Optimus Lime IPA - Gluten Free - Archived
This beer is truly more than meets the eye! With a full hop flavor and amazing bitterness, this IPA has it all! Plus, it is Gluten Free!
What You Get
1 Briess Sorghum Brewing Extract
1 Packet of Belgian Candi Syrup Golden
1 Packet of German Mandarian Hops
2 Packets of Citra Hops
2 Packets of Lactose
1 Packet of Maltodextrin
2 Muslin Hops Sacks
1 Packet of Nottingham Dry Ale Yeast
1 Packet of No-Rinse Cleanser
You Provide
Zest of 1-2 Limes soaked in 1 Ounce of Vodka
2oz of Coconut Flakes
Brew Specs
Flavor: Hoppy
Original Gravity: 1.078
Final Gravity: 1.025
ABV: 6.98%
SRM: (Color): 5.5
IBU: (Bitterness): 37
STEP 1: Sanitizing
Cleaning is one of the most important steps in brewing. It kills microscopic bacteria, wild yeast, and molds that may cause off-flavors in your beer. Make certain to clean all equipment that comes in contact with your beer by following the directions below:
1. Fill clean keg with warm water to line mark 1 on the back, then add ½ pack (about 1 tablespoon) of No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, the solution is ready to use. Save the remaining ½ of No-Rinse Cleanser because you will need it for bottling.
2. Screw-on lid and swirl the keg so that the cleaning solution makes contact with the entire interior of the keg, including the underside of the lid. Note that the ventilation notches under the lid may leak solution. Allow to sit for at least 2 minutes and swirl again.
3. To clean the spigot, open it fully and allow liquid to flow for 5 seconds and then close.
4. Pour the rest of the solution from the keg into a large bowl. Place your spoon/whisk, can opener and measuring cup into the bowl to keep them cleaned throughout the brewing process. Leave them immersed for at least 2 minutes in cleaning solution prior to using.
5. After all, surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned, do not rinse or dry the keg or utensils. Return lid to top of keg, proceed immediately to brewing.
STEP 2: BREWING
Brewing beer is the process of combining a starch source (in this case, a malt brewing extract) with yeast. Once combined, the yeast eats the sugars in the malt, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO2). This process is called fermentation.
1. Place 2 of the packets of Citra pellet hops into a hop sack tying it closed, then trim away excess material.
2. Using the measuring cup, pour 1 gallon (16 cups) into a 1.5 gallon or larger pot.
3. Open the jar of sorghum extract and the pouch of Candi sugar and add them to your one gallon of water in the pot, stir and bring mixture to a boil.
4. Once your mixture has started to boil, add the 1 oz of Citra hops that you placed in the hop sack earlier, into the mixture. This hop sack will stay in for the entire duration of the boil, 60 minutes (remove sack before pouring wort in fermenter). 5. After 45 minutes has elapsed, add the maltodextrin and lactose sugar to your pot and stir to prevent scorching.
6. After 60 minutes has passed, turn off the heat and quickly add the packet of Mandarian hops into the mixture (without a sack) and stir.
7. Fill your fermenter with cold tap water to the mark 1 on the back. If using any other fermenter this would be approximately 1 gallon of water.
8. Pour the wort into your fermenter, and then bring the volume of the fermenter to mark 2 by adding more cold water. (If you have a different fermenter top it off with cold water to the 8.5-liter mark).
9. Stir your wort mixture vigorously with your sanitized spoon or whisk.
10. Sprinkle the Nottingham yeast packet into the keg, and screw on the lid. Do not stir.
Put your fermenter in a location with a consistent temperature between 68° and 78° F (20°-25° C), and out of direct sunlight. Ferment for 14 days.
STEP 3: Adding Extras
Adding extras is the process of adding additional ingredients to a beer which will impart more flavor and aroma in your finished brew.
1. In a sealable glass jar, add one ounce of vodka and the zest of 1-2 limes (be careful not to pick up the pith, the white membrane under the green zest) seal up the jar and refrigerate.
2. At day 7 of fermentation, add lime and vodka tincture and 2 ounces of coconut flakes in a hopsack. Then quickly remove the lid to your fermenter and add in the hop sack.
STEP 4: Bottling & Carbonating
After 14 days, taste a small sample to determine if the beer is fully fermented and ready to bottle. If it tastes like flat beer, it is ready. If it’s sweet, then it’s not ready. Let it ferment for 3 more days (17 total). At this point, it is time to bottle. Do not let it sit in the fermenter for longer than 24 days total.
1. When your beer is ready to bottle, fill a 1-gallon container with warm water, then add the remaining ½ pack of the No-Rinse Cleanser and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved, it is ready to use.
2. Distribute the cleaning solution equally among the bottles. Screw-on caps (or cover with metal cap if using glass bottles) and shake bottles vigorously. Allow to sit 10 minutes, then shake the bottles again. Remove caps and empty all cleaning solution into a large bowl. Use this solution to clean any other equipment you may be using for bottling. Do not rinse.
3. Add 2 Carbonation Drops to each 740-mL bottle. For 1-liter bottles, add 2 ½ drops; for ½-liter bottles add 1 drop. Alternatively, you can add table sugar using this table as a guide.
Carbonation drops are made with glucose that is derived from wheat starch. Because these drops do not actually contain protein (gluten), they are generally well tolerated by those that are considered “intolerant”. Please keep in mind that these carbonation drops may not be suitable for those with Celiac or wheat allergies. If this is the case, granulated sugar is recommended for the bottle priming step.
4. Holding the bottle at an angle, fill each bottle to about 2 inches from the bottle’s top.
5. Place caps on bottles, hand tighten, and gently turn the bottle over to check the bottle’s seal. It is not necessary to shake them.
6. Store the bottles upright and out of direct sunlight in a location with a consistent temperature between 70°-76°F or 21°-24°C. Allow to sit for a minimum of 14 days. If the temperature is cooler than suggested it may take an additional week to reach full carbonation.
Tip from our Brewmasters
After the primary carbonation has taken place your beer is ready to drink. We recommend putting 1 bottle in the refrigerator at first for 48 hrs. After 48hrs. give it a try and if it is up to your liking put the rest of your beer in the fridge. If it does not taste quite right, leave the bottles out at room temp for another week or so. Keep following this method until your brew tastes just how you like it.
This process is called conditioning and during this time the yeast left in your beer can help clean up any off-flavors. Almost everything gets a little better with time and so will your beer.