Month: November 2019

Inspired by Bell’s Two Hearted Ale which is an excellent IPA.   This brew features Centennial Hops early and late during the boil and during dry hop. The malt bill is simple.   Basically 95% 2-Row Pale Malt and 5% Crystal 40L

Normally this style would be fermented using something like SafeAle US-05.   I’ve been playing with SafLager 34/70 lately so I decided to give it try for this brew as well.   So technically this is a Lager even though I fermented at Ale temperatures.   I really like the end product.

The result?   A crisp, bitter, piney, and citrus brew that leaves me wanting more after each sip.   I really like having this beer on tap.   I’ll definitely make another variant of this.

For the next version I’ll be looking to dial up the hop aroma and dial back the ABV.

Here’s is a link the Untapp’d profile for this brew:  Hop Hearted!

Looks and tastes the part.  I get Banana and Clove aroma/flavor.   I love passionfruit and can detect it in the slightest amounts.   I couldn’t resist adding a little passion fruit extract at flame out.  I doubt anyone, other than myself, would be able to detect it.

The Dark Munich malt contributed a bit more color than is typical for a Hefe.   I didn’t use Pilsen malt at all which proves you don’t need to use German malt to make a decent Hefe.  This is at least my 5th batch of Hefe.   Of those I’d say two batches pretty much nailed the flavor profile.  I find following grain bill, mash, and yeast will make a decent hefe:

• grain bill should consist of at least 50% wheat
• my latest mash schedule for a hefe is:
  • Mash in 110ºF for 10 min
  • Protein Rest 122ºF for 10 min
  • Sach Rest 154ºF for 40 min
  • Mash out 168ºF for 10 min
• White Labs WLP-300 Yeast.  I find it best it under pitch it.

I use a Grainfather so it’s easy for me to step mash.  Note my system requires 5 – 10 minutes to ramp up between mash steps.  So you may need to adjust the schedule based on your system.