 2016
#48 - 6.25 gal

A mid-winter pale ale made with all homegrown hops -- cascade and chinook. Woo! Been waiting to take my hops for a real test drive since planting the rhizomes two summers ago. I was also able to pick up a pack of Wyeast 1217 West Coast IPA to ferment this batch out. Really excited to taste the results. The wort had a nice even bitterness by the end of the boil -- the dried hops, especially the chinook, smelled absolutely great.

At the last minute, I decided to switch from a flame out addition of cascade hops to a post-boil hop stand. In doing so, I'm hoping to preserve a slightly lower IBU while increasing the flavor and aroma of the finished beer.

At flame out, I continued whirlpooling using my pump, but allowed the wort to cool on its own to 180F, at which point I added the cascade leaf for the hop stand. I then let stand for 20 minutes, by which time the wort had cooled to approx. 160F. I then chilled as normal.

Thanks again to my friends the Foleys for the great housewarming gift! Hop rhizomes rock!

Ingredients:
8 lb 2-row (Briess)
5.75 lb Pale ale malt (Briess)
12 oz Light munich malt (Avangard)
4 oz Caramel 60L
3 oz Acidulated malt (Meussdoerffer)

1 oz Cascade (6% leaf) (FWH)
1 oz Chinook (13%, leaf) (FWH)
Fermcap-S (60)
1.5 t Irish moss (15)
2 oz Cascade (Hop stand - 180F-160F) (+20)
2 oz Cascade (Dry hop)
2 oz Chinook (Dry hop)
1.5 L Wyeast 1217 West Coast IPA (66F)

Water:
10 gal (50/50 filtered tap and RO)
8 g Gypsum
2 g Calcium chloride
1 g Epsom salt
Profile

Schedule:
Mash in 6 gal @ 162F
Sac rest @ 152F (60)
Mash out (10)
Batch sparge (15)
Boil (~75)
Hop stand (20)
Chill to 66F
Ferment 69F

Target:
OG 1.062
FG 1.016
SRM 9.21
ABV 6.15%
IBU 57
Efficiency 75%

Observations:
1st running 4 gal @ 1.072
2nd running 3.5 gal @ 1.023
Preboil 7.5 gal @ 1.053
OG 6.25 gal @ 1.068

Fermentation:
Chill to 66F and pitch
Continued cooling to ~62F
Warmed to 68F
Fermentation peaked to 73F within the first 48 hours
Chilled to 68F and maintain