Kópavogur Session NEIPA

Ingredients Batch−

20 L

+

Water

• 18 LMash water + 5 g calcium chloride, 2 g gypsum
• 11.5 LSparge water at 76°C + 3.5 g calcium chloride, 1.5 g gypsum

Pre-boil volume 26 L · Into the fermenter 20.5 L

Predicted mash pH 5.63 at room temperature · see the calculation

Method

1. Heat the mash water

   Fill the BrewZilla with (18 L), stir in the calcium chloride (5 g) and gypsum (2 g), and heat on both elements to 71–72°C, 2–3°C above mash temperature. Heat the sparge water (11.5 L) to 76°C in a separate pot with its calcium chloride (3.5 g) and gypsum (1.5 g).

2. Mash in

   Fit the grain basket with its bottom screen and overflow pipe. Mix the rice hulls (250 g) through the pale malt (2.3 kg), oats (600 g), wheat (400 g), carapils (200 g) and crystal (120 g) first, then stir it in slowly to avoid dough balls, and fit the top screen.

3. Mash high, recirculating

   Rest 10 minutes, then open the pump only a little. Oats and wheat compact easily, so keep the flow low and the wort 1–2 cm above the top screen. If the level drops, close the valve, stir the bed and start again. Hold 69°C for 60 minutes on the 1900 W element and check the grain bed with a thermometer.

4. Mash out

   Raise to 76°C for 10 minutes using the step-mash program. With this grist it makes a real difference to how the sparge runs.

5. Lift and sparge

   Lift the grain basket, twist it onto its resting lugs and sparge slowly with the 76°C water, keeping water above the top screen. If it stalls, lift the top screen and give the bed a gentle stir. Collect the pre-boil volume (26 L).

6. Boil

   Bring to the boil on both elements, then drop to 1900 W only. Boil 60 minutes with no hops and no fining; you want the haze. Add the immersion chiller with 10 minutes left, and in the last 5 minutes run boiling wort through the pump and recirculation arm to sanitise them.

7. Whirlpool

   Switch off the heat and run the chiller until the wort reaches 75°C. Add the Citra (40 g) and Mosaic (40 g) in a hop spider or large mesh bag so they can't clog the pump, then recirculate gently through the arm and let it stand 20 minutes. This is the only source of bitterness, so keep it at 75°C or below.

8. Chill, settle and transfer

   Chill to 18°C; Icelandic cold water makes this quick. Let the kettle settle for 10–15 minutes, then run (20.5 L) from the tap into the fermenter, leaving the sludge behind. Aerate well and pitch the yeast (1 packet).

9. Ferment and first dry hop

   Ferment at 19–20°C. On day 2, while it's fermenting hard, add the Citra (25 g) and Mosaic (25 g). The active yeast scrubs oxygen and boosts the juicy character.

10. Spunding valve to 3–5 psi

    In a pressure fermenter, set the spunding valve to 3–5 psi (0.2–0.35 bar) after the first dry hop. Low pressure keeps CO2 over the beer without holding back the yeast's esters and biotransformation.

11. Second dry hop

    Once gravity is stable near 1.011 (usually day 5–7), add the Citra (60 g) and Mosaic (40 g) and leave them 2–3 days. Keep oxygen out as you add them; in a pressure fermenter, vent to 2–3 psi first or use a CO2-purged hop bong.

12. Spunding valve to 23–24 psi

    Right after the second dry hop, raise the spunding valve to 23–24 psi (about 1.6 bar) at 19–20°C. It catches the CO2 from the small fermentation the dry hops set off, toward 2.3–2.4 volumes. Stay under the fermenter's pressure rating.

13. Cold crash, CO₂ to 11–12 psi

    Crash to about 2°C to drop the hops. Pressure falls as the beer cools, so top up with CO2 to 11–12 psi (0.8 bar) to keep it positive and stop suck-back.

14. Package without oxygen

    Do a closed transfer into a CO₂-purged keg, pushing a few psi above the keg's pressure. NEIPAs oxidise fast and turn grey-brown and dull. Carbonate to about 2.3–2.4 volumes.