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Clean, hoppy, and refreshing. The 3 keys when brewing a flavorful cold IPA. This is a solid, well-rounded Cold IPA that features a Thiolized® lager yeast called Lunar Crush® from Omega Yeast, 3 hop varieties, LUPOMAX® Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Simcoe. It also features an advanced hop product called, SPECTRUM® from Barth Haas. Bespin Breeze cleared up nicely with a beautiful pale golden color and soft creamy foam on that sits on top. On the nose you get citrus and guava notes, and diving in, you will find impactful citrus, guava and passionfruit with a lingering pine flavor that leaves you wanting another taste.

I was really please with how well this beer turned out. I think pitching the SPECTRUM® at the same time as the Lunar Crush® helped boost the flavor and aromas simultaneously rather than just pitching after the fermentation was complete. and so I am happy to share it with everyone who is interested, so enjoy this Cold IPA recipe!

GRAIN
• 7 lbs 2 Row
• 3 lbs Flaked Corn

HOPS
• Boil hops: 1/2 oz Nelson Sauvin (14.5 IBUs) – 30 minutes
• Whirlpool Hops: 1 oz LUPOMAX® Citra (13.4 IBUs) – 15 min at 190ºF
• Whirlpool Hops: 1 oz Nelson Sauvin (7.2 IBUs) – 15 min at 190ºF
• Whirlpool Hops: 1 oz Simcoe (4.6 IBUs) – 15 min at 190ºF
• 20 g SPECTRUM® Citra – pitch prior to yeast pitch
• Dry Hops: 1 oz Lupomax Citra – Day 7
• Dry Hops: 1/2 oz Nelson Sauvin – Day 7
• Dry Hops: 1/2 oz Simcoe – Day 7

YEAST
• Omega Yeast Lunar Crush® OYL-403

INSTRUCTIONS
BATCH SIZE: 5.5 GALLONS
OG: 1.048
FG: 1.010
IBU: 40
ABV: 5.00%
EFFICIENCY: 72%
MASH TEMP: 151ºF
BOIL: 60 min
FERMENTATION: 62ºF – 10 days
SYSTEM: SS Brewtech

TIPS

Typically with the SPECTRUM® you add it after fermentation but since I was using a Thiolized® Yeast Strain from Omega I thought I would experiment by adding it prior to pitching the yeast. Then once I got the temp down to pitching temp, I pitched the yeast. Please note, the yeast doesn’t smell very pleasant like most liquid yeasts so don’t be alarmed when you take a whiff and you’re taken by surprise of the smell. I also recommend a yeast starter as well. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out. **You can also watch the grain to glass brew day video here**

WHAT IS A SPECTRUM®?

SPECTRUM® is a revolutionary new, fully dispersible liquid hop product, that delivers full true to type dry-hop characteristics. Available to homebrewers in 20g sachets. Hop varieties available are Citra, Mosaic, Eclipse, and Galaxy. The final product is 100% hop material with no solvents or artificial additions. Imagine the finest hop pellets in liquid form and you will understand the impact and efficiency gained when using SPECTRUM®. How does it work? Watch here! 

WHAT IS A LUPOMAX®?

LUPOMAX® is a concentrated pellet that is consistent, efficient, and optimized for hop flavor. LUPOMAX® has less vegetative matter compared to regular hop pellets so you get hop flavors that are bigger, bolder, and brighter! Less vegetative matter means less beer loss, less solid waste, and more beer to enjoy. LUPOMAX® is variety and crop year specific and made with premium lots that are selected to deliver consistent true-to-type flavor year over year.

WHAT ARE THIOLS?

Thiols are a class of aroma-active compounds found in beer and enhanced by unlocking precursor compounds found in malt, hops, and grape-derived products. You can read and learn more about thiols here. 

WHAT IS A COLD IPA?

At its most fundamental level, a Cold IPA is an IPA that is brewed with lager yeasts at colder temperatures, creating a crisp, drinkable yet generously hopped India Pale Ale. You’re probably wondering, isn’t that just an IPL? Well.. no. Cold IPAs are known for clarity, extra hoppiness, cranked-up ABV, and clean flavor that keeps you sipping all afternoon. IPLs depend heavily on the lager yeast that is used when brewing, and are moderately hoppy in comparison to the Cold IPA, and have a crisper finish.

Here are some more articles that go a little more in-depth on a Cold IPA and the differences between the Cold IPA and the IPL.
What is a Cold IPA? by Hop Culture.
What is a Cold IPA and Why You Need To Try One? 

Cheers!

Jordan, Billy’s Tavern Homebrewing