Coconut IPA, my version

[Beer-lord]

I'm planning on brewing this on Sunday and it's somewhat similar to the recipe that R&R brewed to win the chance to brew this at Stone. I can't get all the hops they used and played around with some of the other ingredients as well. My yeast is what I got from Parish Brewing last week and I'm not yet 100% sure what it is but it's some type of English Ale Yeast I believe.
I'm not real sure what to expect but I'll drink it anyway. Possibly the lowest IBU IPA I've brewed in a while but I'm hoping that's what allows the coconut and tropical flavors to come out.

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Coconut IPA
Brewer: Paul
Asst Brewer:
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0) Toast Macaroon style coconut at 190 for 15 minutes. Mix around so it's not too dark or brown. Whirlpool in mesh bad for 15 minutes
Second amount is dry hopped for 5-7 days.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.65 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.45 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 6.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 6.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 6.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 70.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.5 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs 5.6 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 79.1 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM) Grain 2 9.6 %
12.0 oz Caramel Malt - 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.8 %
8.2 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 4 3.3 %
8.2 oz Honey Malt (Gambrinus) (25.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.3 %
0.92 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 m Hop 6 28.7 IBUs
1.27 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 11.1 IBUs
1.02 oz Helga [5.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 5.9 IBUs
0.53 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 6.5 IBUs
0.53 oz EXP 6300 [14.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 8.0 IBUs
0.53 oz Rakau [10.70 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 11 5.8 IBUs
1.06 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 12 1.1 IBUs
1.02 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 13 1.5 IBUs
1.02 oz Helga [5.60 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 14 0.7 IBUs
0.53 oz Rakau [10.70 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 15 0.7 IBUs
12.00 oz Toasted Coconut (Boil 1.0 mins) Other 16 -
1.0 pkg English Ale (White Labs #WLP002) [35.49 Yeast 17 -
1.02 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Day Hop 18 0.0 IBUs
1.02 oz EXP 6300 [14.60 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 19 0.0 IBUs
1.02 oz Helga [5.60 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 20 0.0 IBUs
1.02 oz Rakau [10.70 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 21 0.0 IBUs
0.53 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 22 0.0 IBUs
12.00 oz Toasted Coconut (Secondary 5.0 days) Other 23 -


Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 15 lbs 9.9 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 35.17 qt of water at 161.3 F 152.1 F 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

[Gymrat]

Not knowing what to expect is my favorite way to make beer. I have never heard of a lot of those hops. This should be really interesting.

[Beer-lord]

They used Helga, Calypso and Belma. I could only get Helga. In fact, my LHBS had 1 lb of it and its more than 6 months old and they're not going to buy anymore since no one asks for it. So they gave me $7 off for the whole pound.
I subbed Rakau and and I had some EXP6300 laying around. So, it is what it is (or will be).

[Gymrat]

I have no doubt it will be stellar

[Beer-lord]

Look at what this yeast looks like after the krausen fell. I know it's some sort of English Ale yeast that is what Stone uses (or similar) but I've not heard back yet from Parish Brewing exactly what kind it was. He told me last week but that was after a few Dr. Hoptagon's so my memory wasn't working at full capacity.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmRwaMIG ... e=youtu.be

[Inkleg]

WLP-007 looks like that also.

[Beer-lord]

At first, I was worried. But then I had a homebrew and settled down.

[Beer-lord]

Finally done.....long day. OG was 1.071 and I just missed projected, 1.072. Barely had enough canned air left. Those disposable cans don't last long. This is only my 5th brew I used it on.
Double bagged the coconut and some still got out the bags. But boy did this smell nice!
It was actually a bit darker than this when done.

IMG_1232 (Small).JPG (84.85 KiB) Viewed 1010 times

2 bags (12 oz) at 1 minute with a 15 minute steep.

IMG_1233 (Small).JPG (114.85 KiB) Viewed 1010 times

[Beer-lord]

I'm in OCD mode and over thinking stuff. Some of the recipes I've read say not to dry hop but add the rest of the coconut to the keg for 5-7 days. I guess if you bottle, the fermenter is it but if you keg, that's suggested.

So, is toasting it enough to kill any bacteria? I'm thinking the oils should be enough to kill anything but not enough to reduce head.

FWIW, I've emailed Ryan who made the recipe with Stone with the hope that he'll give me his opinion but for those who've added coconut to porter's or anything else, what do you think?


UPDATE:
I no sooner hit 'submit' and he replied. So, for anyone who cares (Bueller, Bueller), here's his comments.

Thanks!

All the coconut I use in the beer is lightly toasted such that it turns yellow in color. How much you coconut you put in the keg and how much character you want will determine how long to go. I tend to carbonate the beer most of the way while the coconut is in there. Make sure to shake it up occasionally before you try a sample. You'll start to get a good amount of character in a couple of days. I'll typically go somewhere around 5-6 days with the coconut in the keg and then take it out. This is with 12 oz.

Hope that helps.

-Ryan

[Beer-lord]

Kegged this today. FG 1.016, Beersmith shows 1.017 so I'm good. 7.2% ABV. Tasted great. Got a tropical aroma off the sample but no coconut. I guess the coconut in the boil doesn't do much so I'm hoping the 12 oz added to the keg will make a huge difference.
Should have keg space available within the week. Then it's chill, carb a few days then 4-5 days on coconut, remove coconut, enjoy......repeat!

[philm00x]

I bought a pound of Belma from HopsDirect.com for a little more than $7, plus shipping. Even with the shipping, it worked out to less than a dollar per ounce.

Also, I'm glad to see your beer attenuated where it should have. I remember you were having issues with them failing to attenuate to the expected FG.

[Beer-lord]

Yeah, seems like aeration has helped alot but I'm sure there's more to it than that. I really think my yeast get a bit too cold, too early and that plays a part. So, I've watched the temps closer.

Couldn't find Belma anywhere when I was ready for this but I really wanted to do some things a bit different. I know the homebrew version of Stone's beer was better and I know those hops play a huge part. But, I really wasn't out to make that exact beer. I'm just looking for some very tropical aromas with a good hop taste. Fingers crossed.

[philm00x]

Thing with Belma is that it is proprietary to Hops Direct, so you can only buy it from them in person at the farm or online from their site. They definitely give off a strong pineapple flavor and aroma in the pale ale I brewed, so I'm going to give them a shot in the witbier I'm trying to create.

Hope this one turns out good for you!

[Beer-lord]

Just added a bit more than 12 oz (in 2 bags) to the keg. I'll let that sit and carb for about 6-7 days then take the coconut out, let it sit another few days and hopefully, I'm good. But, you know I'll be tasting this before next week. Likely I'll try a little every day just to see how it changes.

[BlackDuck]

OK...I decided to do this write up here (instead of the Review section) so I could look at the recipe as I wrote this.

First, it opened with a very slight pffft and poured nicely. It had a thin light colored foam head that dissipated fairly quick, but it left a foam ring at the top pretty much through the whole glass. Nice carbonation throughout. The color was a hazy orangish brown. Think of the perfect pale ale color and that's what this is.

Next, the aroma. This is difficult to nail down. I can get only a touch of the coconut and thats when I first take a whiff, but as I continue to breathe in, it changes. And I'm not sure what it is....the wife says it's citrus, but I don't get that. It's almost like a light alcohol smell. It's not bad at all, but it's definitely different. Maybe it's the experimental hops and the other ones that I've never heard of (Helga and Rakau). I can't remember a beer that I've ever had that had layers to the aroma like this one does. Very interesting here. And very nice.

Next, the mouthfeel. A very nice medium body. Drinks smoothly and maybe even a little creamy. Again, very different, but very good.

Finally, the flavor and bitterness. This is where it really gets interesting. This is a very complex and layered beer. At first, I get a punch of coconut that tastes very good. Then that flavor fades and the hop flavor kicks in. I am having trouble figuring out the hops flavor though. It's not quite citrus, it's definitely not piney, maybe more tropical, kind of like mango, but without the sweetness. The hop flavor stays for a little bit. Then the coconut slowly creeps back on the tongue. The bitterness is smooth and easy. The recipe says it's got an IBU rating at 70, if it's truly at 70, it's the smoothes 70 IBU rated beer I've ever had.

Overall...WOW. The most interesting beer I think I've ever had. It's absolutely amazing how the aroma can change in the same sniff and how the flavor can change in the same taste. It starts with the coconut then the other characteristics come through and the coconut comes back. It's unfortunate that it's 6 degrees out with a -8 wind chill, because this beer screams summer. This would be awesome to drink sitting on the porch on a hot summer evening.

Paul...this is very good. Great job my friend!!