This recipe was posted in the Zymurgy July/Aug 2012 issue.
Russian River Blind Pig IPA
5 gal, 90 min boil, 62 IBU, 6.1% ABV, OG 14.25, FG 3.25.
I just had a few questions about the 5 gal extract version:
"Substitute pale malt with 7.25 lbs LME. Steep crystal and dextrin malts in 2.5 gal of water at 160-170 degrees F for 30 min. Rinse grains, add extract, dissolve completely, and proceed with boil"
1) at what temp of water should I rinse the grains with after steeping? - (170 degrees?)
2) how much rinse water should I use? - (1.25 gal....I have heard half of the steeping water volume? Or should I use more like 2 gal?)
3) do I add any water to the kettle {that already contains the 2.5 gal grain tea water} to bring the volume up to a certain total volume for the boil? - (per other IPA recipes, I've read that bringing it up to 3 gal or 3.5 gal for the boil is recommended? I've also heard to boil with 5 total gal for the whole boil time? {I use an 8 gal kettle}
4) do I bring the total volume of 'grain tea' water to a boil, flame out, stir in the 7.25 lbs LME, then proceed with the boil, adding the first hop editions? Or do I just stir in the LME (in the apprx 170 degree 'grain tea' water) before I even turn the burner on to bring to a boil...dissolve LME, then bring to a boil, adding the first hop editions?
5) should I even be putting in all 7.25 lbs of the LME at the beginning and none at the end? A lot of other recipes has putting in "X" amount of DME prior to boiling and then "X" amount of LME w/ 15 min left in the boil. This particular recipe only calls for LME and it sounds like it calls for putting it in at the beginning. I just didn't know if splitting it up would be beneficial when making an IPA.
5) at what point do I top the wort volume up to a total of 5 gal......after the last hop additions have dissolved that went in at 0 min? Or into the glass carboy after the wort has been poured in, prior to aerating and pitching? Or does it matter as long as the temp is around 70 degrees for pitching the yeast?