AG biab #2 citra black IPA

GHW · Apr 22, 2015

I know 'black IPAs' drive some people mad but I love the idea and I'm doing one on Friday.

I'm going to adapt Greg Hughes recipe, which uses Apollo, Citra and Amarillo, and only use the citra. Also I'm doing an 11.5L brew.

I'd like to run my recipe past you master Brewers before taking the plunge though.

Grain bill (60 min mash at 65c)
MO 2kg
Carafa special III 85g
Choc malt 110g

(This is a bit lower on MO than the original but I think should still give me nearly 5% abv if I get good attenuation)

Hop additions (60m boil)
15g citra @ 60m
15g citra @ 10m
45g citra @ FO
THen will probably dry hop with 5-10g near end of fermentation.

SA-05 yeast, 6g plus a bit of nutrient for va va voom

Note: I want this super hoppy.

So, questions:
- I've got some caramalt, would adding a bit of that be overkill?

- are the hop additions about right? I want a reasonably bitter brew, but balanced by a lot of hop aroma.

I used the Brewers friend Ibu calculator but wasn't sure if I did it right, it added no Ibu for flame out additions? It came to about 55ibu but as that's the first time I've used it ive got nothing to compare to, taste wise.

Ta peeps, love you all

clibit · Apr 22, 2015

I make it 78 IBUs. AA 14.4%. 60 IBUs from the 60 min addition. The flame out hops might add some IBUs, if left in above 80C for a while. I would probably aim for 55-60 IBUs and tailor the 60 min hops, leave the other additions alone.

You could add some caramalt. OK either way.

GHW · Apr 22, 2015

Ta, clibit. Th pack says 13.5aa which is what I plugged in. I suspect the flame out hops will add bitterness as they'll steep for a while as it cools in the bath (don't have a chiller yet). Will drop the 60 min hops and see what happens.

Just downloaded Brewers friend so can now check these things out. It's v easy to use.

clibit · Apr 22, 2015

I make it 60 IBUs with 13.5%. I entered something wrong before sorry!

Hops_and_Dreams · Apr 23, 2015

I've just got a copy of Greg Hughes' book and that recipe caught my eye too. I'd be interested to hear how you get on, although I'll be doing the extract version. I've got some citra and amarillo in the freezer and thought it would be a different take in an IPA. I should add that I've never tried black IPA, so it would probably be wise to before I make 20 odd litres! Any commercial suggestions?

DoctorMick · Apr 23, 2015

Hops_and_Dreams said:
I've just got a copy of Greg Hughes' book and that recipe caught my eye too. I'd be interested to hear how you get on, although I'll be doing the extract version. I've got some citra and amarillo in the freezer and thought it would be a different take in an IPA. I should add that I've never tried black IPA, so it would probably be wise to before I make 20 odd litres! Any commercial suggestions?

The tesco black IPA is lovely. They don't really taste much different from a normal IPA.

GHW · Apr 23, 2015

No I don't think it will taste radically different, I've read somewhere that the carafa which will give it most of the colour is the brewing equivalent of food colouring!

Oh forgot to mention in OP, Big ups to clibit; not just moderator, but grain donator. For sending me the carafa and choc and saving me buying a load I won't get round to using!

Toffee · Apr 23, 2015

Black IPAs can taste very different from normal IPAs. My fave - Beavertown Black Betty.

Toffee · Apr 23, 2015

oh and (Wild) Raven by Thornbridge is amazing too

GHW · Apr 23, 2015

I will resist jokes about beavertown

will report back in due course on taste.

Think I will ad a bit of the caramalt, for no other reason than I have it.

Hops_and_Dreams · Apr 23, 2015

Ahh, in that case I'll go ahead with it anyway!

Get Er Brewed seem to do these in 250g sizes, whereas my LHBS only do 500g, might get some yeast and hops to make shipping worthwhile.

Another one to add to the 'planned' list!

Hops_and_Dreams · Apr 23, 2015

Toffee said:
Black IPAs can taste very different from normal IPAs. My fave - Beavertown Black Betty.

Toffee said:
oh and (Wild) Raven by Thornbridge is amazing too

I will have a look out for these. My local Sainsbury's has a **** beer selection, but Waitrose seems to be better, though I don't go in there very often as I never seem to leave with much change!

Toffee · Apr 23, 2015

Waitrose sell thornbridge. Beavertown I don't think are in any supermarkets. But track their beers down in good beer shops, or online. They are amazing. Oh and in cans, not bottles. Amazon stock them I think.

Hops_and_Dreams · Apr 23, 2015

Cheers toffee, I'll get a couple of bottles of Thornbridge for 'research purposes'.

clibit · Apr 23, 2015

Agree, Beavertown are very good. Partizan too.

Toffee · Apr 24, 2015

Black IPAs, I was forgetting about Otley Oxymoron. That tastes NOTHING like a regular IPA. It's more like a hoppy porter. Well worth a taste too.

If you are going to Waitrose to pick up the Raven, pick up a Thornbridge Jaipur too if you have not had that.

GHW · Apr 24, 2015

Right folks, got this done this morning, no photos as you all know what brewing looks like!

Anyway, all went according to plan other than my underestimating how much lower the gravity would be after not halving the MO from 5.5k to 2.25k (I only had 2k). Either that or my mash wasn't very efficient though it was an hour at 66c.

Either way my starting Gravity was 1040, a little on the low side, but if I get 80% attenutation (I did last time) it should reach 1008, which is 4.2%, fine for me.

It's as black as the night and smells great. Rehydrated the yeast after taking it out of the freezer, and a bit of nutrient to get it going.

Happy days.

Now I was going to stop brewing for summer but clearing my shed I realised I still have about 60 bottles empty so think I'll do an extract weissbier too!

clibit · Apr 24, 2015

Could raise the OG with some DME, perhaps?

dad_of_jon · Apr 24, 2015

Garethhuwwilliams said:
I will resist jokes about beavertown

will report back in due course on taste.

Think I will ad a bit of the caramalt, for no other reason than I have it.

brewdog libertine as is my fave.

GHW · Apr 24, 2015

clibit said:
Could raise the OG with some DME, perhaps?

Don't have any!

It's all in the fv now though hasn't kicked off yet. I stored a half used pack of SA-05 in the freezer, then took it out, let it warm up, and then put it in some 25c water.

Will the freezer have killed it?

AG biab #2 citra black IPA

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