Bubs' India Pale Ale (IPA)

[philm00x]

I never thought I would want to brew this style, but as my palette changes and I learn to appreciate styles that I couldn't care for before, I've got to keep a well rounded portfolio of brews that is relevant. Because I have limited experience with IPAs, my thought was to apply some tweaks to the Saint Sebastian recipe (because it has such a strong malt profile) and then build a desirable hop bill around it. Russki's advice to hop burst my pale ale gave me desirable results so I'm going to take the same approach with this IPA, paired with a first wort hop to help boost the IBUs but smooth out the bite from a bittering addition.

Recipe: Bubs' India Pale Ale
Brewer: Mr. Rufus Brewing Co.
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 3.30 gal
Post Boil Volume: 2.60 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.067 SG
Estimated Color: 8.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 68.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 66.7 %
1 lbs Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 2 16.7 %
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.2 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.2 %
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 25.9 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 14.2 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 11.7 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 8.5 IBUs
8.0 oz Cane (Beet) Sugar [Boil for 10 min](0.0 Sugar 9 8.3 %
0.50 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 7.8 IBUs
1.0 pkg Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522) [12 Yeast 11 -
1.00 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 6 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 9.17 qt of water at 167.1 F 152.0 F 75 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (Drain mash tun , 1.90gal) of 168.0 F water

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Before you say anything about the yeast, I know it's not necessarily right for the style but with the fruity Belma hops, I think it will enhance their flavor and I know it can handle higher ABV. I harvested a butt load of it from brewing the last batch of tripel and is honestly my favorite strain to use. If I can make it work with this style, then it will become my "house" strain for the majority of my beers.

The wheat should give a nice mouthfeel. The sugar will dry the beer out and let the hops come through.

Beer-lord, Inkleg, Kealia, and all other connoiseurs of this style, what say ye? Am I going about this all wrong?

[BlackDuck]

I don't think your going at this wrong at all....my first thought when I saw the yeast was.....Hmmm, a belgian IPA, sounds tasty!!!! I've had some belgian pale ales and they are very good, so I'm sure it will work fine in the IPA style too.
Looks like you've got it covered: Nice, simple malt bill. Good hop choice and schedule. And I think your right on with the yeast paired with the Belma, should go well together.

My only suggestion would be to either increase the 10 minute addition to .50 ounces and/or increase your dry hop amount. But that's just me as I like a very aromatic IPA. I think a big aroma actually tricks your mind into making it more flavorful! Again, that's just my tastes.

Looks good...brew on!!!

[philm00x]

I didn't want to add too much hops to the boil just so that I can gauge just how bitter it comes out initially and then add in the future if I need to. Aroma most certainly increases the perception of flavor since smell is the vast majority of what we taste. I may do 1.5 oz of Belma to the dry hop instead of 1, but I'll see how it turns out before adding the dry hops.

Right on, Belgian IPA... definitely sounds like something I'd partake in. I am such a huge fan of Belgian beers.

[BlackDuck]

Upping the 10 minute addition slightly won't add too much bitterness at all, you'll get mostly aroma. And with the FWH, your bitterness should be really smooth anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much about effecting the bitterness by changing the 10 minute addition slightly. But it's your beer, and I think it's going to be a good one!!!

[Inkleg]

I'll second with Chris on this. Good malt bill and hop choice.
Flying Dog makes Raging Bitch which is a good Belgian IPA if you like to do some taste search.

I'm with you, this brewing hobby has expanded my beer likes.

[philm00x]

I'll have to look for that one. I know I've seen it in town before, but I don't know if it is carried year round or just seasonally or on demand.

[Beer-lord]

I've never brewed or drank Raging Bitch but Can You Brew It has a recipe I've kept around for a few years. If you try it, let me know what you think.
OG 1074
SRM 9.8
IBU 73.2
FG 1013

90 minute boil

7.55kg US 2-row 94% (did not specify the maltster)
480g Crystal 60 6%

Mash at 153F

28g Warrior 17% at 90'
6g Amarillo 11% at 15'
6g CTZ 15% at 15'
19g Amarillo at 0'
19g CTZ at 0'

WLP400

Ferment at 68F

The brewer added 6g gypsum to the mash and 12g gypsum to the boil.

[philm00x]

I've never tried any of those hops before, and I don't know what yeast that is in comparison to Wyeast (which is what I buy since that's what my LHBS carries), but I understand they're fruity/citrusy and sharp. I'd likely try to find a bottle of Raging Bitch before brewing that recipe not knowing how it tastes, but I saved it for future reference! Thanks, Paul!

[Ibasterd]

Phil and an IPA??? What is the world coming to? Looks good, and I'm sure it will come out fine. I'm fermenting a "Hoppy Saison" right now which isn't too far off from what you have going on here. Remember to save me one so that I can provide some insightful feedback!

[Beer-lord]

Phil, CTZ can be Columbus, Tomahaw and Zeus and are normally interchangeable. You can just a blend if your LHBS has it or either of those 3. And Warrior is pretty good though I don't usually keep much in stock. You can sub Centennial or Nugget.
Never used that yeast so I can't comment on it. http://www.whitelabs.com/yeast/wlp400-b ... -ale-yeast

[philm00x]

hmmm.. witbier yeast for an ipa? interesting. I have some washed wyeast 3944 belgian witbier yeast that is likely the same strain. if it is, i'll stick to the 3522 ardennes because it provides more fruity flavor whereas 3944 provides more spicy phenols.

[BlackDuck]

if it is, i'll stick to the 3522 ardennes because it provides more fruity flavor whereas 3944 provides more spicy phenols.

I agree with that....especially when you pair it up with the Belma hops your planning on using.

[philm00x]

I've tweaked the recipe already. A whole pound of flaked wheat (plus the carapils) will probably make for too much head in the beer, plus make it a little thicker than I'd like. I omitted the carapils, using only 4 oz of flaked wheat, but also adding 8 oz of wheat malt and upping the Belgian 2 row to 4.5 lbs. The OG remains the same but should be a little easier to swallow, while still providing the malty backbone I'm looking for. Fruity hops also do well with wheat so this is starting to please me.

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 75.0 %
8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.3 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.2 %
4.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 4 4.2 %
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 24.7 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 13.6 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 11.1 IBUs
0.30 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 8.1 IBUs
8.0 oz Cane (Beet) Sugar [Boil for 10 min](0.0 Sugar 9 8.3 %
0.50 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 7.5 IBUs
1.0 pkg Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522) [12 Yeast 11 -
1.00 oz Belma [10.40 %] - Dry Hop 3.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

[Beer-lord]

What does the beet sugar bring to it that candi sugar or even corn sugar won't? I've seen it at my LHBS and never even tried it.

[philm00x]

It's cane sugar, not beet sugar, although both sources produce the same type (sucrose). The reason to use it is to dry out the beer, allowing the hops to come through more. Corn sugar and candi sugar will have the same effect. I just use cane sugar because it's readily available at home because my wife bakes a lot.