Grand Admiral Imperial IPA

Here's the next fun experiment. I'll probably split the hop additions between 90 minute, 45 minute and 15 minute additions, but beertools won't let me add it in. Nice, simple imperial IPA--added candi syrup according to SnickASaurusRex's recipe for 240 and 255 degree syrups, they taste delicious and will add good color to the small amount of crystal malt I have left. WYeast's 9093 imperial blend will be employed to chew this wort down.

Suggestions are appreciated.

Grand Admiral Imperial IPA
August 15, 2009
Category India Pale Ale (IPA)
Subcategory Imperial IPA
Recipe Type All Grain
Batch Size 5 gal.
Volume Boiled 6.5 gal.
Mash Efficiency 72 %
Total Grain/Extract 14.25 lbs.
Total Hops 6.0 oz.
Calories (12 fl. oz.) 358.1
Cost to Brew $55.06 (USD)
Cost per Bottle (12 fl. oz.) $1.03 (USD)
10 lbs. Maris Otter Pale info
0.25 lbs. Crystal Malt 80°L info
4 lbs. Candi Sugar Clear info
2 oz. Tettnanger (Pellets, 3.2 %AA) boiled 90 min. info
2 oz. Northern Brewer (Pellets, 8.9 %AA) boiled 90 min. info
2 oz. Willamette (Pellets, 4.4 %AA) boiled 90 min. info
Yeast : WYeast 9093 Imperial Blend Yeast
Predicted Imperial IPA Compliance
Original Gravity 1.089 1.075 - 1.090 100 %
Terminal Gravity 1.016 1.012 - 1.020 100 %
Color 14.82 °SRM 8.00 - 15.00 °SRM 100 %
Bitterness 178.6 IBU 60.00 - 100.00 IBU 0 %
Alcohol (%volume) 9.7 % 7.50 - 10.00 % 100 %
80 % overall

Wow! Almost 30% sugar? And hop choice that leans more toward an English IPA. Should be interesting. I'd try it! What's the mash temperature?

Shouldn't Imperial IPAs have English hops? Either way, I've got english malt, german and american hops, and an english yeast. It'll be a nice cooperative post-WWII IPA, with all nations working together to produce a tasty beer.

As an aside, I mashed at 154*F and OG was 1.100 for about 4.5 gallons. I might dilute it, but probably not. Pitched an hour ago at about 75*F, fermentation will happen about 70-72*F.

How do you like me now?

No dilution occurred--this is full strength. Fermented down to 1.005 by yesterday evening, racked onto 1/2 oz of Jack Daniel's American Oak Chips. No alcohol hotness, no cidery flavors from the sugar. Just 13% ABV smoothness. I might throw another ounce of hops into the secondary as aroma is quite low, but flavor and bitterness is beautiful. Color is a nice light copper (maybe 15?)

Decided not to dry-hop. I racked off the oak after about a week. It stayed in secondary until last night, got 36 bottles of crystal-clear, delicious IPA.

There was a half-bottle extra that I didn't want to cap, so I drank it. Man, this is so SMOOTH (seriously). The hop flavor and bitterness intensity is like getting punched in the throat, but in a good way.

I thought the oak might have darkened it too much until I saw it in the siphon tube--it's fine now. A nice, coppery color. Oak mellowed out but the hops still shine.

Tried a bottle two nights ago, made a little pfft when I pried off the lid but otherwise flat as a pancake. I'll move the bottles to a warmer spot and update in a week or two.