Galactic Butterfly - Galaxy Single Hop IPA

I was watching some show on TV a few months back that was talking about the Mayan culture and I was so intrigued by the show that I watched the entire thing.   One part stuck out more then any other though...Hu Nab Ku.   The Mayans speak of the Galactic Butterfly or Hu Nab Ku as the supreme god and ultimate creator located in the center of the Milky Way galaxy.   The Mayan's fascinate me to no end and for some reason I knew that when I finally brewed my IPA with Galaxy Hops, some Mayan name was going to have to be involved. At the time I was watching the show about the Mayans, I had already procured the Galaxy Hops.  I had gone into Midwest Brew Supply looking for some Citra hops and the dude suggest Galaxy hops as a good replacement.   I was and still am extremely skeptical to think that one hop could replace or be a substitute for Citra hops.   I decided on a Single Hop IPA with these Galaxy hops and to create a similar beer as Bell's Two Hearted.  I guess you could say this is a Bells Two Hearted Clone but using Galaxy Hops instead of Centennial.   Can't wait to give it a taste in a month or so!

Galactic Butterfly – Galaxy Single Hop IPA

malt & fermentables

%	LB	OZ	Malt or Fermentable	ppg	°L
92%	12	0	American Two-row Pale	37	1
4%	0	8	American Crystal 60L	34	60
4%	0	8	American Dextrin (Cara-Pils)	33	1
	13	0

Batch size: 5.5 gallons

Original Gravity

1.059

Final Gravity

1.012?

Color

6° SRM

(Yellow to Gold)

hops

use	time	oz	variety	form	aa
first wort	90+ mins	0.75	Galaxy	pellet	13.0
boil	20 mins	1.0	Galaxy	pellet	13.0
boil	5 mins	1.25	Galaxy	pellet	13.0
dry hop	10 days	1.0	Galaxy	pellet	13.4

Bitterness

70.3 IBU

yeast

Wyeast 1272: American Ale II ale yeast in liquid form with medium flocculation and 80% attenuation

Alcohol

6.3% ABV

Calories

193 per 12 oz.

Tasting Notes from 2.16.12 with the Nordeast Homebrew Club -  Right after I poured out the first Growler people immediately started saying that they were blasted with Pine.  Like walking into a Forest, piney and earthy.   I personally got the pine in the taste of the beer.  The back-end of the bitterness was very piney.   The smell to me was of fresh pears.  It is an amazing hop to be sure and one that can hold up on its own!   I was told that it was a good substitute for Citra (Lemon, Mango, Pine) and I'd say that from my experience it's very close.  A combination of Sorachi Ace (Lemon, Earthy) and Galaxy Hops(Pear, Pine) together would probably replicate Citra a little closer in my opinion though. 


Appearance -  Although it was a nice orange color, it was very murky due to the fact that I carbonated it in 2 days to get it ready for the homebrew club meeting.  I did that by shaking the keg up to get the CO2 into suspension faster and so the remaining yeast and hop particles were in suspension.  Sticky lacing!

Aroma - Amazing aroma.  I only used 1 oz of Dry hops for 6 days.  Still fantastic aroma of pine, pear, and some earthyness.   Caramel sweetness comes through a bit as well.

Flavor - First sip and you get hit with a strong bitterness, the middle comes in with a caramel sweetness, and then the back end of the sip is bitter and piney from the hops.   Their is an underlying fruityness as well that probably is a combonation of the American Ale II yeast and the hops.

Mouthfeel - Great drinkable mouthfeel.  Medium carbonation.  Dry, but with nice body.

Overall - This is such a simple recipe and beer, and it is absolutely wonderful.  The beer in general is very drinkable.  The 70 Ibu's hit you right away but your palate adjusts really quickly and since the beer is a little bit on the dry side it goes down smooth and fast.  Not huge body in the middle but the crystal and the carapils provide just enough body in the middle to balance it out!