Pats Disliker NE Pale Ale

I'm glad that the Patriots didn't win the Superbowl LII.

Yes, I am a hater of the New England Patriots.

Not really like I hate the Red Wings or Packers. More like I dislike the Cowboys or the Raiders.

I'm a Patriots Disliker.

Lately if you're a craft beer geek like me, you've almost certainly noticed an alarming influx of "New England Style" IPA's.

I'm fine with a hazy IPA, but if there is yeast clouding up the beer, it is visually unappealing to me, and usually I don't find them all that great to drink.

I don't hate them like the Red Wings or Packers. I dislike them like the Patriots.

At the same time, there are some beers labeled "New England Style IPA" that I quite enjoy. As long as it is hazy rather than cloudy.

Early Morning Mash

Around the time of the Superbowl, I thought brewing a "Patriots Hater" IPA would be fun. I would try some techniques used by proponents of the NE IPA lovers, but make it different enough that I would like the beer.

A little after that time, I was listening to some Basic Brewing Radio podcasts where James and Steve were talking about 15 minute boils. I thought I would like to experiment with a lower boil time.

I figured that would play into increasing haze in a beer.

I decided to go lower in alcohol than an IPA. In fact I decided to design a beer on the very lower edge of a Pale Ale. But add lots of late hops.

The Gnomes

 So my recipe, (see Pats Disliker New England Pale Ale on the website), uses a fair amount of Calcium Chloride, which brings the Chloride to Sulfate ratio much higher than my usual hoppy beers. This is something that is part of the style according to several things I've read on the style. It is supposed to accentuate malt flavor over hop bite.

It was designed to be around 4 to 4.5% alcohol, and uses a late hop and dry hop additions of citra and centennial hops.

The dry hops were added in "primary" fermentation before it calmed down.

I did use a 30 minute boil. And I left out any fining agent.

Collecting for the boil

We'll see how it turns out.

Wind drove me into the garage for the boil

Currently, the beer is done fermenting soaking up dry hop flavor. It is still hazy. I think I'll be kegging the beer tomorrow.

I have tasted a sample, and I do like how it is tasting right now.

about 6 gallons into the fermentor

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Go Blackhawks!