Little Dank 4.7% session IPA

So I'm not sure what you call a 4.7% pale beer that is hopped like an IPA.  Is it a hoppy Pale Ale or a Xtra Pale ale?  I like to call them session IPAs.  I think it gives a better description of what the beer is.  I've been brewing this type of "session IPA" for about a year now. I'm a hop head that doesn't like hang overs, which is hard to do when you drink a 6pk of an 8% beer while watching Battlestar Galactica in your basement. I hate Cylons! So a really tasty low ABV session IPA fits the bill just right for me.

I've had a few ounces of summit hops in my freezer for a few months and figured I need to use them up.  I also had some Columbus hops as well.  I've never used Summit but I've had some summit hopped beers, most notable being Gubna by Oscar blues.  Its a big IIPA with Cascade and Summit hops.  Its a very unique beer that has a very dank/onion character to it.  I enjoy the beer but could see how someone could totally hate it.

 I have a standard session IPA grain bill.  90-95% pale malt and 5-10% crystal 15.  sometimes I'll through in 5% Vienna or carapills.  I stay away from any crystal malt higher that c-20.  I found that it makes any IPA a little too sweet/caramel and takes away from the drink ability.  That's just my 2 cents. here is my little dank recipe.

brewed on 12/3/13
og 1.046
fg 1.010
yeast: Pacman yeast/with starter
IBU 37 (calculated)

89%   8.5lb 2-row
10.5%  1lb  crystal 15

60min .5 oz summit hops        27ibu
5min  1oz Columbus               10ibu
flame out  2 oz summit             0ibm
dry hopped  2 oz summit         

mashed at 150-151 for 60min.



I did a 45min hop stand before I ran the wort threw my plate chiller.  Doing a hop stand will add IBUs to your beer.  It also leaves a lot of hop flavor in the beer as well.  If I had to guess this beer is closer to 50-60ibu.  as I type this I have only tasted gravity samples.

fermented at 65f then raised to 70 for the last 3 days of primary.

12/11/13 I racked to a secondary and added the 2oz of summit dry hops.  I harvested the yeast and used it for a barley wine I brewed.


12/18/13  I racked over to a keg.  FG is at 1.010 .  the sample smelled and tasted just what I was going for.
12/24/13 I took a growler to my sisters house. my brother in law really liked it. He took a drink and said "this tastes like 6%-7%abv?" i told him it was actually 4.7%. The aroma was dank/tropical fruit. the taste follows the nose and I'm calling it a success. I'm really impressed with summit hops. I think that it is a really under rated hop. I'll buy a pound of this if i see a good deal. I might have to do a summit only session IPA, but with a pound of citra, galaxy and nelson sauvin it will have to wait.