American Pale Ale Brewday

Brewed my American Pale Ale yesterday, but made some recipe changes, and I am starting to wonder if I should have.  I was doing a lot of research in the past week on different hop utilization formulas, mainly Rager and Tinseth.  I often talk about Jamil and his Brewing Classic Styles recipes.  Jamil's book uses the Rager formula, however any 0 minute hop additions are calculated as contributing no IBUs in the book, but the actual formula does calculate isomerization of hop alpha acids. The recipe for my pale ale I have included the 0 minute IBUs and it calculates a whopping 49 total IBUs for the beer, which is technically out of style for the BJCPs guidelines of American Pale Ales.  If I calculate by Jamil's modified Rager formula I would be at about 36 ibus.  I figured this would be spot on for my recipe.

I tried my first 10 min whirlpool addition on this brew - After I cut the flame to my kettle I waited a few seconds and added the last 2 ounces of hops and occasionally stirred.  The temperature of my wort held above 200* for the majority of the 10 minute whirlpool (no sanitary concerns) and I am sure some more bitterness was extracted from the whirlpool addition as well as my 10 minute boil addition (the 60 minute would have been negligible).  After cooling the wort, there was a distinct bitterness - hope it wasn't too much!

Brewday went fairly well.  Noticed I had obtained a decent amount of husks from one of my grain selections.  Not sure which one!  You can see a pic below.  I also got a LOT higher efficiency then I had been getting.  About 7% more.  I took gravity readings with my refractometer at the beginning of the boil and half way through.  I knew I was going to be high on my starting gravity so I made some adjustments.  I boiled 2 quarts of water in the kitchen and added the boiling water to my wort.  After chilling I came out spot on at 1.050 OG.  I will regret this modification if it turns out too bitter!

(Grist post sparge.  When enlarged you can see the husks)

(Racking to Fermenter Post Chill and Whirlpool.  You can see the clarity)

(Prior to Temp and Hydrometer Correction - Afterwards it did read the equivalent of 1.050)