heated up filtered water - 3/4 qt for 3/4 lb grain. mashed for 60min, heating to 165 and trying to maintain 150. Check every 10-15 min with no heat and lid on. Had to add a little water here and there and add heat on occasion. Pre-heated 2.5 gal of water to 170 to use for sparging. Sparged to a separate pot with about 1 gal of water at 170. Poured wort in with 1.5 gal of 170 water and poured 1 gal of mixture over grains again. Composted grains and brought to a boil. Added 1.65oz Mosaic. After 15min, added 2oz Citra. After 15min, added 1oz Centennial. After 15 min, added 1 oz Amarillo. AFter 5 minutes, added 1 tsp Irish Moss. After 8 min, added 1 oz willamette. Off boil after 2 more min. Added 3 1/2 gal of near frozen bottled spring water. Wort chilled for about 20 minutes. Hot night so difficult to get down to temp. Pitched yeast at around 74 after added a small 4in ice bath and stirring crazily. Tested OG at 1.070. Could be the bottom of the fermentor was more full of crap, or that I got more from the grains....not sure. Could be more potent and hopefully the yeast can do their job.
Bubbles starting within 12 hours but were slow and deliberate. Little to no activity at 3 days. 4th day I tested the FG but got a ton of sludge. Read around 1.020. Added 4oz of Amarillo (dry hop). Taste was very bitter but considering that the sample was sludge, I wasn't surprised. I may pray a little more on this one. Leaving for Cali in a few days so will transfer it in another week and 3 days. Then we hope to get some sludge out.
Transferred after 9 days to the secondary. Loads of sludge. Loads. Didn't measure or taste.
IN the secondary for 1 week. Bottling was 39 bottles, 11 of which were 22oz. Due to the dry hop, there were just a few pices floating from the hops that clogged up my bottle filler and had to clear and re-sanitize 3 times during the process. Took 1 1/2 hours after I had racked my bottles to dry.
taste was good, bitter in the center of the mouth, no tongue, heat was more for this ABV (which made me think twice about my measurements).Not as much aroma as ithought for the dry hopping. Probably more to do with the 1oz at 2min. Next time more finishing AND dry hop.
I used 5.5oz of Corn Sugar which may be high. I think this will be a really good batch.