The Last Fresh Hop 2013 Brewday

So I finally got around to making my annual Fresh Hop beer with hops growing along the local bike path. Some of them had gotten rather brown and dried out—it is October, after all—but a surprising number were still green and vibrant. And, even better, my fingertips were sticky and yellow by the time I was done picking, which bodes well for both flavor and bitterness. I used the most dried out hops for the bittering addition, and saved the better looking ones for the later additions. As well, there were a prodigious number of seeds—as this picture should attest. All in all, another good fresh hop year all around: four different versions, all exploring ways to push my knowledge of fresh hop beers.

159. The Last Fresh Hop 2013
Mash:
3 lbs. MFB Pale
3 lbs. MFB Special Aromatic
2 lbs. Best Malz Spelt
1 lb. MFB Vienna
1 lb. Breiss Torrified Red Wheat

Mash @ 151° F for 70 minutes w/ 3 gallons RO water & 10 g. gypsum; collected 2 gallons @ 1.076
Batch sparge @ 163° F for 20 minutes w/ 4 gallons RO water & 5 g. gypsum; collected 4 gallons @ 1.024

Collected 6 gallons; topped off to 7 gallons, brought to a boil (60 minutes), & added:
w/60 to go: 6 oz. wild fresh hops

w/20 to go: 4 oz. wild fresh hops

w/15 to go: 4 oz. wild fresh hops

w/5 to go: 4 oz. wild fresh hops

w/0 to go: 4 oz. wild fresh hops

Let stand for 20 minutes, chilled, & pitched mason jar of Wyeast 1272 American II from 156. Fresh Hop w/ Brewer’s Gold

Primary: 10/11/2013 @ 68° F
Secondary:
Bottled:

OG: 1.046
FG:

Tasting Notes: