Challenger Hops and English IPA Help

[JWGUNC83]

Looking for some help in designing an English Style IPA using Challenger hops (2oz's).

I'm fairly new to brewing (8 batches) and still learning. This site has been a hugh help to the whole experience. I spend way to much time lurking here.

Anyway I was at my LHBS last week for ingredients for a hoppy US-APA. They were out of all the hops I had listed as possibilities. They talked me into buying Challengar which upon researching wasn't what I was looking for. Fortunately I was able to find the hops I wanted for the APA at another location (Centennial and Citra). Sorry for the long background.

Now that I have the Challenger (8.3AA), I would like to use it as the basis for an English IPA to contrast against the Mag/Cent/Citra US-APA. I'm thinking of using Maris Otter as the base grain but would really like some suggestions / help building a recipe. The APA I'm contrasting against consists of 2-Row + 5% C-40, 50 IBU (Mag - Bitter, Cent/Citra - Flav/Arom/Dry), Saf-05. I'm looking for something somewhat in-style, hoppy but different to the APA.

I do BIAB, all grain. In 4 Gal Batches. I've gotten familiar enough with on-line brewing software to scale recipes as long as I know the original volume.

Any suggestions and help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[JWGUNC83]

Bumping.

Anyone have a recommendation for a good English IPA recipe using Challenger hops? Thanks.

 

[ajf]

For a 5g English IPA, I use 12# M.O, 0.5 - 0.75# Crystal 55, and 0.5# flaked barley. That gives me an O.G. of about 1.072. The flaked barley helps a lot with head retention, and I like the flavor it adds.
For yeast, I use WLP023 or WY1028, and have got great results with both of them, but you will need a starter. I haven't found a dry yeast that I liked at all in an English IPA.
I go overboard (by English IPA standards) when it comes to the hops. I add 1 oz of EKG at 20, 15, 10, 5, and 0 minutes, and enough bittering hops to give me about 100 IBU's, and another 1 or 2 oz EKG dry hops. It's unlike any other EIPA and way outside the guidelines, but I like it, as do my friends.
I'd definitely use at least 0.75 oz hops at 15 and 0 minutes, and then add whatever you need as bittering hops to get the IBU's up to 50 - 60, and I'd also add an oz of dry hops for 7 - 10 days.

Good luck.

-a.

 

[phynes1]

Hi,

I brewed a batch using:

1 can coopers IPA
1 can LME
500g dextrose
500g demmera sugar
Challenger hops; 50g@ 45mins, 25g @ 15mins and 25g dry hopped at 10 days.

Fermented @ 21C for 2 weeks. Just pulled a bottle and fired into the fridge after 2 weeks in warm. Very nice flavour, serious head retention. I have to say, i'll def be single hopping with challenger again. .

PH.