Cavan Uncommon - Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Trying out some Columbus hops ( 17.3% AA !! ) I haven't used in 10 years. This will be a malty beer so I need lots of hop bu/aroma to balance it out. Pilot brew, so things can easily change but ingredient stock is low.

Ingredients

11 lbs. UCM
1 lb. Crystal 40 - Breiss
8 ozs. Crystal 120 - Breiss
10 g Columbus - 17.3% AA at 60 min.
10 g Columbus - 17.3% AA at 30 min.
10 g Columbus - 17.3% AA at 15 min.
56.70 g Cascade - LD Carlson - 7.1% AA at 10 min.
56.70 g Cascade - 7.1% AA at 0 min.
Sample 5 days before kegging and if hop aroma is low, toss in 1 oz. of Cascade.
No Hop Stand
US-05

O.G. - 1.049
F.G. -
% -
SRM - 10 - ( Sample looked like 8 - 9 )
BU - 45

                                                                    NOTES

Yeast pitched at 1 pm. A lot of clean up since I am brewing again in 2 days. The wort sample tasted fine, no odd taste from the very herbal hops at least from the smell of them. Never assume that you won't like them. It is still early though. Will know when I sample in 10 days or so to see if I need to dry hop. I do think it needs it. The srm was just perfect. Not too dark and not too light, nice.

                                                                    NOTES

The next morning still no krausen. Bloody US-05 yeast, slow as hell. 65F. Keezer set for 66 F. Probe on the carboy with duct tape. I need the other bung for my Helles. I seemed to of lost the other one.

Day 3 - Very active but not a lot of blow off going into the pitcher. Smells like citrus and yes, ripe
             fruit, just like the hop description.
Day 4 - Slowing down.
Day 10 - Almost done and added dry hops. Should of done this when there was at least some
              activity.
Day 18 - Kegging it today. Taste it good to decide on your next hop schedule. Grains are already
               milled, so can't change them.

                                                                           TASTE AFTER C02

Well, so far this is the best one with a good hop aroma taste in this style of beer. It may fade in time, but it is definitely there more than any previous IPA. I do think using the high alpha Columbus may have something to do with it. Research it and go from there. I do like the amber style compared to a pale thin beer which is all hops and nothing else. Very unbalanced and boring.