Invincible IPA - 2nd Brew, Part Grain, Part Extract

21 February 2015 - Invincible - Imperial Pale Ale - Ministry of Brew


This IPA was our second ever brew. For our first attempt, we brewed a stout using extract only.

The result was surprisingly good but lacked any real body to the beer. We knew we would have to move to grains to get what we were really after.

The Invincible IPA was the first brew that included grains. Invincible IPA is named after the HMS Invincible (1907) which was the first battle cruiser ever built. We thought this an apt name for our first beer with grains and it lived up to it's name. 

The brew took place in Brooklyn, Wellington, using a 15 Litre stainless steel pot on a gas hob.

Due to the limited size of our brewpot, we also used malt extract.

The Invincible IPA uses a simple recipe, and as you go through it, you will find that we still have a lot to learn at this stage.

Preboil tea

8L of water

500g mixture of crushed light and medium malt
3.4 kg Black Rock Ultra Light Malt extract

100g Rakau Hops (10.7Aphla Acids)
100g Nelson Sauvin Hops (11.2 Alpha Acids)
Dry Ale Yeast - Safale US 05 - activates best at 12 to 25 degrees

Process

1. Grain bag filled with mixture of crushed light and medium malt and placed into 8L of water at around 60ºC to 70º C for 60 minutes
2.  the water was stirred intermittently while the grain bag was in the water
3. once the grains were removed we added the 3.4kgs of Light Malt extract to the water and stirred this in
4. water was brought to the boil and 40g of the Rakau and 25g Nelson Sauvin Hops added and stirred
5. 45 minutes into the boil 40g of Rakau hops and 25g Nelson Sauvin Hops added and stirred
6. 10 minutes left to the boil Irish moss was added
7. at 60 minutes the brewpot was taken of the temperature and 20g Rakau and 50g Nelson Sauvin hops added and stirred into the brewpot
8. the brewpot was then placed into iced water and stirred to about 35º C

In Carboy

11.5L of cool water was added to wort and Dry Ale yeast sprinkled on top (Safale US 05).

61g of dextrose sugar was added two days after the brew was put into the carboy.

Bottling

Dextrose sugar was put in the bottom of each bottle and then the beer siphoned into the bottles.

Starting Gravity: 1.050

Final Gravity: Not Recorded

ABV: Estimated at 6% - 7.5%

Tasting Notes:
The Invincible IPA was a very strong and aromatic beer. The flavour was simple yet and enjoyable, however the strength of the alcohol did overpower the flavours of the beer.

These were bottled into 750ml bottles, after drinking one of these you could feel it!

We would like to thank Brewtopia, our local home brew supplier, for answering our endless questions whenever we come in to get our stuff brewtopia.net.nz

Lessons leant:

1. Mix the yeast into the beer after 30 minutes, don't just sprinkle on top, the sugar was added the kick start the fermentation.
2. the 20g Rakau and 50g Nelson Sauvin hops may have been better used to dry hop

Comments are welcome, we know we haven't perfected the art of craft beer yet, and any pointers are welcomed.

Ministry of Brew

Ministry of Brew Invincible IPA - Design by Louis N Cambell