First attempt at a Black IPA

[JoeSpartaNJ]

Like the title states, I am trying to brew my first Black IPA and would like a recipe critique.

While I love IPA's, but only like Black IPA, I am not a big connesuer of them, but I wanted to try a new style for a change.

Let me know what you think. All critiques welcomed.

Thanks,

Joe

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Darkside Black IPA
Brewer: JoeSpartaNJ
Asst Brewer:
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.89 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.76 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.070 SG
Estimated Color: 38.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 77.4 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.8 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Carafa Special III (Weyermann) (470.0 SR Grain 2 7.6 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.5 %
12.0 oz Wheat Malt, Dark (9.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.5 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.0 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 6 1.5 %
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 60. Hop 7 19.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 8 11.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 9 27.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 5.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 12.8 IBUs
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 2.0 Hop 12 1.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 13 -
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs

Mash at 152.

 

[DoWBrewer]

That is very similar to my own BIPA recipe. It should turn out fine. You might consider adding 3 or 4 ounces of pale chocolate malt. I had really good results with that. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[CBMbrewer]

I would move all of those late hop additions to later in the boil. Maybe 15 and 5.

 

[FATC1TY]

I'd drop the carapils, and cut back on the carafa.. at 38 SRM, it's plenty dark!!

You have the wheat and crystal in there for some foam and head retention, no need to pile on more dextrins. I'd see what .75 of the carafa gets you SRM wise. It's only there for color and you won't need much.

Mid 20's SRM would be fine, IMO..

1.070, I would say 77 IBU's is okay, but maybe a little low-ish. Probably my personal thought. I have a black IPA that I just did, that was 77 IBU's for 1.060 OG, had a 1.28 IBU:SG ratio.

Hop schedule has some nice hops.. I'd perhaps move some more late as well. I managed 77 IBU's from 20, 15, 5 and flame out and whirlpool additions alone. It's doable!

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I will drop the carapils and backoff on the carafa. Is 152 a good mash temp? I want it to be roasty and on the drier side.

 

[motorneuron]

If you want on the drier side, you could definitely go below 152, especially since your OG is 1.070 and you haven't used any sugar. I'd say 150 would be fine, although you could also consider using 5-10% sugar and cutting the base malt a bit (common in IPAs and double IPAs once you cross about 1.065 OG).

My own personal feeling is that in darker, stronger beers, the FG should probably be a little higher than it would be for a lighter-colored beer of the same OG. I think a little more sweetness helps prevent the impression of harshness from the roast taste of the dark grains. But this is obviously up to you. Stone makes a bunch of great hoppy, dark beers that are all quite dry on the finish.

 

[daksin]

I've had good luck drying out beer with a mid-temp mash, around 152-153F but for longer, usually 90m or more.

 

[funnycreature]

Sorry if I'm hijacking the thread here... I've had two black IPAs so far, one commercial, one from a fellow homebrewer. The first was OK (don't remember exactly what I didn't like) and the other was interesting but more like a Porter than an IPA. My question is, is there any way to keep the flavor and aroma of a "regular" IPA and make it just darker/black? Again, I apologize to the OP since it seems that his recipe will also result in a very different character than what I'd like to try.

 

[ScottRMitch]

It's ok to go with a 90 minute mash but consider mashing your dark grains later if you're going to do that. Personally I'd mash the 2-row by itself lower, 148, for 45 minutes and then add the dark grains for the last 15 minutes. I also like adding a pound of Belgian dark candi sugar.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

It's ok to go with a 90 minute mash but consider mashing your dark grains later if you're going to do that. Personally I'd mash the 2-row by itself lower, 148, for 45 minutes and then add the dark grains for the last 15 minutes. I also like adding a pound of Belgian dark candi sugar.

Just curious as to why the darker grains would be added to the mash in the last 15 minutes? Will they convert or do they only need to be steeped?

 

[motorneuron]

The dark grains can be steeped only, and in fact they can even be steeped overnight at room temperature, and then you add that liquid separately to the boil. The idea is like coldbrew coffee: you get the flavor of the dark grains but without some of the harsh, roasty flavors that result from steeping them at high temperature. I would definitely recommend that for a black IPA--it's similar to using carafa, in that it gets color and some flavor but not the intense burned/bitter flavor of dark grains. (You're not using the dark grain for its fermentable content, so conversion isn't a big issue.)

 

[funnycreature]

The dark grains can be steeped only, and in fact they can even be steeped overnight at room temperature, and then you add that liquid separately to the boil. The idea is like coldbrew coffee: you get the flavor of the dark grains but without some of the harsh, roasty flavors that result from steeping them at high temperature. I would definitely recommend that for a black IPA--it's similar to using carafa, in that it gets color and some flavor but not the intense burned/bitter flavor of dark grains. (You're not using the dark grain for its fermentable content, so conversion isn't a big issue.)

That's actually what I will do in my next Porter. I found that the dark roasted malts can easily provide some harsh bitterness.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I want some roasty character

 

[divrguy]

It's ok to go with a 90 minute mash but consider mashing your dark grains later if you're going to do that. Personally I'd mash the 2-row by itself lower, 148, for 45 minutes and then add the dark grains for the last 15 minutes. I also like adding a pound of Belgian dark candi sugar.

Cold steeping would definitely help calm down the harsh bite of some of the dark grains. I make a black IPA that only has 6oz of carafa 2 and 2 oz of black barley. I put it in the mash and its fine becuase it so small of an amount. You can use a darker crystal if you want too. Just don't go too heavy on it. Also, I don't think I would add any kind of sugar as you are looking for an IPA and not a Double and Belgian candy for me would definitely be a no. You picked great hops, although you may want to move them later at 15 5 and flameout.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I made a few changes due to some more reading and the LBHS being out of Simcoe.

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Darkside Black IPA_V2
Brewer: JoeSpartaNJ
Asst Brewer:
Style: Specialty Beer
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.89 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.76 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.065 SG
Estimated Color: 41.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 75.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 76.8 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 77.4 %
1 lbs Carafa Special III (Weyermann) (470.0 SR Grain 2 6.5 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.5 %
12.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.8 %
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.8 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 60. Hop 6 39.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 7.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 18.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 3.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 7.3 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

Mash @ 151

 

[FATC1TY]

Why so much carafa still?

Im curious why you keep migrating towards it? It's for color only and you are at 40 SRM even..

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

I increased the 2-row to 13lbs and dropped the carafa 3 and chocolate malt to both 8oz each. SRM now around 35.

 

[FATC1TY]

Sounds great. Let us know how it rolls out, sounds really good.

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

Update:

This has been kegged for 3 weeks and been drinking for 2. Not too bad. This is the darkest beer I have ever made, including stouts. Not light penetrates this. Pretty hoppy, but the hop aroma has a hard time fighting the roastiness. May have a slight acrid aftertaste.

Overall drinkable, does not taste boozy, but definitely packs a punch. Again, not my favorite style, but I wanted to try something new. Trying to drink as fast as possible as I need to free up this keg for my toasted amber.

Now, the obligatory pic:

Thanks to everyone for the tips for making this.

Cheers!

 

[ph0ngwh0ng]

Very nice head, sir!

If you want to try this again, I have found that dry hopping a BIPA is a must. It balances out the harshness of the roasted malts (which I think have their place in the style, I mash em at dough in).

 

[JoeSpartaNJ]

Very nice head, sir! If you want to try this again, I have found that dry hopping a BIPA is a must. It balances out the harshness of the roasted malts (which I think have their place in the style, I mash em at dough in).

I dry hopped with 2 oz of cascade and 2 oz of simcoe.

 

[ph0ngwh0ng]

Doh, misread your recipe...

 

[C-Rider]

I just made a Black IPA and added all the dark grains in the last 15 min of a 75 min mash. Will see what happens in 6 weeks. LOL Same Idea, looking for color and a little lfavor from the dark grains.