Almost NA IPA - Tasting and Technique

 

I made a first attempt at a Non-alcoholic IPA. The target was 0.5% abv but I missed the mark by quite a bit. I was reading up on the different methods for brewing this style of beer and I went with the tiny malt bill option which seemed like it gave the best results. 

A couple of the tips that stand out when brewing this style are:

1. Mash at a high temperature, as high as 174F, which I did.
2. Use a low attenuating yeast/yeast that can't consume Maltotriose (which you create by mashing high), which I did
3. Add ingredients that lend to body (like wheat, oats, lactose) I added a small amount of lactose.
4. Add lots of adjuncts for complexity, color, and flavor because the malt bill is so small. I did.
5. Adjust your equipment profile for low efficiency, about 37%.
6. Pre-acidify the wort before fermenting to a pH of 4.6 for safety. I did not do this because on brew day I was out phosphoric acid. I did have a significant amount of hops in this beer and dry hopping was done in one day. The beer did not get infected in any way (that was visible).

I followed these tips but my first NA brew was off in a couple ways. First of all, I was way more efficient than the expected 37%, I came it at 82% using a BIAB system with full water volume though the mash. I hit a 1.020 OG, which was 11 points higher than estimated. I also boiled off far more water than expected with only a 15 minute boil so I came in 1/2 gallon shy of my 5.5g goal. 

So how did it turn out?

Visual:

This beer is a very clear amber almost brown color. It has a fluffy white head that sticks around while drinking it. 

 Aroma:

Green grass and lemon like hoppiness. Some roast.

Flavor:

The flavor is much like the aroma at this point. It's very green grass tasting and finishes with a slight roast note. The body is still a bit on the thin side IMO and I may bump up the lactose next time I brew.

Overall:

Overall this beer is ... okay. It's better than most commercial craft NA beers I've tasted (most of them taste too worty) but not as good as I wanted it to be. I really want a valid full beer experience at a very low abv to NA grade abv, that may not be possible but I'll give it a few revisions before making that determination.

Recipe changed for 82% BH efficiency:

NA:IPA 5.5 Gal - What's on Hand

American IPA (21 1)

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 5.84 gal
Boil Time: 15 min
End of Boil Vol: 5.72 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 5.00
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage

Date: 12 Apr 2022
Brewer: Wilby
Asst Brewer:
Equipment: Horsebarn NA Beer 5.5 Gallons BIAB
Efficiency: 76.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.00 %
Taste Rating: 30.0

Taste Notes:

Prepare for Brewing

• Hydrate yeast with 31.432254056213388 ml warm water and add optional 2.7 g of GoFerm
• Clean and Prepare Brewing Equipment
• Total Water Needed: 6.22 gal
• Mash Water Acid: 55.1 ml

Water Preparation

Amount	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
5.84 gal	Campbell, NY Well Water	Water	1	-	-
6.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) Mash 60.0 min	Water Agent	2	-	-

Mash or Steep Grains

Mash Ingredients

Amount	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
1 lb 1.7 oz	Pale Malt (2 Row) UK Mash (60.4%) - 3.0 SRM	Grain	3	60.4%	0.09 gal
2.2 oz	Victory Malt Mash (7.6%) - 25.0 SRM	Grain	4	7.6%	0.01 gal
2.9 oz	Acid Malt Mash (10.0%) - 3.0 SRM	Grain	5	10.0%	0.01 gal
2.2 oz	Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L Mash (7.6%) - 120.0 SRM	Grain	6	7.6%	0.01 gal
1.3 oz	Wheat, Roasted Mash (4.5%) - 425.0 SRM	Grain	7	4.5%	0.01 gal

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 6.22 gal of water at 184.8 F	174.0 F	30 min

• Sparge Water Acid: -0.0 ml
• Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
• Add water to achieve boil volume of 5.84 gal
• Estimated pre-boil gravity is 1.008 SG

Boil Ingredients

Amount	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
2.9 oz	Milk Sugar (Lactose) Boil (10.0%) - 0.0 SRM	Sugar	8	10.0%	0.01 gal
0.24 oz	Chinook Boil 15 min (7.9 IBUs)	Hop	9	7.9 IBUs	-

Steep/Whirlpool Hops

Amount	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
1.47 oz	Amarillo Whirlpool 1 min at 194.4 F (1.5 IBUs)	Hop	10	1.5 IBUs	-
1.47 oz	Simcoe Whirlpool 1 min at 194.4 F (2.1 IBUs)	Hop	11	2.1 IBUs	-

• Estimated Post Boil Vol: 5.72 gal and Est Post Boil Gravity: 1.009 SG

Cool and Transfer Wort

• Cool wort to fermentation temperature
• Transfer wort to fermenter
• Add water if needed to achieve final volume of 5.50 gal

Pitch Yeast and Measure Gravity and Volume

Fermentation Ingredients

Amount	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
1.0 pkgs	Voss Kveik Ale Yeast Lallemand #-	Ale yeast	12	-	-

• Measure Actual Original Gravity _______     (Target: 1.009 SG)
• Measure Actual Batch Volume _______     (Target: 5.50 gal)

Fermentation

• 12 Apr 2022 - Primary Fermentation (4.0 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0)
• 16 Apr 2022 - Secondary Fermentation (10.0 days at 67.0 F ending at 67.0)

Dry Hop and Bottle/Keg

• Measure Final Gravity: _________  (Estimate: 1.004 SG)
• Date Bottled/Kegged: 26 Apr 2022 - Carbonation: Bottle with 3.93 oz Corn Sugar
• Age beer for 30 days at 65.0 F
• 26 May 2022 - Drink and enjoy!

Notes

Pre Acidified to 4.6pH pre ferment.