Help with Black IPA

[-Bezza-]

I'm planning my next brew, which will be Stone Self-Righteous Black IPA from Malt Miller (https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/stone-self-righteous-black-ipa/) and had a couple of questions I was looking for some help on, as there are a few contradictions in normal approach in this recipe! I think the recipe looks cracking so really want to nail this one!

Ingredients

Crisp Pale Ale Malt (7000 grams)
Weyermann® Carafa Special® Type 3 (350 grams)
Crisp Crystal Malt (350 grams)
Chinook Pellets (70 grams)
Cascade Pellets (150 grams)
Simcoe Pellets (150 grams)
SafAle™ US-05 11.5g (1 packs)

Method
Beer Style (main): American Ales
Beer Style (sub): American-Style India Pale Ale
Batch Size: 23L
Original Gravity: 1079
Final Gravity: 1012
ABV %: 8.8
IBU: 55

THE MASH
Temperature °C: 64
Length (mins): 60
Out temp °C: 75
Out time (mins): 10

THE BOIL
Boil time (mins): 90

Additions and timing:

70.00 g Chinook Pellet – Boil 90.0 min
100.00 g Cascade Pellet- Boil 0.0 min
100.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] – Boil 0.0 min

Secondary additions and timing:

50.00 g Cascade Pellet – Dry Hop 3 Days after fermentation complete
50.00 g Simcoe Pellet – Dry Hop 3 Days after fermentation complete

Yeast: Safale US-05
Fermentation temperature/steps: 20c until FG achieved

On fermentation: The recipe is for a 23l batch but I'll be going into a cornie keg with this, so wondering whether to brew short and go strong (still undecided as I could bottle the extras). Will the US-05 cope with a possible 10% ABV and will I need to do anything other than chucking in the hydrated yeast at the start? Might go for 2 packs to be on the safe side.

On timings: This is a strong beer but hoppy. So there's a contradiction between conditioning (given strength) and drinking young (to maximise the hop aromas). Any thoughts on where the balance might sit with this one? I'm hoping to brew on morning of 18th May and be ready for drinking on 20th July. Long enough?

On water treatment: I was planning on treating my water for the first time on this one. I'm thinking 19l mash and 35l total water and adding 5ml CRS to the total water to bring the alkalinity down a smidge. Does that look about right given the dark malts?

On the powders, I'm thinking mash addition of 6.5g gypsum; boil addition of 5.5g gypsum and 6g Epsom Salts. This is based on a pale ale profile, aiming to get enhance the hoppiness. Again, does that sound about right?

Ca: 50
Mg: 2.9
Na: 30.25
SO4: 27.33
Cl: 51.6
Alkalinity as CaCO3: 80

 

[An Ankoù]

Safale US-05 should be able to cope with 12% plus a tad. If you're rehydrating your yeast then there's no need for two packets.
This is a hop showcase and the malt profile isn't especially complex. Aim to drink between 6 to 12 weeks in the bottle. The hops will fade with age, although not as quickly as some US brewers claim, and you beer should still be very good for many, many months. My favourite commercial beer is Duvel Triple Hop- Citra. I've got some bottles I bought a year ago and they're still delicious, albeit different.

 

[Sadfield]

I base my water treatment on this blog. James Kemps BIPAs are always great, whether it's with Buxton, Marble Brewery or Yeastie Boys, where he is now.

http://www.port66.co.uk/black-ipa-brewing-tips/

 

[-Bezza-]

This is a hop showcase and the malt profile isn't especially complex. Aim to drink between 6 to 12 weeks in the bottle.

For my education, are you saying that less complex grain bills generally require less conditioning, that the hop flavours will generally be more promenent than under-conditioned beer, or that 6-12 weeks is the happy median?

 

[An Ankoù]

For my education, are you saying that less complex grain bills generally require less conditioning, that the hop flavours will generally be more promenent than under-conditioned beer, or that 6-12 weeks is the happy median?

The latter, of course. Stronger beers generally benefit from longer ageing, while weak ones need to be drunk young. It's too easy to talk about conditioning as if it were just carbonation.

 

[-Bezza-]

Any thoughts on mash profile for this one. I'm more interested in getting a good, full mouthfeel on this rather than being massively fermentable (given it will be high ABV in any case).

Was thinking:
50C for 30mins
67C for 50mins
75C for 10 mins

Cheers!

 

[Cwrw666]

On timings: This is a strong beer but hoppy. So there's a contradiction between conditioning (given strength) and drinking young (to maximise the hop aromas). Any thoughts on where the balance might sit with this one? I'm hoping to brew on morning of 18th May and be ready for drinking on 20th July. Long enough?

All the black IPAs I've made were at their best young - it's an IPA after all. Leave it too long and you've got a bitter stout.