Specialty IPA: Black IPA Heavenly Scourge Black IIPA

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Ok, brewed this up on Friday and tried my first parti-gyle. Not sure if it was the best choice since I am fairly new to all-grain but I have a few questions. Do you guys up the grain bill at all for the parti or leave it the same. I left it the same and mashed with 9 gallons to get around 7 gal for the IIPA. I then added a few lbs of pale and a few biscuit and sparged to get me second beer. My first only ended up with an O.G. of 1.068 so it's not going to be as big as I hoped. Also after taking samples the past 2 days it appears my yeast have finished at 1.030 which is very high I think. I know I probably Should not have tried this being such a new brewer but just looking for some help. I made a starter the morning of the brew so maybe it was not big enough by the time I pitched it. Do I wait longer and see if the fg drops at all or do I do something now? Any help would be great!! I used 1056 for the IIPA and London ale for the second. I have read up on people racking on top of a fresh yeast cake to try and finish the beer. I suppose I could try racking on top of the London yeast if this is a good idea. PLEASE HELP LOL!!
 
I'm confused. Your partigyle ended at 1.030? or the IIPA did? Definitely not enough yeast if it is the IIPA. This is a big (read 'massive') beer and needs a ****load of yeast. A starter should at least be allowed to run itself overnight, I let them go about 2 days on the stirplate.

However, it's only been 4 days. Let it keep going and see what happens in a couple days. If you have another packet of yeast you could throw it in there. Doubt it would hurt anything. I would not rack it to another carboy during fermentation, but if there is no hydrometer movement in 2 days go ahead. If anything right now you could grab some of the London yeast and add it in there.

I then added a few lbs of pale and a few biscuit and sparged to get me second beer.

Did you re-mash or something? Adding grain to the finished mash and simply sparging over it will get you nothing extra except for starches. Pale and biscuit need a full mash for at least 20 minutes at mash temps to convert and extract the sugars. You parti might be a little hazy because of the unconverted starches you introduced.
 
Yes the IIPA ended at 1.030. And I did remash for a little over 20 min after adding the extra grains to the parti-gyle. I guess I will wait another few days and see what happens. You recommended pitching more London. I pitched the London in the parti-gyle. So were you saying pitch more in that then rack the IIPA onto it. Just a little confused. Appreciate the help though.
 
LOL, I think we are both confused.

I would just wait a couple days. If you still get no movement on the IIPA after that, you need to pitch more yeast to the IIPA. I'm pretty sure you underpitched. Leave the parti as it is.

Brewskie: Glad it turned out great! That picture you posted looks delicious!
 
Ok I tried swirling the carboy and placing it in a warmer space to see if the yeasties would wake back up. I'm gonna take another reading tonight and hopefully the gravity has dropped some. If in fact it doesn't what would be my next best option. Should I make a new starter and pitch more yeast or rack onto my other yeast cake I have the parti gyle on.
 
I've had better success jumpstarting a stuck fermentation by dumping onto an existing yeast cake; re-pitching a starter (of the same yeast) has never had much impact at all for me. Were it me, I'd try racking onto the existing cake first (although as I recall, it's a different strain?) and if that doesn't work, either give in and bottle or pitch some saison yeast instead. 3711 will tear through that like nobody's business, but might get it a bit *too* dry :mug:.
 
Thanks a lot. In gonna try racking onto the other yeast cake tonight and see how that does. Worst case I will try the saision yeast because I really don't wanna bottle it at 1030.
 
so i just tasted my version with 8 oz chocolate malt during the rack to secondary....holy moly...that beer is STRONG. boozy as s**t (my og was around 1.086), hoppier than all get out with a nice roasted backbone. going to need to age this one a bit...kinda sweet, but definitely a winner. going to be hard to let this one sit....
 
Has anyone looked at making a lower alcohol version? I think a 6% version could make a decent session beer. Thoughts on the grain & hop bill adjustments adjustments below?

Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Volume: 6.30 gal Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 68.0 %
Mash temp: 154F

Ingredients Amount Item Type % or IBU
12.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 88.9 %
0.75 lb Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 5.6 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.6 %
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00%] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 47.2 IBU
0.75 oz Magnum [14.00%] (60 min) Hops 32.2 IBU
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50%] (1 min) Hops 2.2 IBU
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00%] (0 min) Hops -
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50%] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
2.00 oz Centennial [10.00%] (Dry Hop 5 days) Hops -
1 Pkgs American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [Starter 2000 ml] Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile Estimated Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Estimated Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Bitterness: 81.6 IBU
Estimated Alcohol by Volume: 6.0 %
 
Malric - I would think 80+ IBU might be a tad on the high side for a scaled back version of this. I have had this recipe below sitting around for while but I have never brewed it. This is a non-imperial version of Heavenly Scourge.

You can essentially make any Pale or IPA a black version as long as you get the SRM up to around 30-35, usually 1 lb Carafa III will do it.

Grain
12 lbs - Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 87.3 %
1 lbs - Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.3 %
12.0 oz - Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.5 %

Hops
1.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min (63.7 IBUs)
1.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 1.0 min (1.7 IBUs)
0.50 oz Centennial [8.80 %] - Boil 0.0 min (0.0 IBUs)
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days (0.0 IBUs)
1.50 oz Centennial [8.80 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days (0.0 IBUs)

Other
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [1000.00 ml] Yeast 8 -
1.10 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -

Est Original Gravity: 1.063 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.063 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.020 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.2 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 %
Bitterness: 65.4 IBUs Calories: 215.0 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 34.9 SRM
 
tbright0223 said:
Thanks a lot. In gonna try racking onto the other yeast cake tonight and see how that does. Worst case I will try the saision yeast because I really don't wanna bottle it at 1030.

Well I racked the IIPA onto the yeast cake of the parti gyle and about an hour later the air lock was bubbling and has been for a few days now. So I'm hoping that the gravity will have dropped a little bit. I'm a little upset about bottling the parti gyle at a measly 3.5% abv but I don't think I have any other options. Just though I would give an update and thank ya for the help.
 
thanks for the update, dude. Was the parti finished fermenting? Still, partigyles are never much more than a mild ale typically. Use it for a light session beer. Glad the IIPA is back to bubbling! Hopefully you can take a reading in a couple days to see if it dropped.
 
Wow...just bottled this puppy, started at 1.083, finished at 1.017 for an 8.7% brew...pulled a sample and this beer is awesome! I added an extra pound of 2-row and 8 oz of chocolate malt...out of 15 batches over the last year, this one i think is going to be the best. real rich and blacker than the ace of spades, nice hop bite with a solid roasty backbone from the chocolate malt. 10 out of 10. got a homebrew competition coming up...unfortunately this one won't be carbed in time or else it would be entered for sure! thanks for the kick-butt recipe...this one will be in the rotation for a long time to come.:rockin:
 
Thanks for the inspirational recipe!
Here was my take on this AWSOME beer

5 Gal AG Batch:

10.5 LBS 2 row pale
.5 LBS Crystal 60L
1 LBS Midnight Wheat (new grain made for BIPAS)
1 LB Corn sugar

.75 OZ Magnum 60 minutes
.5 OZ Chinook 45 Minutes
.75 OZ Nugget 35 Minutes
1 OZ Cascade 30 Minutes
1 OZ Cascade 15 Minutes
1 OZ Chinook Flame Out

Dry hop with 2 OZ Cascade for 10 Days

Primary 3 weeks
Secondary 5 Weeks
Kegged with priming sugar 2 weeks
:mug:

Was going for a Big west coast BIPA , That was as much grain I could fit in my 5 GAL mash tun. I used a big starter of Safale 05 and pitched at 62F. I had a OG of 1.070 and a FG of 1.011 for a ABV of 7.7 .

I can honestly say this is the best beer i have brewed and my personal favorite. I was a little afraid it was going to be to hoppy, but it balanced perfect with the Midnight wheat flavor which is smooth and creamy. :mug:

IMG_20120626_152457-1.jpg
 
I must be out of the loop - whats a BIPA? In any case, glad the beer turned out so good. Looks delicious!
 
Reuben1012 said:
Dry hop with 2 OZ Cascade for 10 Days

Primary 3 weeks
Secondary 5 Weeks
Kegged with priming sugar 2 weeks
:

Seems like a long primary and secondary. Did you notice it need to be aged longer or was it for attenuation? And when did you start the dry hopping? Looks like a great recipe ad a great brew!
 
Seems like a long primary and secondary. Did you notice it need to be aged longer or was it for attenuation? And when did you start the dry hopping? Looks like a great recipe ad a great brew!

I had a good pipeline going at the time so it sat for a while, attenuation was quick with the big starter of 05. I think these beers would be good young too, because you would get even more hoppy goodness:mug: I started the dry hopping 10 days before I racked to the keg. I want to make it again but need more bulk hops first.....
 
just added my dry hops this morning, and thiefed a little. oh, I had forgotten how good this beer tastes!
 
This recipe and various modifications are one of the two favorites that I make. In fact, planning on using it for holiday treats this year.
 
This recipe and various modifications are one of the two favorites that I make. In fact, planning on using it for holiday treats this year.

I too have made a few modifications. Mostly changed the hops to what have in stock. I have made this three times now and I plan on brewng this again either later this year or January.
 
I would think the malt profile is strong enough to handle the "spiciness" of the rye malt. Might add a whole new element to the beer.
 
All I got to say is "dang!". Been sitting on this one since April and down to a few bottles. Popped the top on one today and this thing is a real winner. Only deviation from the OPs recipe was 8oz of chocolate malt and I mashed the Carafa III for the entire 60 minutes. This is a HUGE beer with a pile of roast/chocolate/bitterness backed up by a hefty 9% ABV. Oh, and the head on this beer? You could bounce a quarter off it...check out the pic. I'm down to three 12 oz bottles and I'm going to hang on to them till the next local comp...
Crap...not a very good pic...this hog is midnight-black, very clear and just flat-out righteous.

black ipa.jpg
 
So, this evening I just tasted my most recent batch - it is in the keg only 2 days on gas so it's still a little flat, but it makes me wonder why I haven't brewed this more often.


I always mash the carafa for the full 60 now as well. I have found little to no difference from adding in the last 10 mins. Perhaps I should change the original recipe post.
 
brrman said:
So, this evening I just tasted my most recent batch - it is in the keg only 2 days on gas so it's still a little flat, but it makes me wonder why I haven't brewed this more often.

I always mash the carafa for the full 60 now as well. I have found little to no difference from adding in the last 10 mins. Perhaps I should change the original recipe post.

I've always mashed the carafa the full 60. I may try a shorter mash with my dark grains some time. I listened to an interview with Gordon Strong about holiday beers on Basic Brewing Radio last week. He said that with all his beers, he mashes only his base malts for the full hour. His does a mash out step at the end of his sacc rest where he recirculates the wort to pull the qualities they impart. He said it makes for smoother flavor
 
hopzicle said:
24 hours after being in the primary and i've had to add a blowoff tube to the air lock!

Yeah this beer will blowoff big time.

Also I have always mashed all of the grain for the full 60 min.
 
I'm going to brew a version of this beer, that I converted to PM, this Sunday. I noticed that you use a 1.5L starter for this beer, is that with a stir plate? This is the first time that I've needed to make a starter and I don't have a stir plate. I bought a 2L flask and a smack pack of 1056 with the intention of making a 1.5L starter but Brewsmith says that I will need two smack packs to get enough yeast. Do I need to pick up another smack pack before brewing or do you think it will be fine?

I've never brewed a beer this big so some input is greatly appreciated.
 
I'm going to brew a version of this beer, that I converted to PM, this Sunday. I noticed that you use a 1.5L starter for this beer, is that with a stir plate? This is the first time that I've needed to make a starter and I don't have a stir plate. I bought a 2L flask and a smack pack of 1056 with the intention of making a 1.5L starter but Brewsmith says that I will need two smack packs to get enough yeast. Do I need to pick up another smack pack before brewing or do you think it will be fine?

I've never brewed a beer this big so some input is greatly appreciated.

I make starters for most of my beers without a stir plate. I just give it a good swirl when ever I walk by it in the kitchen. It's not as efficient as a stir plate but I always get really fast starts to fermentation. I think you will be ok with one smack pack unless the lhbs is close by and you can get another one I wouldn't worry about it.
 
I use a stirplate for mine, but JLW is right - just swirl it each time you walk by. It will do the job. If you have the time you could always step it up a second time, but a single starter with one smack pack is fine for this beer.
 
Color might not be the same:

Lovibond as follows:
I 800-1000
II 1100-1200
III 1300-1500

That's kind of what I figured, if color is the only thing really different than I am ok with that. It'll probably just be for me anyway, unless pops catches wind of it haha.

If worst comes to worst, at least I'll have an excuse to rebrew it! :mug:
 
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