Hungry for Hops!

I'm drinking an IPA right now, and have a beer in the fermenter now that is strongly centennial/cascade with some chinook.

I have a hankering for HOPS. Big hops flavor and aroma, but something with a caramel malt backbone for fall drinking.

Here's what I am thinking for my next batch (10 gallons):

18 lbs Brewers Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.8 SRM) Grain 1 79.1 %
2 lbs Borlander Munich Malt (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.8 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel Malt - 40L (Briess) (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 6.6 %
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.3 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.2 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 14.3 IBUs
2.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 18.4 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo [10.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 12.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 4.7 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo [10.10 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

Dryhop with 4 ounces of the above hops (unsure right now which- I may like columbus with amarillo).



In my mind, the Munich malt and crystal malt bring a strong sense of "malt" to this, with a bit of sweetness. But the victory malt would bring some toasty notes, and the hopbursting should bring a huge hops flavor and aroma, to counter the sweet malt.

That's in my mind- but how's the idea look to you guys?

What is your bu:gu? I just did a hoppy pale with about 10% caramel and its a touch sweet. I think the citra and centennial also added to the perception of sweetness. A little more bitterness would have helped me out.

I have had the urge to brew a big ol ipa for a while now. Might just give this one a try once yall have it figured out.

tagz said:

What is your bu:gu? I just did a hoppy pale with about 10% caramel and its a touch sweet. I think the citra and centennial also added to the perception of sweetness. A little more bitterness would have helped me out.

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I don't have it in front of me, but it's around .980 or so!

Sound great then. I think the 120 will add some nice depth.

I'm already thinking about changing it.

The reason is that I forgot that I have a caramel-ly pale ale (sort of like Mirror Pond) ready to get kegged tomorrow, and I think it might be too much alike for me, although the hops are different.

I'm not thinking of keeping the hops the same, increasing the victory malt a bit, and dropping the 120L. Then I'd be at 6% crystal malt, with a pretty high IBU to balance. That might work out well as a contrast to the APA going on top tomorrow.

I'd scrap the crystal all together and replace it base malt. That's plenty of Munich for a good malty sweetness. Just my 2 cents

jammin said:

I'd scrap the crystal all together and replace it base malt. That's plenty of Munich for a good malty sweetness. Just my 2 cents

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I have an IPA on tap right now with no crystal, though.

I want some crystal, but in an IPA, and I want it different than the other two beers that will be on tap at the same time.

I have on tap a brew with a very similar grain bill, but it is not an IPA. I was just enjoying the rich, malty deepness of it thinking "I really need to put together a hop-bursted PA or IPA with this grain bill, that would be awesome"!

In my 5G batch I used .5lb crystal 80 and .25lb belgian special. So instead of dumping the crystal 120 one suggestion would be to reduce your C40 to a lb. Just thinkin' out loud.

truth in advertising: my base grain was Marris Otter. So that might be a difference also. But the rest is very similar.

dbrewski said:

I have on tap a brew with a very similar grain bill, but it is not an IPA. I was just enjoying the rich, malty deepness of it thinking "I really need to put together a hop-bursted PA or IPA with this grain bill, that would be awesome"!

In my 5G batch I used .5lb crystal 80 and .25lb belgian special. So instead of dumping the crystal 120 one suggestion would be to reduce your C40 to a lb. Just thinkin' out loud.

truth in advertising: my base grain was Marris Otter. So that might be a difference also. But the rest is very similar.

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I did originally plan this with maris otter! I'm out, though, and can't get more until I take a little trip to pick some up.

I was considering keeping the 120L, but I think a lighter crystal and the amarillo/columbus/simcoe combination sounds really good to me right now, with the toasty victory malt notes. I might change it before I crush the malt, though!

This is right up my alley!

Any progress on the recipe? I will be brewing next weekend and might give this a try.

Did you ever brew this? Jus wondering how it turned out

hungry4hops said:

Did you ever brew this? Jus wondering how it turned out

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Oh, yes, I did actually.

It turned out fantastic! I took a keg of this to our friend's hunting camp, calling it an "IRA (India Red Ale)" as he's an IPA lover as well.

Final recipe was (10.5 gallons):
18 lbs Brewers Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.8 SRM) Grain 8 79.1 %
2 lbs Borlander Munich Malt (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 9 8.8 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel Malt - 40L (Briess) (40.0 SRM) Grain 10 6.6 %
12.0 oz Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 11 3.3 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 12 2.2 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Boil 20.0 min 14.8 IBUs
2.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Boil 15.0 min 19.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo [10.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min 13.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [13.80 %] - Boil 5.0 min 4.9 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo [10.10 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Amarillo Leaf [10.80 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 20 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 21 0.0 IBUs
HUGE starter of WLP001
OG 1.056 FG 1.012

It's got a definite red color, and it's got great hops flavor and aroma and bitterness to balance all of the sweetness. It's great, and I'll be making it again!