Badfish IIPA

Another IPA I plan on making soon for this years Brewfest in September. I wanted to make something extremely bold, wild, wreckless, strong, and complex to be true in character as a tribute to one of my best friends who passed away a few months ago. So..... heres to you Bobby


GRAIN BILL......mashed at 155 for 1 hr


18# 2 Row
2.25# Crystal 40
.5# White Wheat


BOIL....90 min. Boil for 30 mins before starting boil schedule

1oz Simcoe 60 min (bittering)
.5 oz Centennial 60 min
1# Clear Candied Sugar 30 min
1.5 oz Centennial 15 min
Irish Moss 15 min
1 oz Citra 10 min
1 oz Amarillo 10 min
1 oz Citra 5 min
1 oz Amarillo 5 min


FERMENTATION.....temp 66-68

2 oz Amarillo..Dry Hop, added after 19 days of fermentation
1 oz Citra...... Dry Hop, added after 3 weeks of fermentation

Is this a 5gallon batch?

6 gal..but you can use it for a 5 gal, it will just be a little stronger abv and darker.

dAnKy601 said:

Is this a 5gallon batch?

Click to expand...

Did you ever brew this? How did you like it?

Brew day on this went smooth. The big hop aroma coming from this smells euphoric. Ive already got everything to repeat the batch as soon as I get an open carboy. I also made 2 small adjustments to the original recipe but I couldnt edit the post. I used a grain bill of 18# 2Row, 2# C60, .5# Carapils, .5# White wheat. The other change was I added another oz of each Amarillo and Citra at flameout. Just added the dryhop addition 2 days ago. Heres some pics....

I just bottled 2 of the 6 gallons(kegging the other 4 for brewfest) and wow. This is by far the best beer I've made. The sample tasted great; instant grapefruit and mango with subtle pineapple tones coming through. Big hoppy aroma that smells of blood orange and tropical fruit. I will be brewing this again in 2 weeks. I've found my house IPA!!! I advise anyone to give this recipe a go, you will be happy you did!

Love the Citra + Amarillo combo, but this has too much crystal for me with quite the high mash temp.
What was your OG/FG?

1.094 and 1.014. I myself expected more maltiness from the mash temp but it's really quite balanced. You can always cut down the crystal to your preference as well.

See, I find beauty in "un-balance" with IPAs/IIPAs. Hate the term balance for those styles. It's kind of like saying I want "balanced" buffalo wings instead of spicy buffalo wings. Preference I guess.

Good job on the attenuation. I didn't see what yeast you used here though.

Duplicate post.

Duplicate post again. Don't know what's going on with my phone.

I should correct myself lol..... It's what I consider a balanced IPA. It's no doubt, very hop forward. It's just rounded out well so it's got big hop flavor but not overly bitter. As well it doesn't taste as sweet as say a DFH 90.

I used US05.

Just mashed in on another batch of this... Im in love

KeyWestBrewing said:

Just mashed in on another batch of this... Im in love

Click to expand...

How'd it turn out so far?

I tried to make this recipe but my LBHS didn't have any of the right hops, haha. So I did the same grain bill and then did:

1 oz warrior (13.7%) @ 60 mins
2 oz zythos (10.6%) @ 30 mins
2 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 15 mins
1 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 10 mins
1 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 5 mins

Ordered some Citra leaf hops online, and thinking about dry hopping for around 10 days with 3-4 oz. Maybe adding an oz every 3 days for 12 days. Thoughts? What am I going to end up with here?

theBFG said:

How'd it turn out so far?

I tried to make this recipe but my LBHS didn't have any of the right hops, haha. So I did the same grain bill and then did:

1 oz warrior (13.7%) @ 60 mins
2 oz zythos (10.6%) @ 30 mins
2 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 15 mins
1 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 10 mins
1 oz Cascade (6.2%) @ 5 mins

Ordered some Citra leaf hops online, and thinking about dry hopping for around 10 days with 3-4 oz. Maybe adding an oz every 3 days for 12 days. Thoughts? What am I going to end up with here?

Click to expand...

Great!! Really big hop aroma that smells of grapefruit and tropical fruit. Tastes like grapefruit upfront then settles to a mango- pineapple. Yours will be a bit different but it looks good. I'd just use 3oz all at once and let it dry hop for 10 days. It reminds me a lot of Sierra Nevada Torpedo. Let me know how it turns out.

Awesome, I love pretty much anything Sierra does, but especially that Torpedo. I'll let you know how this one ends up turning out. I'm overly excited about this one...

Just racked onto 3 oz of citra leaf last night. Gravity is down now to about 1.022 or so, I'd like it get it down a little further but I didn't use a starter so I am pleased it is that low. It tastes incredible, kinda like a mix between Torpedo and Hopslam.

FYI: I took some beer out after taking these pictures, so no need to worry about this exploding on me!

Thanks again for the recipe, I'll let you know how it ends up!

Nice towel!!

theBFG said:

Just racked onto 3 oz of citra leaf last night. Gravity is down now to about 1.022 or so, I'd like it get it down a little further but I didn't use a starter so I am pleased it is that low. It tastes incredible, kinda like a mix between Torpedo and Hopslam.

FYI: I took some beer out after taking these pictures, so no need to worry about this exploding on me!

Thanks again for the recipe, I'll let you know how it ends up!

Click to expand...

What yeast are you using? I just pitch 2 US 05 packets so I don't use a starter. Glad all is well so far though. I just started dry hopping another batch of this 2 days ago actually. Nice thing about this one is it doesn't really need much to mature, once the bottles are carbed drink away it's good fresh. Excited to hear your results, enjoy!!!

KeyWestBrewing said:

What yeast are you using? I just pitch 2 US 05 packets so I don't use a starter. Glad all is well so far though. I just started dry hopping another batch of this 2 days ago actually. Nice thing about this one is it doesn't really need much to mature, once the bottles are carbed drink away it's good fresh. Excited to hear your results, enjoy!!!

Click to expand...

I was making another IPA around the same time so I pitched 1.5 packets US-05 for both. Hopefully it will keep coming down a bit, and maybe racking it to another carboy will wake the yeast up a little. If not, I still love the flavor and don't mind too much if it doesn't come down.

On a side note, I *tasted* it last night and just the amount from the hydrometer test tube was enough to make me feel good. This beer packs a punch!

Yea it does, 2-3 of these I'm pretty well there lol. But the hops and crystal malt make it very smooth really masking the 10.5 abv. No one I've given the beer to could tell it was that strong, at least by taste haha

So I served this at Brewfest today and it was a huge hit!!! It was awesome seeing people come back for more over the 150 varieties of micros they had available. I even had a number of people ask where they could buy my IPA not realizing it was my homebrew and not a commercial craft. No other way to say it other than I'm proud of this recipe!!!!

Keywest, I'm not going to brew this exactly but it's given me some inspiration for my second to next batch. Thanks! Also why is the recipe called an IIPA vs. an IPA?

bellmtbbq said:

Keywest, I'm not going to brew this exactly but it's given me some inspiration for my second to next batch. Thanks! Also why is the recipe called an IIPA vs. an IPA?

Click to expand...

What changes are you making? IIPA would be typically be an IPA at or above 10abv and I believe 80-120 IBU(could be off on the exact #s). This one comes in at 10.5abv and about 68IBU so in lands in the middle of the two guidelines. The flavor is still very hop forward and to quote the head brewer from Bluepoint brewing, gave him some a few days ago while he was down here.... "you wouldn't have the slightest clue how strong this beer is until you had already drowned two of em"

KeyWest, I didn't mean offense! I thank you for the recipe. I challenge myself to make all my beers below 6% ABV, which may seem totally the opposite of this recipe, but the hops combination sounds awesome. It sounds insane but I like the challenge of making flavorful beers without the extraordinary grain bill or the side effects from drinking it.

Cheers! Awesome recipe

No offense taken at all, just curious what changes your making so I know what can be derived from this recipe. If your going for a pale spin off, I'd think cut an oz off the centennial, use a 1 oz for citra your 10 min addition, 1 oz Amarillo at 5 mins, and maybe a small dry hop.. If possible when you scale down try and keep the same percentages for the grain bill and I think youd have a lot of versatility to work with. Post back with results I'm interested!!!

Awesome! I got one batch planned out before this, but I'll try it. I only make a gallon and a quarter batches so it's not a big deal if it doesnt work out as a true session IPA. Thanks for the recipe again

Very welcome. Hope you enjoy, best of luck

Put this on tap about a week ago and tried some the other day. Wow. That's about all I can say.

Wish I had gotten the fg down a few more points, but I can't complain. It's my best beer to date. Thanks for the original recipe!

theBFG said:

Put this on tap about a week ago and tried some the other day. Wow. That's about all I can say.

Wish I had gotten the fg down a few more points, but I can't complain. It's my best beer to date. Thanks for the original recipe!

Click to expand...

Hell yea man and thanks!!! I've found through playing with recipe that you can dry it out a bit more if you sub the candi sugar for cane sugar, but that also brings it up to about 11 abv. I'm glad it came out great and that your enjoying it. And thanks for posting back with results, cheers!!

Alright, I'm going to finally get around to brewing this recipe on my new mash tun! (woo-hoo!!!) Amarillos are ridiculously expensive by now, I found a great deal at 1.70/oz but they won't crush grain!

Good stuff!!! What OG did you end up shooting for?

Thought it was going to be this weekend, but LHBS was closed. Ordered an ounce of Amarillo and two ounces of Simcoe two days ago, which is like ordering a pound of hops for a one gallon brewer! A total of like $5.30. Good deal.

And I'll drop an order on Midwest tonight for some 2 row and Crystal 40, along with some ingredients for a coffee and oatmeal porter and a packet of US-05. (My Nottingham is reaching it's last breath)

Thoughts on using British Pale Ale malt vs. 2 row? And I'm going to mash at 150 or 152 F because my beers dont seem to attenuate well and I'd like a dryer beer considering all the crystal. Here's the recipe I'm working with, going for 7% ABV (biggest brew by far)

Bluefish IPA (American IPA)
Notes: Concept from KeyWestBrewing, Badfish IPA

Original Gravity (OG): 1.071 (°P): 17.3
Final Gravity (FG): 1.018 (°P): 4.6
Alcohol (ABV): 6.98 %
Colour (SRM): 11.3 (EBC): 22.3
Bitterness (IBU): 62.5 (Average)

88.89% Pale Ale Malt
11.11% Crystal 40

0.15 oz Simcoe (12.2% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (First Wort)
0.1 oz Amarillo (8.6% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil)
0.2 oz Simcoe (12.2% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.2 oz Amarillo (8.6% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.1 oz Simcoe (12.2% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.1 oz Amarillo (8.6% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.1 oz Simcoe (12.2% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 150°F for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 68°F with Safale US-05


IBUs are going to end up a tiny bit lower because I can't do quite a full boil. I'll post pics when I brew this next Saturday! If this turns out well I'll do a 5 gallon partial mash before Christmas time for perhaps my first competition beer. Thanks KeyWest for all help

Sounds good... The only thing is prolly change is I'd switch the 20 min Amarillo addition with the Simcoe 15 min addition. Or just add em both at 15. That way you get max flavor and IBU. All in all, either way it sounds like its gonna turn out well. Get prepared to make that 5 gallon batch lol. Cheers!!!

Keywest... my fascilime is now two weeks in the bottle. I've handed out a couple of bottles to IPA lovers to taste as I'm not a fan of them myself. Maybe this one is my first competition beer. Pics and feedback coming back soon...

Lookin forward to it!!

I gave a bottle to a family member who tasted my first batch, and needless to say they were worried tasting it, hahaha, but seemed honestly (pleasantly) surprised. Said it was nice and crisp, with a strong bitterness in the back. Not a beer expert by any means but a regular craft IPA drinker. Here's a couple of iPhone pics, next week I will post a much better pic. I'll try it next week at three weeks and let you know. Thanks for the recipe idea! Another batch soon.

It's a little darker then it looks in the pic. Only thing that concerns me is the lack of head.

Good to hear and your very welcome!! Give it some more time in the bottle to get the carb level right and see if the head retention improves. If not, if you brew it again you can mash a little higher then use table sugar instead of candi sugar to dry it back out. I did this on my latest batch and Im really liking the results. The head retention is nice, leaves a good lacing the whole way down, and the brew is a little dryer.

KeyWestBrewing said:

Good to hear and your very welcome!! Give it some more time in the bottle to get the carb level right and see if the head retention improves. If not, if you brew it again you can mash a little higher then use table sugar instead of candi sugar to dry it back out. I did this on my latest batch and Im really liking the results. The head retention is nice, leaves a good lacing the whole way down, and the brew is a little dryer.

Click to expand...

I will! Looking at entering it into Virginia Cask competition in a couple of weeks for fun. Head should get better, it already had decent carb. I did use 2 oz of table sugar to dry it out some in a one gallon batch, no candi sugar. Did have some
sick lacing. Your Right, mashing a lil higher would have been better, I was at 149-151 F for the mash. I'll keep you posted. Awesome recipe!