Black Star IPA Beer Kit

Your Label Peelers Black Star IPA Original Beer Kit never sits on a shelf. Your grains are crushed to order. Your ingredients are packed fresh and you don't pay for a flashy box. It's all about providing you with the freshest ingredients for you to make your best beer.

Your Black Star IPA is a bold and robust craft beer with a deep golden hue and a flavor that packs a punch. Black Star IPA is crafted with the finest ingredients, including 6 lbs. of dark dry malt extract, 1 lb. of caramel/crystal malt (60L), 1 lb. of Munich malt, and an incredible combination of three hops - 3 oz. of Galaxy hops for bittering, 1 oz. of Citra hops for flavor, and 1 oz. of Mosaic hops for aroma. This hop-forward beer is then finished with a combination packet of yeast nutrient and Irish moss and a packet of dry ale yeast to give it that signature IPA finish. Enjoy the rich complexity of the Black Star IPA - a great step up for craft beer enthusiasts!

• - ABV: 6.5%
• - IBU: 100+
• - BU/GU: 0.77
• - SG: 1.066
• - FG: 1.017
• - Degrees Plato: 15.2
• - SRM: 8

Ingredients    

- 6 lbs. Dark Dry Malt Extract
- 1 lb. Caramel/Crystal Malt (60L)
- 1 lb. Munich Malt
- 3 oz. Galaxy Hops (Bittering)
- 1 oz. Citra Hops (Flavor)
- 1 oz. Mosaic Hops (Aroma)
- Yeast Nutrient / Irish Moss Combo Packet
- 1 packet of Dry Ale Yeast

Hop Schedule  

- 1 oz. Galaxy Hops (Bittering) - 60 minutes
- 1 oz. Citra Hops (Flavor) - 15 minutes
- 1 oz. Galaxy Hops (Flavor) - 15 minutes
- 1 oz. Mosaic Hops (Aroma) - 5 minutes
- 1 oz. Galaxy Hops (Dry Hop)

Instructions 

1. Begin by heating 2-3 gallons of water to 155°F in a large pot.

2. Once the water is heated, add the 1 lb. of Caramel/Crystal Malt and 1 lb. of Munich Malt in the grain sock to the pot.

3. Allow the grains to steep for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. After 30 minutes, remove the grains from the pot and discard.

5. Add the 6 lbs. of Dark Dry Malt Extract. Stir until fully dissolved.

6. Bring to a rolling boil, add the 1 oz. of Galaxy Hops for bittering.

7. Boil for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. After 45 minutes, add the 1 oz. of Citra and 1 oz. Galaxy Hops for flavor. Add Yeast Nutrient / Irish Moss Combo at this point.

9. Boil for an additional 10 minutes.

10. After 10 minutes, add the 1 oz. of Mosaic Hops for aroma.

11. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.

12. After 5 minutes, turn off the heat and cool the wort to 70°F.

13. Once the wort is cooled, transfer it to a fermenter and add enough cold water to bring the total volume to 5 gallons.

14. Pitch the yeast and seal the fermenter.

15. Allow the beer to ferment for 5 days at 68°F.

16. After 5 days, add remaining 1 oz Galaxy hops. Let sit for 10 days.

16. After this fermentation is complete, bottle or keg the beerand allow two weeks to condition. Enjoy!

Beer Making Equipment Kits

If you are making a beer kit for the first time, an equipment kit is a great and low-stress way to get all the equipment you need to make your Black Star IPA. 

This Brewer's Best Equipment Kit is top of the line and comes complete for a beginner brewer.

• Equipment kit includes: 
• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Primary Fermenter with Grommeted Lid 
• 6.5 Gallon "Ale Pail" Bottling Bucket with Spigot 
• Easy Clean No-Rinse Cleanser 
• Auto-Siphon 
• 5 Gallon Glass Carboy 
• Plastic Paddle
• Carboy Brush
• Hydrometer
• Liquid Crystal Thermometer
• Bottle Brush
• Black Beauty Capper
• Econolock
• Drilled Bung
• Lab Thermometer
• Bottle Filler
• Siphon Hose with Shut-off Clamp
• IO-Star
• 20 qt. Brew Pot
• Equipment Instructions

Sanitizer and Spray Bottle

Good sanitation practices are absolutely fundamental to good beer making. Five Star San is the premier sanitizer you will need to make your Black Star IPA beer kit. A great practice for extra protection is to have a spray bottle filled with sanitizing solution so you can re-sanitize everything that touches or goes near your beer. Sanitation is much more difficult with beer than wine because beer has a higher pH. Wine's high acidity makes bacterial infection less likely but with beer, one small mishap can cost you your batch. 

Bottles

When your Black Star IPA is done, you will need bottles. This standard 12 ounce bottle is a good choice. You will need 54 for a 5 gallon batch. Bottles do not come with caps.

Carboys   

The 5 gallon carboy pictured here is the standard size for any beer kit. If you have never worked with a carboy, it is important to know they should not be moved full without a carboy handle or a carrier. 

Brew Pots

The pot pictured is an 8 gallon pot that is perfect for any beer kit or a standard 5 gallon batch. 

Wort Chillers and Thermometers

Wort Chillers and Thermometers are long term investments. It is important to chill your Black Star IPA wort quickly. The quicker you chill it the stronger the cold break will be. You also need a good thermometer that reads fast temperature fluctuations.  

Siphons

Auto-siphons are a great luxury item to have in your brew equipment. Once you have one you will never go without it again. Don't forget to use a heavy duty sanitizer to clean it since you don't want to replace it as often as hoses. A good sanitizer for that job is Five Star San. 

Fermenters

The fermenter pictured here is standard for a 5 gallon beer kit.

Hoses

 Many people reuse their hoses for far too long. Replacing your hoses often or even using as single use items is highly recommended with beer making. Hoses are very hard to clean and beer is very susceptible to bacterial infection. You do not want to risk losing your Black Star IPAover a few feet of unsanitary hose. 

Funnels

Pouring your wort into a carboy can be tricky. Use a big funnel made just for the job. They even have different mesh screens to remove particles. 

Airlocks

It is recommended to replace airlocks often. Because they never physically touch the beer, the sanitation risk is too often overlooked. Bacteria can spread without physical contact in a closed environment and plastic stubbornly harbors bacteria.   

Stoppers and Bungs 

Bungs and stoppers should also be periodically replaced. They can dry out and harbor bacteria. 

 Carboy Brush

Keeping your carboy clean before and after use is key to avoid bacterial infection in your beer. A carboy brush is a great tool to get into those nooks and crannies. 

Stainless Steel Carboy and Bottle Washer

Stainless Steel Carboy and Bottle Washer is a convenient way of cleaning your bottles and/or carboys.  This high quality tool will come in handy.  Hooks up straight to your faucet with the bottle washer adapter (#4804) and puts out plenty of pressure to clean those stubborn stains from beer bottles that have been sitting around. 

Capper

When you bottle your Black Star IPA, you will need to cap your bottles. This capper is inexpensive, easy to use and does not require attaching to a counter. It has a magnet to hold the cap in place.  

 DID YOU KNOW?

European settlers first brought beer to Canada in the seventeenth century, as the country had an ideal climate for brewing before refrigeration was available. Despite this, the citizens of New France preferred imported wine or brandy. Louis Prud'homme attempted to establish the first commercial brewery in Montreal (then Fort Ville-Marie) in 1650, but it failed due to the lack of demand for beer.