Charger's Session iPA

I like to offset my big strong ales with more sessionable beers so that I have a beer that I can have a couple of and still be able to get some work done. At the time I put together the recipe I had just brewed two stronger beers (Black Friday IPA and Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout) and I had a keg of Belgian Golden Strong on tap. I hadn't made a real hoppy beer in a few months and my hop supply is running pretty low. The 2011 harvest is just getting out to retailers and so I wanted to finish off my Nelson hops from 2010's harvest. I had the opportunity to try Drakes Brewing Company's Alpha Session. I loved this beer because it was dry, hoppy and low alcohol. Essentially everything I love about an IPA minus the booze.

I decided to brew this beer and name it after my new French Bulldog puppy Charger. Charger is a beast of a little dog, he has a huge head with lots of chubby face rolls. He is very loving and gentle, but he is also kinda a honey badger. He is tough, and bold, but with a gentle soft side. Like Charger, this beer has a big bold hoppy side, but has a softer lower alcohol side as well.

Recipe: US 2-Row, Honey Malt, White Wheat, Magnum @60, Nelson @ 20, 10 and flame out, US-04 (by accident, wanted to use US-05).

Flight Path IPA

My house sits directly under the incoming flight path for the San Diego International Airport. On cloudy nights the jets will pass over and a few seconds later the air they displace will come crashing back into the place it once idly sat and make the craziest, eeriest noise. We have lived here for almost 3 years and I have wanted to make an IPA named after our location under the flight path.

As I have said before, I love San Diego/West Coast style IPAs that are light on malt bills, have moderately high bitterness, and a ton of flavor and aroma additions. I am making this beer in a similar manner. Simple malt bill, moderate bittering charge and big citrusy, fruity late hop additions of Amarillo and Nelson. As I sit here writing this post the Nelson hops are just smelling amazing and my mouth is watering for this beer.

I didn't hit my OG, so the beer will be a little smaller, maybe more like a Pale than an IPA, oh well.

Ingredients: US-2Row, Honey Malt, Warriors @60, Amarillo and Nelson @30, Amarillo and Nelson @15, Amarillo and Nelson @1, Dry Hopped with Amarillo.

Edgemont IPA-Review

I brewed this beer a month or so back, so the hop profile has faded a bit. I don't typically brew IPAs because living in San Diego I am surrounded by exceptional commercial IPAs all the time. I am also very picky about my IPAs. I like my IPAs to be dry, light colored, lower in bitterness, and have intense hop aroma and hop flavor.

Appearance: Light copper in color (still too dark in my opinion). Large off-white head that lasts a long time. Clear.

Aroma: Big apricot/peach aroma with a nice citrus background, strangely as the beer warms a light grassy like aroma develops. A light sweetness lingers as well.

Taste: Nice fruity, citrus flavor up front followed by the same grassiness mentioned earlier. I think I left the dry hops in a little too long.

Drinkability: Drinkable and actually pretty good, just not what I wanted or had envisioned when I built the recipe.

Although it isn't exactly what I wanted it is the best pale/ipa I have made so far. I am getting better at the style. I probably won't brew another until the late fall. Next time look for Amarillo and Cascade hops, and just pale/pilsner malt to keep it extra dry and light in color. I may even throw in a little sugar like I do for my Belgian styles.

I may not get a ton of post in the next month or so as I am getting married in two weeks and then we are off on a 5 week honeymoon to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. I will then brew heavily again in August.

I kegged up the two beers for my work part a American Wheat with Peaches (very fruity and slightly tart) and a basic wit (very nice beer and when cool and carbed it is gonna be a hit). Look for a review...if I have time. Thanks for following and see you all in August.