Brew Free or Die IPA

Classification: pale ale, extract

Source: Kevin L. McBride (gozer!klm@uunet.UU.NET) Issue #741, 10/9/91

After one week in the keg the beer was clear, carbonated, and very drinkable although it had a very noticeable alcoholic nose. After 2 weeks the beer was incredibly smooth, bitter, and wonderfully aromatic. Several friends raved about this beer including one who lived in England for a while said that this was one of the best IPAs he's ever had and definitely the best homebrew he's ever had. After 2-1/2 weeks it was all gone because we drank the whole thing.

Ingredients:

4 pounds, Munton and Fison light DME
4 pounds, Geordie amber DME
1 pound, crushed Crystal Malt
1-1/2 ounces, Cascade leaf hops (boil 60 minutes)
1-1/2 ounces, Cascade leaf hops (finishing)
1 teaspoon, Irish Moss
Wyeast #1056 Chico Ale Yeast (1 quart starter made 2 days prior)

Procedure:

Add the crystal malt to cold water and apply heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or so then sparge into boiling kettle. Add DME, top up kettle and bring to boil. When boil starts, add boiling hops and boil for 60 minutes. 10 minutes before end of boil add 1 teaspoon of Irish Moss. When boil is complete, remove heat, add finishing hops and immediately begin chilling wort. Strain wort into fermenter and pitch yeast starter. Primary fermentation took about 4 days. Let the beer settle for another 2 days and then rack to a sanitized, primed (1/3 cup boiled corn sugar solution) and oxygen purged keg and apply some CO2 blanket pressure.

Specifics:

O.G.: 1.055 (didn't measure, just a guess)
F.G.: 1.012
Primary: 6 days
Secondary: 1 week (in keg)