Brew Day - Big House Ale V

When I first got my keg system I decided I wanted to have a house ale that was always on draft. My love of pale ales combined with my love of the University of Michigan and from that my Big House Pale Ale was born. Over the following generations it grew away from the parameters of a classic style and more into what I wanted it to become. I still make small tweaks from brew to brew, and (purposefully) I have not brewed the exact same beer twice. This version, number 5, incorporates Chinook and water chemistry manipulation for the first time. (This is the first beer that I've ever changed the chemistry for.)

Sparge water on top of mash

Recipe:

78% Pale malt (9 lbs)
13% Rye malt (1.5 lbs)
7% Crystal 40 (12 oz)
2% Wheat (4 oz)

0.5 oz Chinook (14.2) 45 min
0.5 oz Chinook (14.2) 30 min
1.0 oz Cascade (6.2) 15 min
0.5 oz Cascade (6.2) 5 min
0.5 oz Cascade (6.2) Dry Hop

Safale US - 05

Like all my summer beers I used a longer Beta rest (148-142) to encourage fermentability and "drinkability" (to steal a word from our big beer friends). I also raised the sulfate of the wort in an attempt to give it a cleaner bitterness.

My washed sample of US - 05 did not do well last time, so I pitched a fresh package into Big House V. I brewed this yesterday and am happy to say that it is fully fermenting today. I hope to get this into the keg in three weeks and be drinking by Memorial Day.

Primary fermentation in action

4/30/2013 - Fermentation temps got up to 76, due to abnormally high temps outside (85*) and me not having the AC in the window yet.  So I moved it to the basement where it fell to 64 overnight... just can't win in this old house.  More evidence that I need to build my ale fermentation chamber.