British IPA

**big supper** · 04-21-2008, 01:00 PM

Anyone have any good suggestions for a British-style IPA?

I have searched the data base, but there are so many American ones in there!

Thanks

Danek · 04-21-2008, 01:27 PM

Do you mean a current British IPA or an old-style British IPA? Current Brit IPAs are barely worth the name, in the sense that they're pretty indistinguishable from a typical bitter (they're still nice beers, but they don't have a particularly pronounced character). Old-school IPAs were much bigger and hoppier. Which are you after?

**the_bird** · 04-21-2008, 01:29 PM

Are you an all-grain, or an extract brewer?

**big supper** · 04-21-2008, 02:32 PM

All-Grain and something fairly hoppy.

I have both ekg and fuggles, as well as various bittering hops.

**bradsul** · 04-21-2008, 02:34 PM

Have a look at Jack The rIPA in my recipe dropdown. That is a british style IPA. I make it now with Maris Otter instead of 2-Row but either will work fine.

**big supper** · 04-22-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradsul

Have a look at Jack The rIPA in my recipe dropdown. That is a british style IPA. I make it now with Maris Otter instead of 2-Row but either will work fine.

Looks good! I have never used Carastan, supposedly a toffee flavour. Is it noticable? I may have to give this a try. I will be using a yeast cake from a bitter, with wyeast British ale II. I assume that would be okay!?!

**TexLaw** · 04-22-2008, 01:52 PM

You can convert just about any American IPA to an English one and wind up with something good. Just change the U.S. 2-row to Marris Otter, change the American hops to British hops, and change the yeast to something British. Voila.

TL

**the_bird** · 04-22-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexLaw

You can convert just about any American IPA to an English one and wind up with something good. Just change the U.S. 2-row to Marris Otter, change the American hops to British hops, and change the yeast to something British. Voila.

TL

Maybe a *little* bit more restrained with the late hop additions, too? English IPAs tend not to be QUITE so over-the-top as American versions. You might throw a pound of hops in a Pliny-type brew (well, maybe not these days). You wouldn't do the same on an English IPA.

**TexLaw** · 04-22-2008, 02:05 PM

Maybe a little, but a lot of those British hops already are a bit more restrained that the American ones. Those floral and spicy notes blend in more with the malt (especially the Marris Otter) and do not dominate aroma like the resiny, citrusy ones do.

Certainly, one could pare down the eighteen-some-odd different additions many AIPA brewers make during the last fifteen minutes (yours truly included) and still have a very good beer.

TL

**bradsul** · 04-22-2008, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big supper

Looks good! I have never used Carastan, supposedly a toffee flavour. Is it noticable? I may have to give this a try. I will be using a yeast cake from a bitter, with wyeast British ale II. I assume that would be okay!?!

Carastan is just another name for Crystal malt, the stuff I get is basically crystal 60L. I can't really tell a flavour difference but maybe I just wasn't looking.

That should be an excellent yeast for an English-style IPA.