Dead Goat Breath IPA

So far I've made an Amber Ale, a Pilsner, and a Red Ale, all from True Brew ingredient kits. I haven't tried the Red Ale yet, but the others were excellent. This time around I wanted to make an IPA, but when I went to get the ingredient kit there were no more IPA kits left.

Thomas Creek will put together all the ingredients for you from any recipe though so I still wound up getting what I needed to make an IPA. I had been thinking it was time to move away from the ingredient kits to get more variety, but wasn't sure if I really wanted to do that yet. I am now certain that I won't be doing any more kit beers. I haven't even moved this batch from the fermenter to a keg yet, but it just seems to be at a much higher level than the kit beers were. The grains and hops all smelled far better than the ones that come in the kits and fermentation was far more active as well. I'm still doing malt extract based beers, just not using the pre packaged kits. Eventually I'd like to start doing all grain beers, but I don't see that happening with my current schedule.

Ingredients:

• Crystal 120 8.0 ounces
• DME Light 7.0 pounds
• Fuggles (Finishing) 1.0 ounces
• Irish Moss 1.0 package
• Wyeast #1335 British Ale II 1.0 package

Recipe:

1. Place cracked grain in bag and add to 2 to 2-1/2 gallons of water.
2. Allow grains to steep for a minimum of 30 minutes. (150 to 155F is ideal)
3. Remove grain bag and dissolve DME in brew pot. Make sure that DME is completely dissolved before applying heat.
4. Bring mixture to a boil
5. Add bittering hops, set timer for 35 minutes
6. Add Irish Moss, set timer for 25 minutes
7. Add finishing hops, set timer for 2 minutes
8. Cool wort to 70 to 80F
9. Add wort to fermenter and fill fermenter to 5 gallons.
10. Add pitched yeast to fermenter