The session went well overall, but I DID manage to miss my OG. I chose to do BIAB and that may have contributed to the lower efficiency. I tried adding Pilsen DME to the boil but it didn't bring it up enough. I should've calculated how much DME I needed, but I was in a bit of a rush.
I'm getting to the point to where I am doing more AG recipes and it's taking me a while to figure out what equipment to use and what techniques work best with what I have in my brewhouse. I am really into water chemistry now and have started doing some calculations on my own (I need to do a lot more work on those calculations!).
I just bottled my Blind Pig IPA clone (named Duncan Double IPA after the newly retired Tim Duncan). I left the oak chips out this time because I just wanted to taste the hops. It tasted slightly sweet but had a decent happiness to it. I'm really looking forward to finally making an IPA I can drink.
I have two water chemistry experiments going on right now- both involving one-gallon batches. The first is a Smoked Pear ale that uses my town water treated with a campden tablet and a few salt additions in the mash. The second one is a variation of Gordon Strong's Columbus Pale Ale recipe from his book Modern Homebrew Recipes. Instead of Columbus hops, I am using a "new" variety called Pekko.
Since I have been using spring water for my beers anyway, I thought it was time that I try RO water, which is something Gordon Strong does quite a bit apparently. I also followed the salt/acid additions that were in his recipe. We'll see how it goes!
Up next- the Bawlmer ESB recipe from the NHC that I was supposed to make last month. Also, I am planning on entering a competition in October that's being held in Salisbury. I'm not exactly sure what I will make, but right now I'm thinking I'll try another Pekko Pale Ale, my Belgian dubbel and a beetsaison.
I wish I could keep my fermentation temps down because I really think that it would help with some of these beers- especially for competition- but I guess I'll just have to make do with the way things are now.
