A View and IPA

Silas Whitley | Crumbs

Beer Comparison

This week, I compared two India pale ales while sitting on a ledge next to a waterfall overlooking Dusty Lake, Washington.

The lucky ales I tested were Caldera Brewing Company’s IPA out of Ashland, Oregon, and 21st Amendment Brewery’s “Brew Free or Die” from San Francisco, California. Admittedly, the beers were warm from sitting in my car and in my backpack on the hike in, so their flavor might be different than if they were cold.

Nevertheless, the 21st Amendment beer took the cake in alcohol content, with 7 percent alcohol by volume compared to the Caldera IPA at 6.1 percent. Both beers sadly had the warm beer feel to them and felt thicker than when cold, but the 21st Amendment IPA was heftier still.

The Caldera hops were a brighter combination and were less earthy than the 21st Amendment hops. The only hops they each had in common is Centennial. Caldera uses Citra, Simcoe, Centennial and Amarillo, and 21st Amendment uses Columbus, Centennial and Cascade.

Both cans were quite inspirational. The Caldera can recommended a bunch of activities to go and do, while the 21st Amendment can has a rocky Abe Lincoln smashing his way out of Mt. Rushmore.

Works in Progress

On Tap: Strawberry Blonde Ale, Red Ale

Bottles: Red Ale, Pecan Red Ale, Stout

Primary ferment: Nothing

Secondary ferment: Nothing

Queue-to-Brew: IPA, Pilsner

Events

Remember, tomorrow is Brewfest at Moscow Ale house, and May 6 is Odell tap takeover at the Garden. See you there.

Homebrewing Recipe: IPA

Ingredients

• 9 pounds pale ale malt (80 percent)
• 1 pound crystal 40L malt (10 percent)
• 1 pound crystal 15L Malt (10 percent)

Directions

1. Mash at 152 degrees Fahrenheit with three and a half gallons of water at 162 degrees
2. Sparge with four gallons of water at 170 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Boil 60 minutes
4. Add one ounce of Chinook hops with 60 minutes of the boil remaining
5. Add one ounce of Cascade with 30 minutes of the boil remaining
6. Add one ounce of Centennial hops with five minutes of the boil remaining
7. Two ounces Cascade hops for dry hopping

Extract:

Ingredients

• 6 pounds light dried malt extract
• 1 pound Crystal 75L malt
• 1 pound Crystal 40L malt

Directions

1. Steep grains at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes with three gallons of water
2. Remove grain, add malt extract, then boil for 60 minutes
3. Add one ounce of Chinook hops with 60 minutes of the boil remaining
4. Add one ounce of Cascade with 30 minutes of the boil remaining
5. Add one ounce of Centennial hops with five minutes of the boil remaining
6. Two ounces Cascade hops for dry hopping
7. Add around three gallons cold water after boil to reach five-gallon end volume and to cool wort

Cool either recipe as quickly as possible. Do not cover when cooling. Ferment either recipe for no more than 10 days using an ale yeast, then decant off of the sediment into another sanitary fermenter and let sit for at least another 10 days.

Dry hop this recipe with two ounces Cascade hoops during secondary fermentation. I recommend at least 10 days, but 14 days is better still. For dry hopping, use either pellets or whole hops and put them in the secondary fermenter. Decant directly onto the hops, there is no need for a hop bag. Remember, dry hopping is OK, and don’t worry about infecting the beer.

After secondary fermentation, either carbonate it in bottles or a keg.

Silas Whitley can be reached at [email protected]