Black IPA

[pilgrimhudd]

Hiya,

I brewed this Black IPA a little while ago and was going to brew it again soon, I really enjoyed it, it had a lovely roasty piney character which I realise isn't necessarily what an IPA should have. I can't work out why it was so roasty looking at the recipe? I remember it wasn't that dark so I may add a little black malt and some simcoe at flameout. I also have some Chinook to use up so may chuck some of that in too.

4.4 kg Clear choice
150g Carafa III
200g Chocolate Wheat Malt

66c for an hour, mash out and dunk sparged to top up to 20l boil.

Boil for an hour
Apollo 25g 60 mins
Protofloc 15 mins
Citra 25g 10mins
Amarillo & Citra 35g each at flameout

OG 1053

Cooled to 22c, US-05 pitched.

dry hop after 4 days with what 20g citra 25g simcoe

 

[Clint]

I do like a BIPA...but...I think the dark additions may be best added as a cold steep after the mash..not that I've done so myself.

 

[MrRook]

I do like a BIPA...but...I think the dark additions may be best added as a cold steep after the mash..not that I've done so myself.

Some midnight wheat cold steeped will get nice color and low roastiness.

 

[grooves]

Yes - or only add the dark grains at mashout. This is less effort.

Or use Midnight Wheat malt for colour - this has a less bitter flavour.

 

[grooves]

snap!

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I do like a BIPA...but...I think the dark additions may be best added as a cold steep after the mash..not that I've done so myself.

Yeah but as I say, I like the malty character, which I realise isn't strictly to style but.....

 

[Clint]

Yeah but as I say, I like the malty character, which I realise isn't strictly to style but.....

You should brew what YOU like!

 

[grooves]

Add the dark malts at mashout then - this should give you some roastiness that will ebb away before you get a hit of hops.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

It was more a query about why I had such a roasty character in that beer, when looking at the malt I'm not sure why I did?

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I could defo cold steep some black malt for colour and add though.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Sorry the point of the thread made sense to me when I wrote it, but rereading it it doesn't really ask anything at all.

 

[grooves]

Any idea what the mash pH was? If it was high 5.8+ then that might account for a more astringent flavour. But yeah it's not a huge amount of dark grain - and it's dehusked and wheat malt.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Any idea what the mash pH was? If it was high 5.8+ then that might account for a more astringent flavour. But yeah it's not a huge amount of dark grain - and it's dehusked and wheat malt.

No no idea on PH but I hadnt thought of that. I mean, I think I'll just have to make it again and see how it goes but I cant see how I'll get the same flavour with that malt bill. Unless I missed something out!

 

[matt76]

You've tried my latest version of my Black IPA and I think we both agreed it was nice enough but a bit meh - I'm putting that down to the use of Carafa 3...

When I've made it previously I've used chocolate malt, and also chocolate rye in a slightly different version, both of which were good. While perhaps not strictly to style (who cares!) I recall earlier versions being a bit more interesting, with a bit more roast and malt character but without being over the top and intrusive.

So I think it's a balancing act between getting enough character in there but without just making a hoppy stout.

There was a recent "Malt Sampler" on Basic Brewing Radio (18 or 19 Nov 2020) where they looked at dark malts - midnight wheat was one, black Prinz and black patent. Maybe worth a listen.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Well yeah thats it matt, perhaps I am looking at more of a hoppy stout rather than a BIPA!

 

[matt76]

In that case perhaps "American Stout" is worth a look?

https://beerandbrewing.com/make-your-best-american-stout/
https://dev.bjcp.org/style/2015/20/20B/american-stout/
(I've a feeling there's also a recipe in GH but haven't checked)

 

[Aaron Rennie]

I’m a really big fan of BIPA and brewed about three in the last year. My last one I added the dark malt in the last 15 min of the mash and sparged through it.
This gave a lovely colour, good dark malt taste but little of the bitterness. I think it let the hop bitterness/taste compliment to the malt taste.
It’s definitely worth a try.

agree with Clint, brew what you like and screw the guidelines unless you are submitting it for a comp.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

In that case perhaps "American Stout" is worth a look?

https://beerandbrewing.com/make-your-best-american-stout/
https://dev.bjcp.org/style/2015/20/20B/american-stout/
(I've a feeling there's also a recipe in GH but haven't checked)

Yes I think there is.... I'll have a look.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I’m a really big fan of BIPA and brewed about three in the last year. My last one I added the dark malt in the last 15 min of the mash and sparged through it.
This gave a lovely colour, good dark malt taste but little of the bitterness. I think it let the hop bitterness/taste compliment to the malt taste.
It’s definitely worth a try.

agree with Clint, brew what you like and screw the guidelines unless you are submitting it for a comp.

No you're right, I do brew what I like to drink, not fussed about guidelines, however was just wondering why my previous black ipa was so roasty with that malt bill, that's all, was it the carafa, can't see the choc wheat making a big difference in flavour.

 

[Edison]

My favourite malt for black ipa is Black Prinz. Very dark but a special variety of barley which has no husk in the first place so no need to de-bitter it. I always just mash in with the rest of the grains, it adds loads of deep colour with a pleasant malty roastyness with zero bitter or astringent taste letting the hops shine through.