FUMIGATOR (3rd Session - May, 2016)

SUMMARY
This beer was [PENDING]. 

Grains (12.7lbs)
     7.0 lbs 2-Row Barley
     4.0 lbs Wheat Malt
     1.0 lbs Vienna Malt
     0.2 lbs Acid Malt
     0.5 lbs Flaked Barley
Hops (56 AAUs)
     14 AAUs Cascade (2oz | 6.9%)
     15 AAUs Centennial (2oz | 7.6%)
     27 AAUs Citra (2oz | 13.6%)
Yeast (1 Packet)
American Ale 1056 (Wyeast)

(Medium-Low | 73-77% | 60-72°F)

Misc

2 Grapefruit (1 Zest | 1 Peel)

3 Navel Oranges (1 Zest | 2 Peel)
*Note: when peeling, be sure to remove pith

1 Lime (1 Zest)

1 Lemon (1 Zest)
3 Muslin Hop Bags

Pectinase

BREW NOTES

The hops were weaker across the board, but not enough such that I felt compelled to compensate. I also changed from pale malt to 2-row as my base. Mash temps and times were properly hit. Lautered slow and gathered 6.5gal (1.042 BG). Boil was a bit more aggresive than normal, to help hit the volume mark, but in the end I ended up over boiling (4.8gal @ 1.057 OG). The BG and OG were both a few points under target, but not enough to cause concern. I did not add Irish Moss, or yeast nutrient to boil, and did not remember to pitch pectin with the yeast.

FERMENTATION NOTES

The fermentation was a bit more rambunctious than in previous years, and blew the top off the primary. I'm not sure when it blew, so it could have been a few days, or just a few hours, but there is no way to be certain. To reduce contamination risk, I transferred to the secondary fermentor a bit ahead of schedule. I was hoping the transfer would help spur more fermentation and more easily purge the vessel of oxygen, and by the next morning the airlock was bubbling with vigor once again. Although, I physically transferred the beer early, I did NOT dry hop, or add the fruit peels. I stuck to the original schedule in that regard. However, I did add the pectic enzyme which I forgot in throw into the primary originally.

I measured the FG at bottling and it was a mind-boggling 1.005 (missing the target by 10pts!). I'm not sure what caused this, but it really brought this beer down.

     

TASTING NOTES
Initial Taste (0 weeks)

- A bit of a bummer
- Fruit notes are subdued compared to previous attempts
- Body is lacking, and it feels a bit thin
- Possibly more quaffable then its predecessors, but lacks the punch in both hops and body
- Bitterness is also a bit on the low side
Second Taste (1 month)
- Despite the lack of character described above, this beer conditioned fairly well
- The fruit and hop notes are popping a bit more now that its carbonated
- I still miss the body and power from previous years, but it doesn't totally kill this beer
- A good hot weather, sunny day type of beer.