Specialty IPA: Black IPA Heavenly Scourge Black IIPA

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brrman

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
1,659
Reaction score
111
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Recipe Type
All Grain
Yeast
1056
Yeast Starter
1500ml
Batch Size (Gallons)
1.5
Original Gravity
1.180
Final Gravity
1.019
Boiling Time (Minutes)
60
IBU
112
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
10
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp)
14
Tasting Notes
A creamy, highly-flavored beer with trace amounts of roast & in-your-face hops...
edit: above OG should show 1.080

Heavenly Scourge Black IPA
Imperial Black IPA

Heavenly_Scourge_Black_IPA.jpg


Beersmith File HERE

Taste Notes:
A very creamy IPA with trace notes of roast, but checked with a very forward Amarillo and Centennial hops presence. Balanced bitterness and smooth to drink. My most favorite beer I have ever created.

Brewer: Brrman
Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 6.92 gal
Boil Time: 60 min

Ingredients
Grains
15.50 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 88.57 %
1.00 lb Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 5.71 % (last 10 mins of mash)
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.71 %
Hops

3.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 110.4 IBU
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (1 min) Hops 1.9 IBU
0.50 oz Centennial (8-Paws) [8.80 %] (0 min) Hops
2.00 oz Centennial (8-Paws) [8.80 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops
Other
1 Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter 1500 ml]


Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.080 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.01 %
Bitterness: 112.3 IBU
Calories: 369 cal/pint

Mash Profile
Total Grain Weight: 17.50 lb
Mash at 154.0 F for 60 min

Notes
Indianapolis Water Additions:
Cut re-circulated mash with 50% Distilled water...
CaCL2: 4/5 tspn (3 grams)
CaSO4: 3/4 tspn (3 grams)
 
Picture of the finished product: the head on this thing is like a pastry and sticks around forever.
1st_Bottle.jpg
 
anyone else try this? I'd like to brew a black IPA, might try this with a little less pale malt to bring down the abv a bit.
 
But why use Carafa? Wouldn't 1/4lb or 1/2lb of Roasted Barley give you a better roast character? Do you really get enough out of the Carafa?
 
But why use Carafa? Wouldn't 1/4lb or 1/2lb of Roasted Barley give you a better roast character? Do you really get enough out of the Carafa?

Carafa III Special is the malt of choice for all the commercial brewers who make this style of beer. I can't find it at my LHBS, so I improvise, using a mix of black patent, roasted barley, and chocolate malt.
 
Carafa Special is dehusked and gives less roast character. For a Black IPA you are trying to minimize the roast flavor. Otherwise you get more of a hoppy stout. I had to order it from an online vendor since I could not find it at my local store either.

I am still drinking this Sept batch from the bottle and it has gotten better with age. A friend says it is the best beer I have ever brewed... lol. He is a hop-head of course.
 
I brewed this 2 weeks ago and just racked to the carboy for dry hopping. Tastes awesome even before the dry hop. Itching to try it when it is done.
Bart
 
I brewed this 2 weeks ago and just racked to the carboy for dry hopping. Tastes awesome even before the dry hop. Itching to try it when it is done.
Bart

I think I'm putting in an order at Puterbaugh and Brewmasters for the ingredients for this. I would, however, like to hear your opinion on how it turned out.

Does the roast character come through at all? Besides the color, what is the difference between this and any other IIPA?
 
It is bottled and although still green it tastes awesome. I used a different hop schedule to accomodate what I had. I also mashed all the grains together.
It is nicely bitter, somewhat sweet with a nice hop aroma. The roast flavor as of now is not dominant at all. Here is my adjusted recipe.

15.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 89.55 %
1.00 lb Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 5.97 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4.48 %
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
3.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 105.9 IBU
2.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (1 min) Hops 2.0 IBU
0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Safale US-05 Yeast-Ale
 
Awesome - I was just wondering if you had opened a bottle yet. I wonder how the Williamette has altered the taste from the original recipe, probably not very much.

I found mine a little sweet as well, but it had a good balance because of all the IBU's. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do, man. If I down just a couple of them I can feel myself buzzed... LOL

DRoyLenz - I find that the roast character does come through enough to set it apart from a traditional IIPA, but it seems to fit in the mix really well and is not overpowering. Just enough to give the sense of sweetness that Bartman is talking about I think.
 
Would you guys say the sweetness is desirable? I'm thinking of trying to mash a little lower, maybe 150F, to give it a little bit of a drier finish. What do you think?
 
Would you guys say the sweetness is desirable? I'm thinking of trying to mash a little lower, maybe 150F, to give it a little bit of a drier finish. What do you think?

Probably what I would do as well. I'm thinkin' between 151-152 would be a good balance.
 
Did you get good attentuation, Bartman? I mashed at 154 and came to 8.01 ABV. I only mashed 1 lb more grain than you. I mashed high because at 112 IBU I didn't want the beer too dry. I think 150F might be too low - of course it's all about preference right?
 
Let me correct my previous post. I was at work and had limited info plus a weak brain.
My ABV was 7.99 with 1.083 OG and 1.022 FG. I used S-05 yeast and had a long steady fermentation. My estimated IBU's were 107.9. I will pop one open soon and descibe the sensation more accurately!!!
 
Very nice recipe, looks a lot like Stone XI or now the self righteous ale without the simcoe.

Have you though about using WLP007 instead of cali ale?
 
I do plan to try another type of yeast when I brew it next. Not sure about a English Ale yeast like WLP007, but it might dry it out just a tad more if that's the intention. I am thinking about mashing lower around 151F and using a less attenuative yeast like WY1099 Whitbread.
 
How important is it to put the Carafa III in the last 10 minutes of the mash? I just ordered the recipe, but they mixed the grains together.

Well, they put most of the 2-row in a 15 pound bag, then the remaining half pound of 2-row in another bag with the pound of Crystal of 60L and a pound of Carafa III.

I'm thinking I could mash the 15 pound bag for the full 60 minutes, then in the last 10-20 minutes, I could add the remaining grains. You think this will work, or do you think I'll be missing some of the important characteristics attributed by the Crystal 60L only being in for a short amount of time.

I should also note that I have extra Crystal 60L, so perhaps I could mash a half pound of that before I put the rest in. Thoughts?
 
Just go ahead and mash all of it for 60. You need the 60L in there. I don't think it will be too bad with the carafa III - maybe slightly more roast. But it may even turn out better, who knows!? Go for it, man.

I'd not do the extra 60L tho.
 
I just got into all grain brewing and would like to try this recipe. The site I buy my supplies from is from the mid-west somewhere (Not sure what the forum policy is about naming specific sites). If I wanted to get "Pale Malt (2 Row) US" and I see American 2-Row (Briess) is that what I want to buy? Sorry I am still learning the grain types. Thanks
 
I just tasted my gravity sample of this and WOW!!!! That's all I can say, this very well be my best brew to date. I still have to dry hop and bottle condition so it is going to be at least 3 wks before I can sample one and probably more like 6 wks before it is properly conditioned, but I can hardly wait! I feel like this is my first batch again, it is going to be hard to stay out of the carboy and the bottles before they are ready.
 
Awesome, awesome recipe. :mug: I subbed 3 oz. Sorachi for the Magnum bittering hops, then used pacman yeast in a cold(ish) ferment @62F. All else same as OP.

Sorachi = lemony bliss. I gotta use it to bitter more west coast pale ales.

I'm suspecting that altbier yeast might be even better for this style, if it can fully attenuate an IIPA. The colder pacman resulted in a very neutral yeast flavor, allowing the citrus/roast interplay to dominate.
 
Brrman -

I just wanted to share a bit more love for this recipe. I cracked my first bottle a few weeks ago, and I just got a big, toothy grin on my face after my first sip. This is, by no small margin, the best beer I've brewed to date. I've been drinking them like water.

What's more, I brought a case of this to Darklord Day, and was using it as trading fodder (you know, a beer for a beer, beer for a brat, beer for a cigar) and EVERYBODY loved it. I was getting 'attaboys' all day.

Thanks for a great recipe, I look forward to brewing it again.

P.S. Early I posted that my Carafa III was mixed in with my other grains, so I had to mash it the full 60 minutes. There definitely is a nice roasty flavor to the beer, one that probably wouldn't be as pronounced had I only mashed in the last 10 minutes, but I'm not sure it's a bad thing. It really helps balance things out, I think.
 
Glad the brew came out well for you guys! I am humbled that it got some praise at Dark Lord Day. I had planned on attending this year but in the end had other priorities - would have been quite the coincidence if we had run into each other both with Heavenly Scourge, DRoyLenz! LOL

I plan on brewing this beer again in 2 weeks.
 
Let me add to the accolades here. I just sampled one only 1 week in the bottle and already I think this is going to be my best brew to date. I did a 10 gallon batch and put half the carafa in at the beginning and the other half at 10 minutes. I think that this gave a nice balance allowing some of the carafa to lend some flavor for the full 60 minute mash. Anyway, looking forward to what this beer will be in a couple more weeks and beyond. I am thinking about cellaring a couple of bottles to see how it ages, I know the hops will fade, but I think it could be very interesting.
 
I am thinking about cellaring a couple of bottles to see how it ages, I know the hops will fade, but I think it could be very interesting.

I do have a couple bottles left from my Sept 09 batch. They still have a lot of flavor, but as expected the hops freshness has diminished. Doesn't make the beer any less enjoyable, but you can notice the difference in the beer as it ages.
 
I think I just found my next recipe. Sounds great from all the feedback.
I may do a little warmer mash at 155 to get some nice body.
 
Hey guys, I just brewed a black ipa on national homebrew day. Very similar recipe. Bottled it Friday night. It tasted amazing! I can only hope that I get a head like that picture on the first page of this thread!
 
John51277 - go for it with the higher mesh temp. Let us know how it turns out!

I have another batch of this planned for next weekend.
 
Brewing another batch of this on Sunday.

Anyone else been sampling their versions? How has it held out over time? I finished my final bottle from Sept 09 this past week and while the up-front bitterness had faded, the flavor profile and aroma was still strong, and the bitterness came on stronger with the finish. I still really enjoyed it - not bad for a 10 month old bottled IIPA.
 
i brewed this about 4 months ago and had all kinds of fermenting issues. I used old yeast which isnt good for a high ABV beer, which then eventually made it stall on me that nothing would help. I ended up using alpha amalyse and it worked beautifully, crossed my fingers and kegged it after roughly 3 months in various fermenter's. Its freaking fantastic. Its also dangerous. I bottled a handful and have them sitting to the side.
 
lol - yes it can be dangerous - especially when you continually top-off from the tap not knowing how much you have had.
 

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