Two Row & Columbus SMaSH

Mmm, yeasty.

The second entry in my 'Getting Smashed' series is a Two Row and Columbus SMaSH. I'm pretty familiar already with what two-row can/can't do for lightness, flavor, and malt presence, but I decided to brew this one just to have a 'control' beer against which we can judge the others. Not the most exciting recipe in the world but dammit, we're collecting data for science! Well, I do get to make a yeast starter from the left over US-05 from last batch. So that's cool.

Recipe Notes
Style: Pale Ale

Batch Volume: 5 gal.
Color: 3 SRM
Target Bitterness: 38 IBU
Target OG: 1.040

Grist
8 lb. Two Row

0.5 oz. Columbus 15.6% (FWH)
1 tsp. Irish Most (15 min.)

0.5 oz. Columbus 15.6% (5 min.)

1.0 oz. Columbus 15.6% (30 min Hop Stand)

1.0 oz. Columbus 15.6% (Dry Hop 5 days)

1L Yeast starter of 2nd generation US-05 slurry

Brew Notes
Brew Date: 4/26/15
Mash Temp: 151F
Mash Time: 60 min.
Boil Time: 60 min.
Fermenter Volume: 5.25 gal
Measured OG: 1.042
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76%

Made a 1L yeast starter the night before. Started by measuring 100g Pilsnen DME into 800ml of water. Boiled for 10 minutes which is tough in an Erlenmeyer flask. Added 200ml of yeast slurry to reach the final 1L volume. Tried using stir plate but it's a weak piece of crap and the stir bar would stop moving after I left it for five minutes. Periodically agitated and aerated the starter.

After boil chilled to 170 for a 30 minute hop stand. Spent most of the hop stand at 165. Next time stop chilling at 175 to hit 170. Added hop stand hops immediately after flame out. They steeped during the two minute chill from boiling to 170. Chilled wort to 70F and poured through grain bag to collect hop material. Collected 4.5 gallons of 1.049 wort at 68F. Added 3/4 gal. of tap water to hit 5.25 gal. of 1.042 wort. Decanted beer from top of yeast starter and pitched yeast. Added gravity sample to flask, swished it around and pitch the remainder of the flask. Aerated by shaking 100 times.

Five hour brew day exactly with 30 minute hop stand.

Update 4/29/15 - Gravity reading is 1.007 already. Attributing to use of harvested yeast and yeast starter. Mashed two degrees lower but I've never really seen that have an effect before. Tastes smooth and buttery. I don't know exactly what diacetyl tastes like but maybe this is it. Probably let this go a week in primary instead of five days like the first SMaSH just to be sure this is cleaned up.

Update 5/2/15 - Racked to secondary. Gravity is 1.006. Decided to keep the yeast train going and with another yeast harvest. This time added a gallon of water to the fermenter before swirling around. Let the fermenter sit for ten minutes and poured 3/4 gal off the top into a one gallon jug. By adding more water I'm seeing much better stratification between beer, yeast, and trub. The image to the right is after letting the jug sit for 20 minutes. I'll wait 30 minutes total and decant into two pint size mason jars. This will be the 3rd generation of this US-05 yeast.

Update 5/5/15 - Dry hopped with 1 oz. of Columbus

Update 5/7/15 - Sample is very hoppy. A little bit of the 'dank' kind of hoppy I'm looking for. Gravity remains at 1.006.

Kegging Notes
Measured FG: 1.006
Attenuation: 86% (That seems high...)
ABV: 4.7%
Calories: 136 per 12oz.
Carbonation: 2.5 volumes (After force carbonating)

Update 5/11/15 - Kegged today. Doing the trick where I set it at 30 psi for 48 hours. Drinks clean but has a very noticeable 'back of the throat' bitterness that tastes like I swallowed lupulin powder.