Groundhog Ale

This was brewed on Jan 31 and named in honor of the upcoming holiday. Groundhog was only our second batch of homebrew, but what a good one!

Brewer:	Brewess		Email:	-
Beer:	Groundhog Ale		Style:	IPA
Type:	Extract w/grain		Size:	5 gallons
Color:	16 HCU (~10 SRM)		Bitterness:	43 IBU
OG:	1.059		FG:	1.015
Alcohol:	5.7% v/v (4.5% w/w)
Water:	Two packs of Burton's water salts were added to the boil.
Grain:	1. lb. Crystal Malt
Steep:	Grain steeped at 160° or so for about 30 minutes.
Boil:	50 minutes	SG 1.148	2 gallons
	3 lb. Very Light Dried malt Extract 6 oz. Dark Dried Malt Extract 3.3 lb. Light Malt Extract Syrup (M&B)
Hops:	1.5 oz. Northern Brewer (8.7% AA, 45 min.) 0.50 oz. Northern Brewer (8.7% AA, 15 min.) .5 oz. Willamette (aroma) .5 oz. Stryian Goldings (aroma)
Yeast:	Whitebread dry ale yeast rehydrated with boiled water and a little sugar.
Log:	Brewed on January 31. Put into primary and fermented at 67°. Racked to secondary on Feb 3. Dry hopped with the Goldings on Feb 6. Added fining gelatin (dissolved in boiled water and cooled) on Feb 8. Bottled on Feb 11 with 3/4 cup corn sugar as primer.
Tasting:	After only a week in the bottle, it is well carbonated and crystal clear, with a nice thick head. Already a fine tasting IPA, although it needs a few weeks more to mellow out. Very long, dry finish and good mouth feel. This one is so good, you can be sure we'll make it often, especially since it's an easy recipe. We used the dark dry malt extract because we happened to have some around. Next time, we may use instead a half pound or so of roasted barley steeped with the crystal for greater authenticity.

Recipe posted 02/17/98.