IPA Suggestions

What do you think of this IPA --PM

6# 2 row
1# light munich
.5# crystal 20ish
.5# crystal 40ish
6# DME
1 oz roast barley

wyeast 1056

I have columbus, cluster cascade and EKG. Was thinking of using either an oz of columbus or Cluster or both (opinions welcome) for the bittering and using the about 1.5 oz cascade for flavor and 1 oz ekg and .5 oz cascade for aroma/last addition.

Do you think this amount of hops will give me enough IBUs if i do a 60 min boil and start adding the cascade at or after 30 min?

I know that the roast barley isnt really true to style but I thought this small amount wouldn't make too much of an impact and could be my "secret ingredient". If thats sounds like a terrible idea I am not completely sold on it.

Opinions suggestions very much welcome. This is a pretty rough draft I have just been thinking a little bit about.

A little more info might get some responses. My efficiency is struggling in the mid 60's right now. I plan a mash of 152. Hows this sound for a hop schedule?

1 oz cluster 60 min
1 oz columbus 60 min
1.5 oz cascade 20 min
1 oz EKG 5 min
.5 oz cascade 5 min

Not sure what the AA% are at this time, I want to say the cascades are 6.5 and the EKG are 4.4.

Looks like a nice IPA.
I'd be afraid that the hard to get EKG would get lost in the C hops. I'd save the EKG for an english beer given the difficulty in getting more EKG.

Craig

I would personally omit the roasted barley. DFH does an "Indian Brown Ale" which is like a Brown IPA and they use 2 oz roasted barley in it and I personally think it tastes terrible because of that. I don't think roast should have any place against the bitterness of a hop-centric beer.

Thanks for the input. I do like EKG, a brewery up here does an IPA where they use all EKG and is great, but point well taken that now might not be the time for that hop in this beer. How about a substiute for the last addition then? I do have some more cascade but with the situation we are in I would rather not put all eggs in one basket. I guess I should see what the LHBS has to offer for a mid AA hop to put in there. Could be a tasty experiment with something new.

Any other thoughts on the Roast Barley?

PseudoChef said:

I would personally omit the roasted barley. DFH does an "Indian Brown Ale" which is like a Brown IPA and they use 2 oz roasted barley in it and I personally think it tastes terrible because of that. I don't think roast should have any place against the bitterness of a hop-centric beer.

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Indian Brown is *not* an IPA, it's not anything like an IPA. It's wicked sweet (wife absolutely LOVES it, it's her favorite beer ever and she's not one who's into the hops *at all*). I can drink it, but it's not anywhere close to an IPA.

I like the India Brown Ale too... as bird noted, not an IPA... kind of a 'cross-over' beer... a 'robust' brown ale so to speak.

Anyway to the OP... I didn't run it through beersmith or anything to calculate IBU, but it looks solid. I think I would probably omit the EKG as well... and I personally would do some more late addition hops or break up that 1.5oz at 20 and add some later... E.g. I like to bitter, then start at 20 mins or so and work your way down, 15, 10, 5, 1, Flame-out... ? I would also dry-hop. IPA isn't just about the bitterness, definitely want to get a great flavor/aroma as well...

I think it would be decent if you brewed as planned, but those are just my 2 cents.

I myself would add the Columbus as FWH, cut the Cascades at 20 to 1oz, cut the EKG and add .5 oz Cascade after flameout(look at the Fat owl recipe in my pulldown), then .5-1oz Dryhopped with Cascade

the_bird said:

Indian Brown is *not* an IPA, it's not anything like an IPA. It's wicked sweet (wife absolutely LOVES it, it's her favorite beer ever and she's not one who's into the hops *at all*). I can drink it, but it's not anywhere close to an IPA.

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It's pretty high up there in IBUs. The clone recipe I have is around 50.

PseudoChef said:

It's pretty high up there in IBUs. The clone recipe I have is around 50.

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I don't think he's saying its not high in IBU, but IBU isn't all that constitutes an IPA...

Heck, barleywines come in at 90-100 IBU often, but they aren't IPAs. The India brown also is fairly well balanced IMO. While 50 IBU seems high, it is a 7.5% or so ABV beer. Also, IPA's by style definition don't have the darker grains in them, etc.

Like I siad, this is an agressively hopped brown ale (hence why i used "robust" brown ale). While there is a specific style cat in the BJCP for robust porters, there isn't any such thing for browns. So, its not a defined style per se...

niquejim said:

I myself would add the Columbus as FWH, cut the Cascades at 20 to 1oz, cut the EKG and add .5 oz Cascade after flameout(look at the Fat owl recipe in my pulldown), then .5-1oz Dryhopped with Cascade

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Exactly my thoughts.

Maybe even cut the Cascade from 20 to 15 minutes.

I like FWH for bittering and late (very late) additions for everything else.

I never said it was an IPA. I said it was *like* an IPA. I know it's a hybrid...it's in the name: Indian Brown

From DF.com: "A cross between a Scotch Ale, an I.P.A., and an American Brown, this beer is well-hopped and malty at the same time. It is brewed with Aromatic barley and caramelized brown sugar."

Whatever it is, I'd like to try a glass of it