Bitterly Brutal - Rogue Brutal Bitter Clone

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Janx

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Of the three we had on tap, this was the big hit at our 4th of July party. Hopheads should love it.

I based it on searches of the web that all suggested Crystal hops for a Brutal Bitter clone. Well I only had a half pound of Crystal on hand because I had never used it and just wanted to try it out. So I had to improvise a bit.

For those of you unfamiliar with Brutal Bitter, it's an IPA, not a Bitter.

12 gallon or so batch.
calculated stats (from Suds software):
SRM - 10.6
OG - 1.084 (no, I didn't measure it ;))
IBUs - 73.4

Malt/sugar:
23 lbs 2-row
2 lbs 40L Crystal
2 lbs 10L Crystal
2 lbs invert sugar

Hops:
1.5 oz Columbus (15% aa) - 90 minutes
1.5 oz Columbus (15% aa) - 60 minutes
1.25 oz Northern Brewer (7.5%) - 60 minutes
4 oz Crystal (4.4%) - 15 minutes
4 oz Crystal (4.4%) - end of boil
I also dry hopped half of it with a couple ounces of Cascade. Haven't drunk that half yet.

White Labs California Ale yeast

This one will take a while to finish up, but it may even top the Humboldt Hop Rod recipe as an all time favorite. Fun stuff!
 
I'm saving this one! I'd planned to get some Northern Brewer hops, just because I've never used them before. And the last time I ordered from Freshops, I got some Columbus, just because I'd seen them mentioned here so many times before. I also got some Crystal, just out of curiosity - I was not familiar with them at all. I'd been waiting for a recipe that uses both and - voila - here it is!

I'll have to scale it down to five gallons, but it looks yummy! Thanks!
 
Rhoobarb said:
I'm saving this one!
I'll have to scale it down to five gallons, but it looks yummy! Thanks!


I'm gonna do this one too--SOON. I am actually starting to get tired of IPA's *GASP!* I think. It will be nice to have somethign like this on tap. I might back off a touch on the IBU's, so my friends can drink it.
When I was at the NHBC this beer was the hit of the night for me. I really liked it.
 
I've got 5 gallons left in a carboy and I just dry hopped it with a couple ounces of Cascade. I can't wait to see how that works out ;)
 
Just a follow-up. I saved this dry-hopped keg until Thanksgiving. It was one of the best I've ever made. Make this beer if you like a big, hoppy, strong, hoppy, hoppy ale! :D

Just made another one that is bittered with Columbus, and the rest is going to be Crystal, including dry hops.

Cheers :D
 
well, that sounds right up my alley!! i'm not doing AG yet though, i'd have to convert to extract. maybe bump up the IBU's just a tad!! :D

your hop additions look like what i would use for a 5 gal batch anyway. i'm planning on making an ale i'll call hop insanity. use maybe 3 oz of warrior for bittering. 3 or 4 oz of centennial for flavoring, and toss in some cascade and northern brewer for aroma.
 
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