Well, I WAS going to make a 75 min IPA

[adamc]

Hey everyone. Been lurking in the shadows for like 2 years. I try not to post if I can find the answers...luckily I have found most. Just looking for some input/opinions on a beer I brewed a couple days ago.

I WAS going to brew what I was gonna call a 75 min IPA. Basically combine the idea of the DFH 60 and 90 IPAs into one brew. Added some crystal and extra amber for the hell of it. Well, the local store did not have Simcoe or Amarillo hops. Soooo....I changed the hops up and ended up with this. Left the grain the same.

6 gallons

8 lbs pilsner
8 lbs 2-row
1.5 lbs amber
1 lb crystal 40 - added this for color.

Rest at 148F for 45 mins (nailed the temp! awesome)
decocted to raise to 158F
Rested at 158F for 45 mins (again, nailed it...awesome!)
decocted to raise to 170F
rested at 170F for 10 mins (nailed it a third time!)

sparged with 170F water

1.5 oz Warrior
1.5 oz Centennial
1.5 oz Cascade
All mixed up in a ziploc.
Added 2 tbsp (weighed about 0.6 oz) at 90, 80, 70, 60 mins
Added 1 tbsp (weighed about 0.3 oz) at 50, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5

1oz Centennial at flameout
0.5oz Cascade at flameout

1oz Centennial after 14 days, for 3 days
0.5oz Cascade after 14 days, for 3 days

I just got a sight glass, and discovered my assumed evaporation rate I have been using was high, so I ended up with about a gallon too much wort. Easy fix for next time.

OG 1.078
pitched whitbread yeast at 4:30pm yesterday...starter made Saturday night.
Bubbling like a mad man this morning.
Shooting for FG around 1.015 or lower (is that realistic ya think?)

Haven't tasted yet. Except the wort. Bitter and sweet...as expected.



I appreciate any input. Looking forward to tasting it.

 

[adamc]

P.S.

I know decoction isn't necessary for this style. I jsut wanted to give it a try. A lot of time and work...we'll see the pay off.

Fingers crossed!!

 

[WhenInMinnesota]

If you make this again you might consider dialing down the amber/crystal malt if you want your FG to be at 1.015 or lower. I think you'll want to keep the crystal malts to under 10% of the total grain bill. Not sure it's going to get quite that low with the current recipe but it's certainly possible. Hops look fine, and I've never done a decoction so no opinions there. Hope it turns out well for you!

 

[Wolfhound180]

I really like DFH 75 min IPA. Good luck!

 

[adamc]

Thanks a lot guys. I actually have never had the 75 min. Read it is basically 60 min and 90 min mixed together (literally) and thought, I bet I can do better than that. And then the hops happened. Oh well.

I thought the extra amber/crystal would affect FG. That is why I mashed at 148F. Hoping to pull extra fermentables out of the other grain. We'll see what happens. I don't want a really malty DIPA...think I should dry it out? I have some extra corn sugar lying around. Honey is always an option I suppose. input appreciated.

I should also say, because of my lower than expected evaporation rate, and ending up with an extra gallon of wort, I obviously have a lower OG than I calculated.

My pre-boil numbers were 1.061 and 9.125 gallons. So my brewhouse efficiency was 82.22%. I was really happy with that. Especially considering the size of the beer. Considering my last batch was mid 60's. I got a new mashtun, made a manifold, etc. Love seeing improvements like that!

Would love some more opinions. Always looking to improve my brew!

Thanks again, guys!

 

[adamc]

14 days in:
As expected, FG ended at 1.020. No big deal really. It tastes pretty good and I am technically still in IIPA territory at roughly 8.3% ABV. I am pretty happy with that. Racked to a secondary and added 1 oz centennial and 1/2 oz cascade dry hops. 6 gallons of finished beer. Really happy with that. I love my hop stopper and new dip tube/valve set up. Really helped me get a good amount of clean wort out of the keg and into the fermenter.

I would love any advise on the grain bill and hop schedule.

It tasted pretty well balanced. Not too malty, and definitely had a bitter kick. I am really curious to see how this turns out. Sucks I have to wait like 2-4 weeks after bottling. Going to need a keg system one of these days. I wonder how I can adjust the recipe to get the FG below 1.018. Help appreciated.

I am trying something I have never done before...saving my yeast. Man that stuff gets expensive. $8/batch really adds up (and adds to my overal $/bottle I try to keep as low as possible). Cleaned a glass juice bottle and put the yeast slurry in it. In the fridge last night and it has settled a bit since then. Looking forward to seeing how they do when I brew my next beer. I didn't put an airlock on it, as there was basically no activity for the last few days. I don't know if the glass bottle and cap are air tight. I assume so considering it is a juice bottle.

How do you preserve YOUR yeast?

 

[adamc]

This beer ended up really good. Hops are definitely the star player, but definitely a solid malty flavor there too. I will definitely cut a lb out of the amber and crystal malts. Next time. Great color, great flavor. It's all in all a very good beer.

I really love the flavor of a continuous hop addition. First time for that. Huge success.

Also, it has amazing head retention. It keeps a beautiful head for the entire glass. Nice lacing all the way down. Not sure if it is the decoction mash or the recipe. Any idea? I really like this feature and hope to duplicate it. Ideas appreciated.

So if you are looking for a semi-malty, 8%+ double ipa, give this one a shot!!

Or swap some of the amber and crystal for more base malt like i will next time. I'll probably take 1/2 lb out of each and add 1/2lb of each base malt. I plan to start tweaking this recipe bit by bit until it is excellent. It is a GREAT start.

I will post a pic this evening if anyone is interested.

 

[FATC1TY]

This beer ended up really good. Hops are definitely the star player, but definitely a solid malty flavor there too. I will definitely cut a lb out of the amber and crystal malts. Next time. Great color, great flavor. It's all in all a very good beer.

I really love the flavor of a continuous hop addition. First time for that. Huge success.

Also, it has amazing head retention. It keeps a beautiful head for the entire glass. Nice lacing all the way down. Not sure if it is the decoction mash or the recipe. Any idea? I really like this feature and hope to duplicate it. Ideas appreciated.

So if you are looking for a semi-malty, 8%+ double ipa, give this one a shot!!

Or swap some of the amber and crystal for more base malt like i will next time. I'll probably take 1/2 lb out of each and add 1/2lb of each base malt. I plan to start tweaking this recipe bit by bit until it is excellent. It is a GREAT start.

I will post a pic this evening if anyone is interested.

Sounds pretty good. The head retention isn't the way you mashed I don't think. It's just the recipe mainly. I have a 8% DIPA that I do, that has killer lacing as well. Love the way it looks when the glass is empty!

Oh, and next time.. Prime it up with maple syrup. That is what they do in the DFH bottled version. It's more 90 than 60, and they add maple syrup to bottle condition.

 

[Rapt0rBrown]

Anyone know how much syrup for 5 gallons?

 

[adamc]

I wonder what kind of flavor priming with maple syrup adds. I know priming with honey adds negligible taste.

I primed with dextrose and it turned out great. My keezer should be complete by the time i make this again...

 

[FATC1TY]

Yeah, it'll all ferment out, and leave a finish. If you've had the actual 75min IPA from DFH, it's got maybe a slight maple finish if you really look for it, and some bottles you can taste the sweet malty finish of the syrup in there.

I was just tossing that out there for those who are looking to replicate it as close as possible.

 

[adamc]