Neck Oil
This ale is another experiment in using the CrossmyLoof pre-mixed hop blends. This time I'll be using their Beavertown Neck Oil blend. Everything about this recipe is the same as my Citrus Twist APA recipe with the hops substituted for the Neck Oil blend.
Yeast preparation
I built my starter on the Tuesday before the following Sunday's brew day. The yeast used was Wyeast 1272 American Ale II from an overbuilt starter that I had in the fridge from my previous brew. I made a 1500ml starter with the intention of pitching 1000ml into the beer and keeping back 500ml to use next time.
Brew day
Here's the recipe. You'll notice that there's no 60 minute hop addition and that's because there's sufficient bitterness from the 12.9% flavour hop additions.
Recipe Specifications
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Date: 4 Feb 2024
Batch Size (fermenter): 24.00 L
Estimated OG: 1.041 SG
Estimated Color: 8.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 48.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 75.6 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Water profile: Ca:74 Mg:12 Na:9 SO4:99 Cl:89
Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type %/IBU
29.49 L Tesco Ashbeck Water -
2.90 g Calcium Chloride (Mash) Water Agent -
2.40 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash) Water Agent -
2.20 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash) Water Agent -
1.20 ml Lactic Acid (Mash) Water Agent -
3.900 kg Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner (4.0 EBC) Grain 88.6 %
0.500 kg Weyermann Munich II (22.0 EBC) Grain 11.4 %
0.60 g Calcium Chloride (Sparge) Water Agent -
0.50 g Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Sparge) Water Agent -
0.50 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Sparge) Water Agent -
0.20 ml Lactic Acid (Sparge) Water Agent -
24.00 g CML Neck Oil Mix [12.90 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 18.0 IBUs
32.00 g CML Neck Oil Mix [12.90 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 17.5 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 7.0 mins) Fining -
44.00 g CML Neck Oil Mix [12.90 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 13.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124.21 ml] Yeast -
Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 4.400 kg
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 24.49 L of water at 71 C 67.0 C 60 min
Sparge: Dunk sparge with 5L
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The hops come pre-mixed with no clue as to the actual ratios used. I've had really good results from all the CML blends so far and have no reason to doubt that this one will be just as good.
The brew day went off without a hitch and I managed to collect around the target of 24 litres into the fermenter.
The OG was 1.041, exactly as expected. If the yeast performs like it did with the Citrus Twist APA then I'll be looking at 1.005 as an FG. We'll see. The beer is now fermenting in my brew fridge at a controlled temperature of 19C.
Kegging day
I kegged this one after the usual two weeks in the fermenter, by which time it had cleared up nicely.
Final gravity was 1.005 for an ABV of 4.7%. The corny keg was fined with gelatine and I got a couple of bottles from the remainder of the fermenter. The keg was purged with 5x15psi shots of CO2 and then left to carbonate and condition.