IIPA - James; the Legend

[ezraburke]

Occasionally I contact breweries with inquiries about their processes and creations cheekily asking if they might impart some wisdom to a keen homebrewer. Occasionally these things bear fruit. I now have the recipe to a Weird Beard beer i am exceptionally fond of and now, thanks to the guys at Cloudwater Brewing, i have a starting point for their epically sessionable 9% DIPA v3.

Accordingly, we have named this brew after the chap who gave us pointers: James, the Legend.

James Campbell, headbrewer of Cloudwater, sent the recipe for this because he is a hero of epic proportions. Accordingly, the beer shall be named 'James, the Legend'.

Adjusting this recipe slightly due to system limitations. Pilgrim Alpha C02 extract will be replaced by Chinook for bittering to 8 IBUs (yes, just 8), hopback addition of Chinook will be done whirlpool at 60c.

James noted the dry hopping is accomplished in two sittings (9.25g/l and chiefly citra) and online sources note that Comet and Mosaic are also used to add complexity. The former is a bittering hop primarily but i'll trust the sources. There will be a 2/3 citra, 1/3 mosaic/comet.

Going to need to control the fermentation temperature of this somehow as this yeast, he claims, requires careful monitoring.

Anyway, the reipce!

_________________________________________________________

Title: James, the Legend (Cloudwater DIPA v3 Clone)

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Imperial IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 17 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 19 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.081
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.090
Final Gravity: 1.017
ABV (standard): 9.57%
IBU (tinseth): 136.85
SRM (morey): 7.07

FERMENTABLES:
6.5 kg - United Kingdom - Golden Promise (95%)
340 g - Corn Sugar - Dextrose (5%)

HOPS:
6 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 8.83
100 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Whirlpool for 0 min at 80 °C, IBU: 64.71
50 g - Chinook, Type: Pellet, AA: 13, Use: Whirlpool for 0 min at 60 °C, IBU: 38.24
105 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
26 g - Comet, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
26 g - Mosaic, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.5, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
105 g - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 10 days
26 g - Comet, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 11.73
26 g - Mosaic, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 13.33

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Fly Sparge, Temp: 65.5 C, Time: 90 min, Amount: 26 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 3.2 L/kg

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 each - Whirlfloc, Type: Fining, Use: Other

YEAST:
The Yeast Bay - Vermont Ale
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 78.5%
Flocculation: Med/Low
Optimum Temp: 17.78 - 22.22 C
Fermentation Temp: 16 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: Clatto East
Ca2: 10
Mg2: 2
Na: 0
Cl: 0
SO4: 0
HCO3: 0
Water Notes:

 

[cmwood64]

Just a couple of things I noticed. You have your efficiency set to 70%. Are you sure you will get efficiency that high on such a high gravity beer?
You are using liquid yeast, but no starter. I would highly recommend that you do a starter for this beer.
Whilst I am no expert on water profiles, your target profile looks a bit odd. A lot of zeroes in there. Are you using RO water?

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[ezraburke]

Hoping for 70, but not certain how best to attain it. 70 would be ideal though - our efficiency has ranged from 47 to 67 in the past so there isn't a firm number.

I'll need to investigate liquid yeast properly because I've only ever used dry - that's a good point!

As for water profile I'm waiting on a report from Scottish Water about our taps - the two figures in there are the only ones I could glean from public record, hence the zeros!



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[MyQul]

I've read the vermont strain requires a bit of babying. Have a read of the product info here:

http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=598

 

[ezraburke]

I've read the vermont strain requires a bit of babying. Have a read of the product info here:

http://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=598

Bang on; the brewer gave the following instructions:

pitched at 16ºC
allowed to rise to 18.5ºC
allowed to rise to 22ºC once wort was below 1030º for diacetyl rest.

Conditioned at 12ºC for 7 days
yeast dropped once 12ºC attained
dry hopped in 2 portions to a total of 9.25g/l, cheifly citra.
dry hops agitated daily for 3 days and then dropped.
chilled to -1ºC
left for 7 days


Absolutely mental!

 

[MyQul]

Bang on; the brewer gave the following instructions:

pitched at 16ºC
allowed to rise to 18.5ºC
allowed to rise to 22ºC once wort was below 1030º for diacetyl rest.

Conditioned at 12ºC for 7 days
yeast dropped once 12ºC attained
dry hopped in 2 portions to a total of 9.25g/l, cheifly citra.
dry hops agitated daily for 3 days and then dropped.
chilled to -1ºC
left for 7 days


Absolutely mental!

Wow! :shock: And I was considering getting this yeast strain. Not sure I'll bother if it requires that much faff

 

[ezraburke]

Wow! :shock: And I was considering getting this yeast strain. Not sure I'll bother if it requires that much faff

The thing is the profile on the beer is absolutely stunning - he says it gets a stone fruit character, not that i could taste it, but simply an outstanding example of refreshing double IPA done well.

Temperature control is going to be our second hurdle after efficiency, we're looking at investing in a system...

 

[MyQul]

The thing is the profile on the beer is absolutely stunning - he says it gets a stone fruit character, not that i could taste it, but simply an outstanding example of refreshing double IPA done well.

Temperature control is going to be our second hurdle after efficiency, we're looking at investing in a system...

I have a brew bag (which is like a massive cool bag). I could do those temps if I could be bothered

 

[ezraburke]

Nice part of the world though!

Aye, true that. Playing tonight at nine if anyone happens to be around at McKay's Pub.

I have a brew bag (which is like a massive cool bag). I could do those temps if I could be bothered

Seems like a decent approach, we've got the chest freezer to chill it so I'll see about picking up an Inkbird to give it more control.

Mind you, the amount of hops involved in this brew have pushed it up near the £50 mark so it may require further planning.

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[machin05]

Good luck recreating one of the best beers by one of the best brewers at one of the best equipped and creative breweries in the country :mrgreen:

 

[ezraburke]

Good luck recreating one of the best beers by one of the best brewers at one of the best equipped and creative breweries in the country :mrgreen:

Shush you!

Getting a couple of the blighters this weekend for delectation. Looking forward to... uh... testing the profile and taste.

 

[machin05]

It's an absolutely stonking beer. I prefer to v2 (didn't get to try v1 though).

 

[ezraburke]

It's an absolutely stonking beer. I prefer to v2 (didn't get to try v1 though).

Agreed, V2 was merely 'ok' in my book. Nothing remarkable (in fact, i think that was my Untappd note on it). Tried V3 at the Brewdog AGM and was blown away... couldn't resist writing to the guys at the brewery and asking about it.

Seriously though, the amount of hops being used in this recipe is pushing us to the limit of what we'd normally spend on a brew. I guess that's what makes it so delicious to drink.

 

[MyQul]

Wow £50 for one brew! Thats 4 brews for me. Citra hops are just stupidly expensive now

 

[ezraburke]

Yeah, Weird Beard had a very vocal complaint about not being able to get enough for their Citra pilsner. Is there any sub at all?

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[DarrenSL]

Have you tried here for your water report?

http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/you-and-your-home/water-quality/waterqualitysearch

You should be able to get an idea of the carbonate, calcium, sulphate and chloride levels from this.

Also, you should definitely make a (large) yeast starter if you are using liquid yeast and with that abv.

 

[Bunglebrewsbeer]

Sounds good. Rather expensive though.


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[DarrenSL]

Hi

Did you make this beer? How did it turn out and how close to the original?

Thinking of having a go at this one :grin:

Thanks

 

[ezraburke]

Not yet - we need a way to regulate the fermentation temperature before we crack on with it. Later in the year:)

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[SaigonBlaze]

Resurrecting a very worthwhile thread...

I've just finished bottling this today. By all accounts, a very, very good beer, and I can't wait to see what it's like once conditioned. I made some changes to the recipe to account for what I had on hand and some personal preferences:

1) No chance of coddling vermont yeast to that extent. I used Safale US-05. No real temp control available for fermentation, other than a waterbath with some ice to keep fermentation around 18C (+/- 2C)

2) I didn't have Chinook, so used a complimentary mix of what I did have. Columbus replaced the first 6g, then 26g of Simcoe and 26g of Centennial to replace the further 50g of Chinook. I also dry hopped for 11, rather than 10 days, partly to try to offset the fact that my hop bag floats a bit.

3) Added 200g of crystal and 200g of carapils. I wanted to use the former up, and wanted a little more body to account for low mash temperatures.

I've bottled at 2.3 volumes.

Tasting the samples - stone fruit and citrus are full on, the aroma on this thing justifies the 300g of citra. I never tried the DIPA v3, but Beavertown's Lupuloid is the only thing that comes close to this in hop aroma and intensity. Beersmith gave me a value of 77 IBUs (with the specific hops I've used) and I'd say that's about right - bitterness is right on the mark and really compliments the hoppy-ness. I was apprehensive about dry hopping with Comet, given its pungency but together with the simcoe and ctz a small undertone of dank/resin/pine is there. Body is spot on - the cara-pils is something I'd add again for sure.

Likely ABV is around 7.6%, my efficiency is pretty crap.

All in all this is gearing up to be an insanely good beer and well worth the eye-watering price tag.

Next up will be a sessionable version of this for a party, around 4%, with the citra dialled back a touch to make it a bit more accessible to those with less of an obsession with hops. Also going to dial the IBUs back to around 35 - I remember that Cloudwater's blog mentioned a low bitterness DIPA that apparently came out well...