DIPA brewers: should this be too sweet?

[zoomzilla]

This was a recipe I thought would finally overcome my overly sweet beer problem, but alas, it's another undrinkably sweet mess.

20lbs two row
1lb crystal 60

1oz warrior(17%AA) 60 min
1oz green bullet (13%) 30min
1oz Simcoe (12%) 30min
1oz green bullet(13%) 15 min
1oz Simcoe(12%) 15min
1oz Ahtanum(4.5%) 10min
1oz Ahtanum(4.5%) 5 min
2oz green bullet Dry hop 7 days
2 oz ahtanum dry hop 7 days

2.5 tsp gypsum
1.5 tsp calcium chloride
50% tap/50%RO

Mash temp 148 for 90min
OG:1090
FG: 1020


Am I just underestimating the amount of bittering hops a high gravity brew needs? This is the third attempt at a high gravity DIPA and they've all been too sweet.

 

[geoffey]

What yeast are you using? With an OG that high you need to be sure you pitch a LOT of healthy yeast. A yeast starter is your friend here. You could also add a pound or more table sugar to help dry things out (and at the same time reduce your base grain to compensate).

 

[day_trippr]

How big a batch?

fwiw, if I plug your numbers into a 5.25g batch the OG/predicted FG are 1.111/1.028 and the IBU is 118. Otoh, for a 6.5g batch those numbers drop to 1.089/1.022 with an IBU of 104.

So with that grain bill a 5.25g batch may well have an obvious "sweet" character, though I'd be surprised that it would overwhelm the hop schedule to the point of being undrinkable. But for a 6.5g batch those numbers seem pretty good - on paper.

Otherwise...what yeast are you using, how big a pitch, and how long from pitch to package?

Cheers!

 

[olotti]

I'd say regardless of the yeast your optima want a huge starter to get it to attenuate, also your mashing low so that's good, do a 90 min mash rest that'll help increase the fermentable sugars and lastly add 1lb or atleast 5-8% of the grain bill with sugar, dextrose etc to help dry it out and get to that low FG. That should help drop the FG to make the dipa drinkeable and let the hops shine through. For a dipa you want that FG a lot lower than 1.020, most I see are around 1.008-1.010. With a beer this big 1.020 will def be way sweet and boozy and will hinder a lot of the hop flavor.

 

[Owly055]

Assuming this to be a 5.5 gallon brew, that's a massive grain bill, and you are pitching your yeast into an extremely high gravity wort..........not a good idea if you can help it. With that much grain it is going to be a really malty beer. Consider radically cutting your grain bill to about 12 - 14 pounds, and adding 3.5 to 5 pounds of some form of sugar syrup like invert or corn, or even DME in stages after fermentation has begun slowing down. In this way the yeast doesn't see the high gravity wort, but a wort it can ferment easily. Using corn sugar or invert sugar in place of some of the malt will dry things out a lot. Cut your crystal malt in half....if you want the color, put an ounce of midnight wheat in.
Of course use a yeast that can deal with that attenuates well........


H.W.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

A dipa that goes from 1.080 to 1.010 would be better. switch to c40 and sub a # of base malt for simple sugar.

Use a high attenuating yeast and pitch a lot and aerate well. Keep fermenting Temps around 65 for the bulk of fermentation and raise it to 68 or 70 at the end to finish.

 

[zoomzilla]

Thanks for all the advice. Its a 5.5gal batch aerated with o2 diffusion and I used a yeast starter. Looks like I need to start using corn sugar. I mashed at 148 for 90 min to try to dry it out as much as possible but I guess that's as low as I can get it.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

What yeast did you use? You only got 77% adf. That is pretty low.

 

[geoffey]

I think you've perhaps miscalculated your OG. Maybe you have a refractometer that needs to be recalibrated? Not sure what your typical effeciancy is, but that grain bill will be close to 1.10 at 70%. If that's the case it's really not a surprise it's finishing sweet. Check your instruments, recalibrate and perhaps shoot for a lower SG if you want a dryer beer.

 

[zoomzilla]

I think you've perhaps miscalculated your OG. Maybe you have a refractometer that needs to be recalibrated? Not sure what your typical effeciancy is, but that grain bill will be close to 1.10 at 70%. If that's the case it's really not a surprise it's finishing sweet. Check your instruments, recalibrate and perhaps shoot for a lower SG if you want a dryer beer.

Oops, sorry. That was a six gallon batch.

 

[pdxal]

+1 on sugar, table or corn sugar subbed for the same gravity of base malt will dry it out.

 

[j1n]

What yeast did you use? i would do a big pitch of WLP090.

 

[bobbrews]

When you target a lofty 1.090 OG, especially as a novice homebrewer, chances are your beer will finish at 1.020 FG or higher (the reason your beer is sweet).

I don't know what is with the alcohol obsession lately, but targeting 1.070-1.074 OG and 1.008-1.011 will make a much better American Double IPA.

Lower FG is always better than a Higher OG for this style. You will have something more crisp, dry, drinkable, and the hops will be better accentuated.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=6848376

I'm thinking this is about the same beer. I. Which case he used 002. Wrong yeast!

 

[zoomzilla]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=6848376

I'm thinking this is about the same beer. I. Which case he used 002. Wrong yeast!

I've brewed several dipa's with several different yeast strains. All of them have been too sweet with high final gravities. I'm going to target an OG of 1.075 and use corn sugar to bump it up a bit. 20 lbs of grain in a six gallon batch just doesn't dry out the way I want