Brewtime!

I think this is a first in my nearly 20 years as a homebrewer. I’m out of beer!

Used the last of my Brut IPA keg to beer brine the Christmas turkey (delicious), so it’s time to fire up the gear. On-deck is a new recipe my beer-deprived brain came up with – a brut vanilla black IPA. My addiction to sessionable but VERY dry beers continues unquenched. A couple ml of amyloglucosidase in this simple grain bill should really dry this one out, and I’m thinking just a sliver of vanilla bean into the keg along with the dry hops will be a nice twist.

BRUTal Noir

Specs
3gal finished in keg
Estimated O.G. = 1.037
Estimated F.G. = 1.004
Estimated ABV = 4.3%
Estimated bitterness = friggin’ no clue

Grain Bill
6 lbs. 2-Row
.5 lb. Munich malt
.5 lb. Crystal 20L malt
.5 lb. Carafa II malt

Hops
1 oz. Simcoe hops added at the beginning of the 60 minute boil
2 oz. home-grown Cascade hops at whirlpool
3 oz. home-grown Cascade hops into keg (dry hop)
1/4 sliced vanilla bean (with dry hop)

Yeast
1 pack SafAle S-04 English ale yeast (my house yeast)

Brewing Process

• Perform a single infusion mash at 148F for 60 minutes. Typical IPA water (don’t be shy with the gypsum). Verify pH below 5.5 and add 2ml of SEBamyl-GL at beginning of mash.
• 60 minute boil, whirlpool to 60F and settle for 30 min.
• Primary fermentation @ 59F, raise to 63F once krausen breaks and hold there for 2 weeks.
• Rack to serving keg over dry hops and vanilla, serve at typical ale temp and CO2 levels.