Sister Star of the Sun

Classification: pale ale, IPA, all-grain

Source: David Brockington (daveb@alpha.rollanet.org), submitted 06/22/95

This is the current incarnation of my IPA. This is probably my favorite beer, and I make sure that I have some of it on tap or in bottles at my house at all times. Every batch that I have entered has won at least a second place ribbon at competition. The changes between this beer and the older version of Sister Star are minor but important. The 135 crystal adds a coppery hue and some caramel notes to the maltiness. The wheat merely aids in head retention. The base malt was changed from M&F to HB because the Hugh Baird is what I get in bulk; I do prefer it to most pale ale malts but M&F works well enough in this recipe. Stay away from domestic 2-row for this beer, or DeWolf-Cosyns Pale Ale malt. Marris Otter- based malts, such as that offered by Crisp Malting, is a stunning malt in this beer.

The conversion temperature had been reduced to 151, more in line with what a pale ale ought to be mashed at. The finishing hop has been doubled, and I now add that while chilling -- I do not boil the hop at that stage. When I keg this beer, (which I will be doing today, in fact) I add a quarter-ounce of fresh imported Fuggles to the keg as a dry-hop. This beer does have an impressive hop profile. In the words of Alan Marshall, this beer is "not for the hop virgin." Marshall rated this beer **** on his four-star scale.

Ingredients for Five Gallons:

13# Hugh Baird English Pale malted barley
1/4# Hugh Baird 135L crystal malt
1/4# Great Western malted wheat
3 oz Chinook hops (60 minutes)
2 oz East Kent Golding hops (15 minutes)
2 oz imported Fuggle hops (while chilling)
1 tsp. Irish Moss (@30 minute mark)
Wyeast 1028 (London Ale), pint starter.

Procedure:

Mash in a single infusion at 151F for 60 minutes. The hops were, and always are, whole flower. Fermented in a controlled environment at 65F for two weeks. My system is somewhat inefficient, so your extraction may be higher than my reported gravities. As I generally realize 26 points/pound, you should adjust the grain bill accordingly.

Specifics:

O.G.: 1.060-65
F.G.: 1.012

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