It’s been awhile since I brewed and I was not too sure how I was going to procure my ingredients since Surf Brewery jettisoned the home brew shop. I understand that brewing supplies have thin margins but when you have s shop already set up that draws people into your establishment where you will at least have a beer or two, I don’t understand the economics, unless the shop was just hemorrhaging money.  Anyhow, I looked into a few alternatives. One was driving to Simi Valley Home Brew. It’s a great shop but just too far away. Two, Northern Brewer, but since they were bought out by ABInbev I’ve noticed that the prices are just not all that great. Three, was using MoreBeer. I used them a really long time ago ordering a false bottom from them and hadn’t really checked out the site in a quite some time. Prices were pretty reasonable for grain and hops and although shipping isn’t going to be free unless you spend over 50 bucks it still ended up being around $33 for a six gallon batch with shipping.

Decided on doing a pale ale and trying the Apollo hop this time around for some bittering and late additions with a tad of Centennial. I like the juicy IPA’s but I think I like the dank ones better and Apollo has a reputation for dankness. We shall see. Also my first time using he Safale S-04 Ale Dry Yeast which is similar to WLP002 – the Whitbread strain. As of report time was performing really well so no complaints there.

6 gallons

Estimated OG: 1.051
Estimated FG: 1.009
Estimated Color: 4.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 44.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
ABV: 5.5%

Grain
10 lbs Pale Two Row (2 SRM) 83.3%
1 lbs White Wheat (2.4 SRM) 8.3%
1 lb Turbinado sugar (20 SRM) 8.3%

Schedule
60 minute Boil
7.00g Apollo [17%] – 60 min 13.1 IBUs
7.00g Apollo [17%] – 30 min 10.0 IBUs
7.00g Apollo [17%] – 15 min 6.5 IBUs
28.00g Apollo [17%] – steep 10 min 9.5 IBUs
28.00g Centennial [9.00%] – steep10 min 5 IBUs

Whirfloc or Irish Moss 20 min
1tsp yeast nutrient 15 min

Mash and Sparge
100% Ventura (high bicarbonates and sulfates)
2g Calcium Chloride added to mash water
2ml lactic acid added to mash water
3g Calcium Chloride added to sparge water
2ml lactic acid sparge water
Mash in 4.375 gallons water 161F and let stabilize to 152F for 60 min
Mashout 170F
Batch sparge 5 gallons cold

Yeast
Safale S-04 Ale Dry Yeast

Fermentation
Ferment until done 64F
Cold crash one day
Add gelatin and rack to keg and carbonate using your preferred method