RECIPE: 1st Place APA #64 Tropic Thunder (Vienna, Amarillo, Simcoe, Brett Trios APA)

When I put together my recipe for my Vienna Lager I had to split the mash up for something else.  I thought about it and toasty malts, 1.048 OG, sounds like a great canvas for an American Pale.  Add to this that I wanted a Pale to enter into the Sasquatch homebrew comp, and I had already blown my keg of IPA with the Black IPA headed to the same demise, I needed a hop bomb.  Stephen had done a lot of work to clean up an infected pitch of Conan I had, and I had planned to use it to ferment this batch.  Low and behold I didn't ask for it soon enough and didn't have time to get it built up in time.  I thought about using the pitch of 1469 I still had from the IPA, since it has a lot of peach notes too, but decided against it.  I made that decision because I had 6 strains of Brett built up for the Saison, and have heard very good results from others about Brett Trois and hoppy beers.  I had only done one other Brett and Hops beer and didn't care for some my hop choices.  I really wanted to do one again, so why not now.

I started with the base of Vienna malt, and a touch of Carafa III special for a little deeper color to get it into the 11 SRM range which is perfect for both the Vienna Lager and the APA styles.  I had just gotten 2# of Amarillo, and had 1# of Simcoe as well.  These hops sounded like the perfect combo for Brett Trois juicy mango and pineapple.  The initial taste 1 week into fermentation was super tropical and juicy.  At this point I decided to switch from a blend of Amarillo and Simcoe to straight Simcoe on the Dry Hop for a touch more pine blended in.  Per my normal DH regamin, I added the hops to the keg in a mesh bag, and started the carbing at room temp while dry hopping.  I have had great results dry hopping under pressure at room temp.

Sorry in advance that there aren't many pix for this one, I had a one track mind that brewday, get er done.

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Stats:

Gallons: 5.25

OG: 1.049

FG: 1.011

ABV: 5.0%

IBUs: 54

SRM: 11

Efficiency: 87%

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Fermentables:

8.50# Vienna Malt (98.3%)

0.15# Carafa Special III (1.7%)

Mash 10 hours @ 150

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Boil 30 mins:

 15 mins 2.00 oz Amarillo 9.50%AA

 15 mins 2.00 oz Simcoe 13.00%AA

 WP 25 2.00 oz Amarillo 9.50%AA

 WP 25 2.00 oz Simcoe 13.00%AA

 DH 2.40 oz Simcoe 9.50 %AA

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Kettle Additions:

Gypsum: Mash 1/2 tsp; Sparge 1/2 tsp; Boil 1 tsp

Epsom Salts: Mash 1/16 tsp; Sparge 1/16 tsp

Calcium Chloride: Mash 5/16 tsp; Sparge 5/16 tsp

Lactic Acid: Sparge 0.55 ml

Yeast Nutrient: 2 taps

Whirfloc: 1 each

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Fermentation:

Cooled to: 64*F

WLP 644 Brett Brux Trois (1.5L Yeast Extract Stirred Starter)

65-68*F 5 days

70-72*F 3 days

76-78*F 2 days

62-64*F 3 days (DH while carbing)

39-41*F 4 days (Fridge and finish carbing)

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Notes:

5/3 Brewed Alone.  Mashed in total grist for both beers at 150*F at 8:30am.  Wrapped in heating blanket (turned off) and sleeping bag.  Left for birthday party.  Returned to brew at 5pm, temp had dropped to 138*F.  Sparged and collected 12 gallons total.  Split full volume to 2 kettles, 6 gallons each.  Began separate 30 minute boils, adding hops according to recipe.  Added finishing hops for 30 hop stand while other beer chilled.  Chilled to 64*F and transferred via pump into 6 gallon Better Bottle.  Decanted starter, pitched yeast, and placed into entertainment room at 7:30 pm with thick blanket wrapped around it (ferm fridge taken with lager).

Signs of fermentation within hours, krausen beginning to build by bed time.

5/4 Krausen up by morning before church, sitting at 65-66*F.

5/6 Added heating blanket to keep temp up as the entertainment room is part of the garage and not fully insulated.  Set to low.  Up to 68-69*F.

5/8 Raised temp up to low 70s, krausen dropping, fermentation slowing.

5/11 Pulled sample, down to 1.012 and so fruity!  Bumped up to high 70s to finish off.

5/13 Down to 1.011.  Kegged with 2.4oz 2012 Simcoe pellet hops.  Carbing warm in 60s while dry hopping.

5/16 Placed in beer fridge to chill while on Youth Retreat, and finish carbing.

5/19 Bottled off some for the Sasquatch Homebrew BJCP comp on 5/31.

5/31 Took 1st place in American Pale Ales at Sasquatch Homebrew Comp.  Knocked out of BoS for having a medicinal note in the finish, but no one even thought of Brett, and were shocked when I told them what it was fermented with.