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As Jamil and John do in Brewing Classic Styles, I formulated this recipe to produce five gallons (19 L) of beer for packaging. I assume a loss due to trub of a half-gallon in the fermenter and another half-gallon in the boil kettle. That will leave six gallons (22.7 L) at the end of the boil. I assume a boil-off rate of about one gallon per hour, which means I need 7.5 gallons (28.4 L) at the start of the boil for a 90-minute full-volume boil. I use bagged pellet hops for all hop additions.
This is a single step infusion mash at 1.56 qt./lb. with a batch sparge. Mix the crushed grain with 5.3 gallons (20 L) of 160 °F (71 °C) water to stabilize at 152 °F (67 °C) for 60 minutes. Vorlauf and lauter to collect 3.75 gallons (14.2 L) of wort.
Sparge with 3.75 gallons (14.2 L) of 170 °F (77 °C) water to bring the collected volume to about 7.5 gallons (28.4 L). Boil for 90 minutes. While boiling, add the hops as per the hopping schedule. Cool the wort to 68 °F (20 °C). Transfer to a sanitized 6.5 gallon (24.6 L) glass carboy fermenter.
Pitch yeast and aerate the wort. Hold at 66 °F (19 °C) until fermentation is complete. Add dry hops. Let the beer condition for one week and then bottle. Carbonate to 2.0 volumes using 3.0 ounces (85 g) corn sugar. Bottle condition for two more weeks. Enjoy your Stone Age IPA.
During the Fall 2008 cycle of the Wyeast Private Collection I picked up a couple of each of the available strains: Wyeast 1026 PC British Cask Ale, Wyeast 1469 PC West Yorkshire Ale, and Wyeast 1768 PC English Special Bitter. Since I am still somewhat of a neophyte I was not sure what I was going to do with them.
So far, the only recipe I have been able to find that uses the 1768 is the Northern Brewer Peace Coffee Stout Porter. Though there is some discussion about how fast this yeast ferments.
It was the first time I used the Wyeast 1026 PC British Cask Ale. I bought two packs as soon as they became available. Manufactured 14-oct-08.
I smacked and the pack did almost nothing. It filled some, but did not swell. There was some yeast in there, but not terribly active.
I made a starter — 7 oz Light DME in 2 quarts of water with a pinch of Wyeast Nutrient — and the starter did almost nothing. Some effervescence but not very active bubbling. Some yeast, but not terribly active.
When I brewed I added a ½-teaspoon of Wyeast Nutrient 10 minutes before the end of the boil. After cooling, I rocked the carboy back and forth for a good five minutes to aerate before pitching. I pitched that afternoon and the next morning I had to switch from a 3-piece airlock to a blow off tube and the bubbling sounded like a damned minigun.
I guess the next time I use the Cask Ale yeast I will keep in mind that it may be a little slow to start.
