NoIguanaForZ
Well-Known Member
So, with the recent experiences of having encountered a few IPAs I actually didn't hate, and the realization that if I ever want to open a brewery I'm realistically going to have to have something among my regular offerings to placate the hopheads, it seems like I should try to figure out an IPA-type recipe I can live with. Reading through the BJCP style guide, the Brown IPA or style seems like the best starting point.
Most extant Brown IPA recipes seem to be at or below 80% base malt. The typical SRM range is apparently 11-19 according to BJCP, which seems a little low for something labeled "brown" and makes me wonder if it wasn't accidentally copy-pasted from the "Red IPA" section. (Apparently this was brought up on the BJCP forums in March and forgotten about... >.>) I'm going to assume it's a typo and figure an SRM range of 18-30 is probably appropriate for the style, given that the Appearance section of the guidelines for the style states:
With that in mind, I'm now trying to develop a recipe for a beer with a powerful hop character, a strong and complex malt presence hitting all of the "chocolate, caramel, toasted, malty, dark fruit" notes, strength and IBUs that fit into the IPA range but without excessive bitterness, and with a color/SRM in the "actually brown" range. I'm looking at between 6 and 7% ABV, fairly dry finish, and 40-45 IBUs with primarily or exclusively late hopping. I think "herbal," "spicy," and "earthy" hop flavor descriptors would work well, and I'm thinking about using Nugget between 0-20min for IBUs and flavor, and possibly for a flameout addition, boosted with an aroma-type hop. I might experiment with dry-hopping in future batches; for the most part I've found I don't like beers that are advertised as dry-hopped (they have a "crunchy" flavor quality).
The grain bill I've worked out for a 5.5 gallon batch is as follows:
-10 lb (80%) Pale 2-row
-12 oz (6%) Simpson's Double Roasted Crystal/C120
- 8 oz (4%) Brown Malt
- 8 oz (4%) Melanoidin Malt
- 8 oz (4$) Chocolate Malt (350L)
- 4 oz (2%) Special B
I'm planning to mash around 148-150 F, which should give good fermentability and keep it from being too sweet or full-bodied. Beersmith predicts an OG of 1.065 and an FG of 1.012 assuming mashing at 148. I have experience with all of these malts, and feel like they'll work well together in these proportions, but will entertain specific suggestions.
I'm thinking BRY-97 as a yeast, because I want a relatively clean, well-attenuated fermentation and an "American" character, perhaps with some mild fruitiness, but I. Need. It. To. Clear. And US-05 has been failing me in that regard. Other dry yeast suggestions, however, are welcome.
I'm most interested in suggestions about the hopping rate and schedule. My draft recipe is:
-1oz Nugget at 20min (27.6 IBU at Beersmith default of 13% AA)
-1oz Nugget at 10min (16.5 IBU " " " ")
-1oz Nugget at somewhere between flameout and 180 F
-4oz Mt. Hood at somewhere between flameout and 180 F
Is the Nugget likely to do what I've described here? I haven't actually used it, but the descriptors sound promising. Is there a better choice than Mt. Hood out of these to go with the Nugget? How do the proportions look
Hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with some caramel, chocolate, toffee, and/or dark fruit malt character as in an American Brown Ale. Retaining the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, a Brown IPA is a little more flavorful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy.
Most extant Brown IPA recipes seem to be at or below 80% base malt. The typical SRM range is apparently 11-19 according to BJCP, which seems a little low for something labeled "brown" and makes me wonder if it wasn't accidentally copy-pasted from the "Red IPA" section. (Apparently this was brought up on the BJCP forums in March and forgotten about... >.>) I'm going to assume it's a typo and figure an SRM range of 18-30 is probably appropriate for the style, given that the Appearance section of the guidelines for the style states:
Color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown but not black. Frequently opaque, but should be clear if visible. Unfiltered
With that in mind, I'm now trying to develop a recipe for a beer with a powerful hop character, a strong and complex malt presence hitting all of the "chocolate, caramel, toasted, malty, dark fruit" notes, strength and IBUs that fit into the IPA range but without excessive bitterness, and with a color/SRM in the "actually brown" range. I'm looking at between 6 and 7% ABV, fairly dry finish, and 40-45 IBUs with primarily or exclusively late hopping. I think "herbal," "spicy," and "earthy" hop flavor descriptors would work well, and I'm thinking about using Nugget between 0-20min for IBUs and flavor, and possibly for a flameout addition, boosted with an aroma-type hop. I might experiment with dry-hopping in future batches; for the most part I've found I don't like beers that are advertised as dry-hopped (they have a "crunchy" flavor quality).
The grain bill I've worked out for a 5.5 gallon batch is as follows:
-10 lb (80%) Pale 2-row
-12 oz (6%) Simpson's Double Roasted Crystal/C120
- 8 oz (4%) Brown Malt
- 8 oz (4%) Melanoidin Malt
- 8 oz (4$) Chocolate Malt (350L)
- 4 oz (2%) Special B
I'm planning to mash around 148-150 F, which should give good fermentability and keep it from being too sweet or full-bodied. Beersmith predicts an OG of 1.065 and an FG of 1.012 assuming mashing at 148. I have experience with all of these malts, and feel like they'll work well together in these proportions, but will entertain specific suggestions.
I'm thinking BRY-97 as a yeast, because I want a relatively clean, well-attenuated fermentation and an "American" character, perhaps with some mild fruitiness, but I. Need. It. To. Clear. And US-05 has been failing me in that regard. Other dry yeast suggestions, however, are welcome.
I'm most interested in suggestions about the hopping rate and schedule. My draft recipe is:
-1oz Nugget at 20min (27.6 IBU at Beersmith default of 13% AA)
-1oz Nugget at 10min (16.5 IBU " " " ")
-1oz Nugget at somewhere between flameout and 180 F
-4oz Mt. Hood at somewhere between flameout and 180 F
Is the Nugget likely to do what I've described here? I haven't actually used it, but the descriptors sound promising. Is there a better choice than Mt. Hood out of these to go with the Nugget? How do the proportions look