Artist's rendition of a Haast's Eagle, about to mess up some Moa in prehistoric New Zealand. Art by John Megahan. |
Imperial IPAs are, really, what took me from occasional beer enjoyer to beer fanatic and homebrewer. I think I can even single out the Great Divide Hercules Imperial IPA as the culprit. It's huge, punchy, and holy hops is that flavor strong! Citrus! Pine! Could it strip paint? Probably, and I wouldn't have it any other way! I think it's fitting then that the first recipe I made on my own and brewed successfully is an imperial IPA.
Those yellow clusters are called lupulin glands. That's where all the resins and oils that give hops their bittering and flavor/aromatic properties reside. |
Turns out New Zealand is quite well known for its hop-growing climate, and has some really cool varieties that have been propagated there! Since I knew I wanted to make an imperial IPA, I focused on the high alpha acid hop varieties of New Zealand provenance. I settled on Pacific Gem and Nelson Sauvin. Both of these hops have really good bittering capability. Pacific Gem is the bittering workhorse of this beer, while Nelson Sauvin comes in later to provide bitterness and hop flavor+aroma. These high alpha acid hops are brought together for a beer that punches in at just over 90 IBUs (international bittering units). For those who are wondering what that number means exactly, Bud Light weighs in at 6.4 IBUs. The higher the IBUs, the more bitter the beer will be.
This is a Harpy eagle, crouching and being gigantic on this guy's arm. The Haast's eagle was about 1/3 larger! Also, check out the talons! |
This brings me to the namesake of the beer. Originally I was going to call this one "Moa", but it turns
Pretty impressive, considering just how huge Harpy eagles are. |
On the left is a Haast's eagle talon, compared to a Little eagle talon on the right. Little eagles are a member of the genus Hieraaetus, which was found to contain the closest living relatives to the Haast's eagle by Brunce et al. 2005. |
The red text shows the position of the Haast's eagle (Harpagornis moorei) among other birds of prey, including the Little eagle. Image from Bunce et al. 2005. |
*Not to say I didn't order some punchy pine and citrus flavored/aroma hops for other beers I am working on...
Haast's Eagle Imperial IPA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type: All Grain | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batch Size: 1.10 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boil Size: 1.64 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boil Time: 60 min | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
End of Boil Vol: 1.14 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Final Bottling Vol: 1.10 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brewer: David Levering | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asst Brewer: Medhavi Ambardar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Equipment: David's Brewing Equipment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Efficiency: 60.00 % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Est Mash Efficiency: 60.00 % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prepare for Brewing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Clean and Prepare Brewing Equipment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total Water Needed: 2.13 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Water Prep | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2.13 gal | Distilled Water | Water | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.63 tsp | Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.30 tsp | Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.22 g | Epsom Salt (MgSO4) (Mash 60.0 mins) | Water Agent | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mash or Steep Grains | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mash Ingredients | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 lbs 1.3 oz | Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) | Grain | 72.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9.6 oz | Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) | Grain | 14.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4.8 oz | Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) | Grain | 7.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.6 oz | Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) | Grain | 2.30% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mash Steps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name | Description | Step Temperature | Step Time | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mash In | Add 5.10 qt of water at 159.1 F | 148.0 F | 75 min | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.04gal, 0.82gal) of 168.0 F water | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Add water to achieve boil volume of 1.64 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.059 SG | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boil Ingredients | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3.2 oz | Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) | Sugar | 4.70% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Boil 50.0 min | Hop | 22.7 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min | Hop | 18.4 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min | Hop | 11.6 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.20 oz | Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min | Hop | 13.9 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.20 oz | Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min | Hop | 17.3 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Irish Moss - Boil 15.0 min | Clarifier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Steeped Hops | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min | Hop | 3.5 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.10 oz | Pacific Gem [15.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 10.0 min | Hop | 4.3 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Estimated Post Boil Vol: 1.14 gal and Est Post Boil Gravity: 1.088 SG | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cool and Transfer Wort | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cool wort to fermentation temperature of 70 F. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Transfer wort to fermenter | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 1.10 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pitch Yeast and Measure Gravity and Volume | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fermentation Ingredients | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.2 pkg | London Ale Yeast (Wyeast Labs #1028) [124.21 ml] | Yeast | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Starting Gravity Target: 1.088 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 1.10 gal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fermentation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Primary Fermentation (4.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secondary Fermentation (17.00 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0 F) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dry Hop and Bottle/Keg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dry Hop/Bottling Ingredients | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amt | Name | Type | %/IBU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.20 oz | Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days | Hop | 0.0 IBUs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Final Gravity Estimate: 1.013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date Bottled/Kegged: Carbonation: Bottle with 0.86 oz Corn Sugar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age beer for 14.00 days at 65.0 F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age beer another 14 -21 days at 45-50 F. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Additions to be made to the heated water before it is mixed with the malted grains: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gypsum: 0.63tsp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CaCl2: 0.2tsp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Epsom Salt: 0.22tsp | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Phosphoric acid addition: 2tbs |
Dry hops should be added using a muselin bag to prevent them from creating a mess inside the fermenter. This is especially true if using pellet hops. Make sure the fermenter is well sealed during the dry hopping phase to prevent volatile aromatics from escaping the beer. The first 4 days of the dry hopping should happen at around 65 degrees F. For the final 3 days, cold crash the fermentor to 40-50 degrees F. Before bottling, remove the muselin bag full of hops from the fermenter.
References
Brathwaite, D. H. 1992. Notes on the weight, flying ability, habitat, and prey of Haast's Eagle (Harpagornis moorei). Notornis (Ornithological Society of New Zealand), 39: 239–247.Bunce, M., Szulkin, M., Lerner, HRL., Barnes, I., Shapiro, B., Cooper, A., Holdaway, R.N. (2005) Ancient DNA Provides New Insights into the Evolutionary History of New Zealand's Extinct Giant Eagle. PLoS Biol, 3: e9.
Worthy, T. & Holdaway, R., The Lost World of the Moa: Prehistoric Life of New Zealand. Indiana University Press (2003).
Allentoft, M.E., Heller, R., Oskam, C.L., Lorenzen, E.D., Hale, M.L., Gilbert, M.T.P., Jacomb, C., Holdaway, R.N., Bunce, M. 2014. Extinct New Zealand megafauna were not in decline before human colonization. PNAS, 111: 4922-4927