A Question For The IPA Pro's...

OK, I'm not new but I'm not old. To brewing that is...I have tried lots of different IPA's. In fact, every time I get the chance, I'll try a new one. I am drawn to Double IPA's more than not but I'm not really sure what makes a "double a double or a single a single". Also, the ones I like best have more of a sweeter, orangish color (boulavard double wide IPA, dogfish...) as apposed to the yellowish dry style (Bell's Two Hearted IPA). So my question to the IPA pro's is...what is it that makes the IPA turn out with that orangish citris flavor vs a yellowish dry flavor? Also, why is it that the IPA style can turn out so differently from one area to another?

Thanks for your help,

Taco

Answer:

Hops choice and use of different adjunct grains from beer to beer.

aiptasia said:

Answer:

Hops choice and use of different adjunct grains from beer to beer.

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No so much adjuncts (I don't know of any good commercial IPAs that use adjuncts) but specialty grains are a biggie!

Caramel/crystal malt gives a sweeter finish, with a faintly (to moderate) sweet supporting flavor. Other grains, like Munich malt, give an orange-y hue and a "malty" backbone without sweetness. Victory malt is common, and it's "toasty" flavored.

IPAs can be very different, as some will use as much as 7% or more of crystal malt, while some have none. Just like there are 100 different versions of "mama's spaghetti sauce", IPAs can vary from not very bitter and sort of sweet to tooth-enamel-eroding bitter to very very hoppy.

If you can name a few more commercial IPAs you like we could probably help you pick out what it is you like.

If you don't like Two-Hearted, that's probably because it's centennial hops that totally overwhelm the beer (I think in a good way!).

Hops, yeast, and grains...wait that's everything.

It's all in the grain bill and hops.

If you like citrus hops try some cascades, citras, or simcoes.

Look at the websites for ipas you like and see what the brewers are using in them. Many breweries list ingredients on their website!

mammothkraken said:

It's all in the grain bill and hops.

If you like citrus hops try some cascades, citras, or simcoes.

Look at the websites for ipas you like and see what the brewers are using in them. Many breweries list ingredients on their website!

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Yep, what he said! Plus if its a good commercial brew, there's about a 95% chance that there is a known proven clone recipe here on HBT. And if there isn't a recipe, there's about a 95% chance that you will find someone here willing to at least point you in the right direction!

Hey everyone, thanks.

Yooper-a special shout out. I made your Ruination clone recently and its a very good beer! I guess that's kind of the flavor base I'm going for, I could drink 12 of those easily. As for the Bells, I'm from Traverse City, Mi so I have to give love to the Mi brewers but...I don't know. It seemed like it was just a dry hoppy beer. Not at all what I expected, but it wasn't bad, just not what I'm looking for. I like Stone's IPA (which honestly is similar to Bells), LOVE ruination, Love Boulevards Double Wide ect...it seems that when I LOVE one it has an orange-y color and like a citrus-y hop flavor. I realize that is not a hell of a lot of information but it's all I have..the brown ale has taken my memory so I can't think of any others...

Taco

I am not a huge fan of the "dry" IPA either. I often use a pound or two of munich and a half pound of flaked oats in my IPA's to get a fuller, richer beer. Color - just use more/darker crystal malt - aim for 7/8/9 SRM range maybe.
Hops . . . .probably just need to experiment. I was not a big fan of going all centennial in two-hearted clone. I still use that basic recipe, but sub in a fair amount of cascade and citra in place of much of the centennial (just for bittering). Simcoe/amarillo is a nice combo. Falconers Flight is a favorite of mine.

The IIPA's are generally brewed with a maltier/sweeter backbone to support the crazy amount of hops, where sometimes the normal IPA's are just beer with crazy hops, and often seem dryer and more bitter IMHO.

Look for Bells Hopslam when it is released this spring, very different from the Two Hearted (which technically is a PA, not an IPA). I think you would like that a lot.

I brew an imperial using honey malt and some 40L that ends up at about a 13srm and although it is 100ibu it is smooth as silk.

I have brewed it a couple times now and am looking to build one with a bit more bite to it because although I tend to like sweeter things (bad sugar tooth) I like my IPAs a bit drier and more kick...must be the PNW coming out in me.

Just brewed this double ipa. Kinda based off of sculpin ipa. Which is my favortie ipa right now.

Taco29wps said:

OK, I'm not new but I'm not old. To brewing that is...I have tried lots of different IPA's. In fact, every time I get the chance, I'll try a new one. I am drawn to Double IPA's more than not but I'm not really sure what makes a "double a double or a single a single". Also, the ones I like best have more of a sweeter, orangish color (boulavard double wide IPA, dogfish...) as apposed to the yellowish dry style (Bell's Two Hearted IPA). So my question to the IPA pro's is...what is it that makes the IPA turn out with that orangish citris flavor vs a yellowish dry flavor? Also, why is it that the IPA style can turn out so differently from one area to another?

Thanks for your help,

Taco

Click to expand...

I believe a double IPA is higher ABV than a regular IPA. You can load up on hop additions and still have an ABV below 7%. Yeast can also play a big part in that flavor you have said to prefer.