It’s a bad pun of a name, but it also reflects the fact that the strength of this beer is best suited for “The Weekend” (rather than a weeknight).

The recipe used here generally follows my “Spring Classic IPA,” with adjustments to use up grains and hops on-hand. Thus, the mix of pilsner and 2-row malt. My goal with the hops was to create something that had a classic “West Coast IPA” feel to it.

The Weekend IPA

• 9.5 lb. Lamonta pale American barley malt (Mecca Grade)
• 5 lb. pilsner zero malt (Viking)
• 0.5 lb. crystal 40 malt (Great Western)
• 0.25 lb. biscuit malt (Dingeman)
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, added to mash
• 1 oz. Warrior hop pellets (13.4% alpha), 60 minute boil
• 0.5 tsp. BrewTanB, 10 minute boil
• 1 Whirlfloc tablet, 5 minute boil
• 1 oz. Lupomax Chinook hop pellets (17.0% alpha), 15 minute whirlpool
• 1 oz. McKenzie hop pellets (13.0% alpha), 15 minute whirlpool
• 2 pkg. BRY-97 American ale yeast (Lallemand)
• 2 oz. Lupmax Amarillo hop pellets (14.0% alpha), dry hop in keg
• 1 oz. McKenzie hop pellets (13.0% alpha), dry hop in keg

Target Parameters

• 1.064 s.g., 1.011 f.g., 7.0% abv, 70 IBU, 8 SRM
• 60 minute infusion mash, full volume, 149°
• Claremont tap water treated with Campden tablet

Procedure

• I heated 7.625 gallons of water to 156°, and mashed in with the grains for a target temperature of 149°. I also added 8.8 mL of 88% lactic acid at this time, to hit an estimated mash pH of 5.2. I recirculated for 60 minutes, holding at 149°.
• Next, I raised the mash to 168°, holding it there for 10 minutes before removing the grains.
• In total, I collected 7 gallons of runnings with a gravity of 1.051, for 64% mash efficiency. This was low, so I’m guessing I messed up one of the volume measurements, or perhaps could have mashed a bit longer.
• I brought the runnings to a boil, and added hops and finings per the schedule, for a 60 minute boil.
• After the whirlpool, I chilled the wort to 75° and transferred to the fermenter, before chilling the rest of the way down to 65°.
• I brewed this beer on 1 October 2023, and fermented at 66°. Starting gravity was 1.064.
• I kegged the beer on 15 October 2023, with hops added loose to the keg. Final gravity was 1.011, for 7.0% abv.

Tasting

• Appearance
  • This beer pours with a persistent white head and a moderate gold color with some haze.
• Aroma
  • Fresh orange peel aroma, very prominent. It’s nice!
• Flavor
  • Fairly bitter (but not over the top), with a sweet orange character to the hops–almost like candied orange peel. The malt is definitely in the background, with a light caramel quality. The hop and malt combination give a slightly sweet profile.
• Mouthfeel
  • Medium-light body, moderate carbonation, very slightly dry finish.
• Would I Brew This Again?
  • This is a very drinkable American IPA, and it hits many of the flavor notes I like in a beer of this style. It’s very citrus-forward, and is surprisingly smooth for its strength! I also really like the persistent head on this one. The haze detracts slightly, but other than that it’s an excellent beer. I’m a bit surprised I don’t get more pine/grapefruit on this one, given the hop combination, but I’m guessing it’s the Amarillo that’s really driving orange flavor here.
• Overall
  • 8/10