Colorado Strong IPA

So, in May of 2020, as a way to raise funds to help Colorado breweries survive the Covid-19 Shelter-in-Place and Safer-at-Home directives, Left Hand Brewing came up with the Colorado Strong Fund.

Many Colorado breweries brewed their own versions of a recipe called "Colorado Strong Pale Ale". A certain percentage of the proceeds were donated to the fund.

I signed up to get the recipe and brewed a version of my own.

I also bought and drank many pints and/or crowlers of many Colorado Strong beers.

In late 2021, I noticed that many breweries were brewing a new version of Colorado Strong. The 2021 version was an IPA.

It doesn't seem to have generated as much "buzz" as the 2020 version, but still, I thought I had to participate.

I wasn't able to find the shared recipe for 2021, so I came up with my own version.

I did use Colorado malts from Root Shoot brewing as a way to tie the recipe back to Colorado local.

I was busy brewing other things, so it wasn't until early 2022 that I brewed this beer.

The IPA turned out fantastic. Wonderful malt base with a beautiful golden-amber color. The hop flavor and aroma was about perfect. Great beer.

On untappd: Colorado Strong IPA - SheppyBrew

For more about this beer, and the commercial Colorado Strongs ... check out Sheppy's Blog: Colorado Strong

Colorado Strong IPA --- Batch 1

Style		American IPA		Batch Size		5.50 gal
Type		All Grain		Boil Size		6.60 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency		67.00		Boil Time		60 minutes

Recipe Characteristics

Recipe Gravity		1.063 SG		Estimated FG		1.012 SG
Recipe Bitterness		60.9 IBUs (Rager)		Alcohol by Volume		6.8 %
BU : GU		0.962
Recipe Color		6.8 SRM		Color
Measured OG:		1.061		Measured FG:		1.011
ADF:		81		Measured ABV:		6.6

Ingredients

Ingredients

Amt	Name	Type	#	%/IBU	Volume
8.15 gal	Denver, Colorado	Water	1	-	-
11.00 g	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash)	Water Agent	2	-	-
10 lbs	Root Shoot Pale Malt (2.0 SRM)	Grain	3	69.6 %	0.78 gal
4 lbs	Root Shoot Vienna Malt (6.0 SRM)	Grain	4	27.8 %	0.31 gal
6.0 oz	Root Shoot Cara Ruby (28.0 SRM)	Grain	5	2.6 %	0.03 gal
0.500 oz	Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus (CTZ) [15.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min	Hop	6	30.8 IBUs	-
1.00 Items	Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)	Fining	7	-	-
1.00 tsp	Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins)	Other	8	-	-
0.500 oz	Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus (CTZ) [15.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min	Hop	9	6.2 IBUs	-
1.500 oz	Citra [13.20 %] - Boil 5.0 min	Hop	10	13.1 IBUs	-
1.500 oz	Mosaic (HBC 369) [11.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min	Hop	11	10.9 IBUs	-
1.0 pkg	Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml]	Yeast	12	-	-
1.500 oz	Citra [13.20 %] - 0.0 Days Before Bottling for 5.0 Days	Hop	13	0.0 IBUs	-
1.500 oz	Mosaic (HBC 369) [11.00 %] - 0.0 Days Before Bottling for 5.0 Days	Hop	14	0.0 IBUs	-

Mash Profile

Mash Steps

Name	Description	Step Temperature	Step Time
Saccharification	Add 32.61 qt of water at 157.5 F	150.0 F	45 min
Heat	Heat to 156.0 F over 10 min	156.0 F	20 min

If steeping, remove grains, and prepare to boil wort

Recipe Notes
Brewing salts in the mash water. This should bring Denver water profile (as defined by BeerSmith) to
Ca=114,Mg=8,Na=21,SO4=250,Cl=23,HCO3=104
Mash and boil as instructed.
Chill as close to 60 degrees as possible
3 days into fermentation, add half the dry hops.
Keg adding the rest of the dry hops.
Drink and enjoy.

Brewing Record

Brew Date:				Strike Temp:
Mash Temps:
Pre-boil OG		(1.058 SG)		Pre-boil Vol		(6.60 gal)
Actual Mash Efficiency				Pitch Temp
Fermentation
Day 1:
Day ...
Day ...