Raven Black Ale, Revisited Take #8

5 beers fermenting in the chamber.  Raven is on the far left

This past weekend was National Homebrew Day and the American Homebrewers Association's "Big Brew".  While I've never attended a formal Big Brew event, seeing the pictures across the web is enough to make any brewer jealous.  To celebrate the occasion I wanted to brew 2 beers focused primarily on hops.  I decided to rebrewing my Citra Blast DIPA and my Raven American Black Ale. 

Last year I started working on my American Black Ale (Black IPA) focusing more on citrus hops vs the dark roasted flavors found in a Cascadian Dark Ale (Which is more like a Janet's Brown).  I've brewed this beer seven times, tweaking the recipe in small amounts on each batch.  Adapting the recipe to my personal tastes is one of my favorite things about brewing.  Getting to identify the subtle changes that occur in each batch.  I've changed the yeast, process, mash temps and the hops.  (Once I like a recipe, I normally don't post that I'm brewing it, but having brewed this beer so often and the older recipes needed some updating, hence the post.)  The original Tasting Notes posted are posted here.



I've played around with WLP001, WLP90 and WLP007 in this beer over the last year.  My favorite so far was a second generation WLP007 yeast.  It attenuated the best, it also contributed a better mouthfeel than the 001/90 yeasts. (It's amazing how a second generation yeast will dominate a beers development) For this beer I wanted to jump from the WLP007 to WLP002.  I've really enjoyed the rounded flavors this yeast brings forward in my Citra Blast DIPA.  Now this is the first generation, so I created a big starter and brewed the beer.  (If you wanted to brew this beer, any of the yeasts above would work great.)

Recipe:

 

Raven #8, New Yeast

American Black Ale or Black IPA

Type: All Grain	Date: 5/5/2013
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal	Brewer: Chris Lewis
Boil Size: 6.86 gal	Asst Brewer: Eric, Sisco
Boil Time: 60 min	Equipment: Lewy's Tower
End of Boil Volume 6.24 gal	Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 6.00 gal	Est Mash Efficiency 75.0 %
Fermentation: My Aging Profile	Taste Rating(out of 50): TBA
Taste Notes: No "Tasting Notes" have been created for this recipe yet
Ingredients
Ingredients Amt Name Type # %/IBU 8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 1 3.7 % 9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 67.1 % 1 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.5 % 1 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 4 7.5 % 9.6 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.5 % 8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 3.7 % 8.0 oz Carafa II (412.0 SRM) Grain 7 3.7 % 5.0 oz Black (Patent) Malt (500.0 SRM) Grain 8 2.3 % 1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 9 44.3 IBUs 0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 10 17.0 IBUs 0.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 4.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Aroma Steep 5.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs 1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs 0.70 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 14 0.0 IBUs 1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) [1000 ml] Yeast 15 - 0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs 0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs 0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 18 0.0 IBUs
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.057 SG	Measured Original Gravity: 1.051 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG	Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.3 %	Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.0 %
Bitterness: 65.3 IBUs	Calories: 170 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 26.5 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge	Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs 6.6 oz
Sparge Water: 4.28 gal	Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F	Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE	Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps Name Description Step Temperature Step Time Mash In Add 16.76 qt of water at 162.5 F 151.0 F 60 min
Sparge Step: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.85gal, 3.43gal) of 168.0 F water
Mash Notes:
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg	Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 11.69 PSI	Carbonation Used: Keg with 11.69 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 41.0 F	Age for: 5.00 days
Fermentation: My Aging Profile	Storage Temperature: 52.0 F
Fermentation Notes
Primary: Pitched at 63 degrees, holding for 4 days of active fermentation.  Free rise to 69 over 5 additional days
Overall the brewday went smoothly, a couple buddies came over and we drank some homebrew while brewing a double batch.  I also got a chance to test out my new sparge arm for my hot water kettle. (Don't think it warrants a post, but its sure pretty)  Here are recipe posts related to this beer: Sept 2012, Raven Black IPA Recipe Finalized.  May 2012, Raven Revisited   The 1st concept recipe, (Didn't work out to well)  Here are the "Tasting Notes" posts related to this beer:  June 13, 2012 "Tasting Notes"