I was asked to submit my American IPA for the British Beer Fest Lucci Cup. My first reaction was why the heck are we doing an American IPA for a British competition.. but I get it, we’re still riding the IPA wave that everyone is craving and brewing and we can get a ton of entries. I would rather do a Flanders red if we are going off the map, but 3 years is not that fast of a turnaround for a competition that is in two months.

As Richard Sheppard stated from the  Lucci Cup 2017 write up, “For those of you unfamiliar with the Lucci Cup, it is a competition within the greater British Beerfest competition. A club member throws out a style and a recipe and a separate prize is given to the winner of that category. The Lucci Cup is normally categorized by a high number of entries for style, bragging rights and copious amounts of trash talk. You do not have to use the recipe given below, it is just a suggestion.”

This American IPA I named Alan’s Hoppyness, was my first IPA I made back in 2012. I named it so because it was my neighbor’s favorite thirst quencher after running and training for his marathons on a hot summer day. The recipe is a Bell’s Two Hearted clone I found on Brew Your Own and chose it since it was simple and I had all the ingredients. It did really well with people enjoying it and in competitions where I entered it in both the Pale ale and IPA categories.

Here is the recipe for Alan’s Hoppyness:

Ingredients:

For 5 gallons (19 L)

12.83 lb (4.5 kg) | Two-row Brewers Malt (1.8°L)

8.0 oz (227 g) | Caramel (40°L)

1.2 oz (34 g) | Centennial pellets, 9.1% a.a. (45 min)

1.2 oz (34 g) | Centennial pellets, 9.1% a.a. (30 min)

3.5 oz (99 g) | Centennial pellets, 9.1% a.a. (dry hop)

White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast or WLP California Ale V Yeast

SPECIFICATIONS

Original Gravity: 1.063

Final Gravity: 1.012

ABV: 6.7%

IBU: 55

SRM: 10

Boil Time: 75 minutes

Efficiency: 65%

Pre-boil Volume: 6.6 gallons

DIRECTIONS

Use 4.5 gallons (17 L) carbon filtered water, adjust with 4 grams gypsum.

Step mash: 45 minutes at 150°F (66°C), ramp to 170°F (77°C) over 15 minutes (or ramp by infusing 2.5 gallons boiling water), rest 10 minutes at 170°F (77°C). Vorlauf until clear.

Collect 6.6 gallons (25 L), sparging with 175°F (79°C) water. Boil vigorously for approximately 75 minutes, hopping as in ingredients section. Whirlpool and allow to settle for 15 minutes. Chill wort to 64°F (18°C). Aerate wort and pitch yeast.

Ferment warm (ale temperature). Dry hop one week into fermentation in a secondary. Allow beer to stay warm with hops for a week. Rack beer, crash cool, and cold age for a week. Rack beer, prime with sugar and bottle or carbonate in a keg.

Extract Version

Use 6.6 lb (3 kg) Briess Golden Light Liquid malt extract and 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) Golden Light Dry malt extract instead of the two-row malts.

Steep the 8 oz caramel malt in 1 gallon (3.8 L) of 150°F (66°C) water for 20 minutes. Strain and sparge through the grains, topping up to 6.6 gallons (or up to 3.5 gallons for a partial boil) and bring to a boil.

Add the malt extracts. Add 2 grams of gypsum to the boil.

Continue as per all-grain recipe (unless using partial boil process where water needs to be added to bring post boil volume up to 5.25 gallons (20 L)).

Gautam Bagchi

What

This is your British Beerfest Reminder! The competition is coming up this March, so if you plan to brew, the time is now!

When

Judging will take place Saturday, March 24th 2018
Entries are due Saturday, March 17th 2018

Why

Because beer! But also because prizes!
This year’s best of show winner will receive a 55lb bag of Munton’s Maris Otter malt.
Seventh Son will also be choosing an Organizer’s Choice beer to be brewed on their system and released in their taproom.
You can see more info on the competition, including the accepted styles, deadlines and shipping locations for entries, and registration links and info at The BBF Competition Website. You can also use the competition website to register as a judge or steward. This is a BJCP sanctioned competition, so you will receive points toward your BJCP rank.