Did the steeping of grains by 1 qt to 1lb if grains. Added grain and brought just to a boil and then covered and let sit. Brought 1 gal filtered water to near boil and added DME (6lbs at first, then 3more after getting closer to boil again). Took around 25 minutes of steeping before water was boiling. Poured 1 gal of water plus 1 qt that was saturating the grains and poured through grains 2x. Brought back to a boil and started the clock with the first hop addition (60min). Calypso 1oz to start. Citra 2oz at 45 and 30. Another shot of Calypso at 15. Added the sugar and irish moss at 10. Last hop add of German Hull Melon at 2 minutes.
To get the wort down, I tried to put in the sink with cold water (initial some ice). Once the water was warm, I refilled with cold. Did this for 15 min or so. Then to wort chiller and added 3 gal of almost frozen spring water.
Chilled to 67 and pitched yeast. OG was around 1.076. Lower than I wanted since I added .5gal too much water (than I intended)
Started 8:45 ended 11:45, all in.
Difficulty starting to ferment (3rd day). Moved to warmer room and shook it up and then it took off. Had to create a blow off system since it was foaming so much.
1 week transferred to secondary, no issue. FG was down to 1.010! Not sure how but the yeast apparently were hungry. THis puts the ABV closer to 8.5 and drops the IBU probably below 100.
Another week plus (11/30/15) bottled. Tasted as expected - Belgian round malty flavors, yeasty (very cloudy as well), but with a bit of bitterness all around. Not quite the 100 range bitterness, but that's probably due to the high malt flavors and the high ABV fire. Could be a good balance.
Used 5.5g of corn sugar for a slightly higher carbonation rate. Hoping for more of the seltzer-ish fine effervescence.
Should probably wait until after the new year to test and early Feb for release.....