Help hopping an Imperial Schwarzbier please!

[Gofastr1]

I'm making what I'll call an Imperial Schwarzbier variant and am seeking thoughts on how to hop it.

Grain will be ~ 50% US 2row, 40% pilsner and the remaining 10% dark specialties that range from crystal 40 to carafe special II. Bohemian lager yeast @ 50F. Pretty strong with a target 7.5% ABV. Overall, kind of a lager version of black IPA.

I was thinking a target IBU at ~ 50; somewhere between my black IPA and hoppy pale lagers. For hops, was thinking my typical black IPA bill: Cascade & Columbus for bittering and Cascade & Citra for aroma and dry hopping. Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[hottpeper13]

I think that hop bill would be more like an IPL , having no roast at all, I would go for the Hallertau, Perle, Tettenang, you get it.

 

[Gofastr1]

Thanks hottpeper.

Perhaps I should have provided a little more on the specialty grains: I am planning to have about 3% each crystal 40 and pale chocolate, and 2% each roasted barley and carafa II. So a mild degree of roast (like most schwarzbiers), that I thought might do well with the typical IP hops - but i get where you are coming from.

Still thinking the noble varieties best here given the grain bill? I don't really care about sticking to style - which at about 7.5% I won't be!

 

[Gofastr1]

hottpeper,
OK - so I haven't gone too crazy with this one (yet...). I went w/your recommendation and hopped with Perle and Hallertauer, targeting about 40 IBU. It's ticking away on day 4 in my lagerator at 50F; I'm hoping it drops to ~ 1.030 by the end of the week so I can get it up to room temp for finishing, then crash, rack and back in the lagerator at <34F before I leave on a month's long trip.