Brewday: Jasmine IPA

A while back I got my grubby mitts on a recipe for Elysian's Avatar Jasmine IPA. We were living in Miami at the time, seriously missing it; it's one of my wife's faves. Fortunately, I was able to brew a reasonable facsimile. And since I bought jasmine on the internet, it was... in bulk. Nearly a pound of it to be exact. Time to use some more of it.

You may notice that it's a bit low on the IBU side for an IPA. But if you've ever had over-steeped jasmine tea, you know it can get a bit bitter. The problem is how bitter? So err on the light side and let the jasmine do the rest. Also I change the hops in this thing pretty much every time I brew it. This time I had Columbus and Amarillos around, so there you go. I've used Magnum and Horizon to good effect. Any 'clean' flavor and aroma hop will work. In the past I have also noted that the jasmine really doesn't come out until it's finished, cold, and carbonated. So have faith.

Speaking of faith, it was the brewday from hell. Scale decided to freak out, wouldn't measure small amounts. (Turned out the batteries were dying.) Mash-in was off by 15 degrees due to computer error. (I'd changed some of the mash settings in BeerSmith and it didn't adjust for the new hot liquor volume) Then the valve on my Hot Liquor Tank gave out and sprayed my hand with 170 degree water. (Ow ow ow.) I was running out of propane, it started to rain on me, my lighter got wet, and so I had to light the burner with a match, resulting in more burns. (Ow.) But eventually the sun came out and I think the beer will be great. Of course the repitched yeast from the conical took over 24 hours to get going, during which time I'd bought more yeast as a CYA, which I smacked at the store so it would be ready to pitch after we ran some errands downtown. But the car got locked-in overnight in a parking garage with inadequate signage, so the yeast didn't get pitched until another day later. The pack was so swollen, I was afraid it was going to pop in the trunk.

This batch is, apparently, cursed.

JASMINE IPA (*cursed)

5.25 gallons, All Grain
OG: 1.064 / FG: 1.014
SRM: 6
IBU 43
ABV: 6.4%

• 11 lbs Pale Malt
• 1 lb Munich
• 4 oz Crystal 40
• 4 oz Carahell

Mash at 154. Mash Water Mods: 1 gm Chalk, 3 gm Gypsum, 1 gm Epsom Salts, 1 gm Kosher Salt.

90 minute boil.

• 3/4 oz Columbus (leaf) @ 14% AA for 90 min
• Whirlfloc tab at 15 min
  
• 1.5 oz Dried Jasmine Flowers @ 10 min
  
• 1.5 oz Amarillo (pellet) @ 8% AA for 5 min
• 1 oz Dried Jasmine at flameout
  
• 1 oz Amarillo at flameout
  

Using Wyeast 1056 American Ale Yeast. Fermenting in the mid-high 60's.

UPDATE: It bubbled along happily for 8 days, and at transfer to the Secondary it was just fine. Whew.