Looking for recipe critique - Belgian IPA

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Mathematics

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
48
Reaction score
1
Location
In the mountains!
Looking for a critique/suggestions/thoughts on this recipe...hoping to brew this weekend

5.00 lb Pilsner DME (3.0 SRM)
2.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM)
0.50 lb Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM)
1.00 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM)

1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (60 min)
0.50 oz Nugget [13.00 %] (30 min)
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min)
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (10 min)

1.068 OG
1.016 FG
72.5 IBUs

I keep playing with this recipe but tend to keep adding too many different malts. Maybe overlap between the aromatic & caramunich? I am looking for a malty backbone to the hops, with hopefully the yeast coming through after the bitterness of the hops.

Nugget & Saaz because thats what I have a bunch of in the fridge. I tend to prefer the spicy flavored hops over the grapefruit/citrusy flavor. Debating adding 1/2# of sugar as well, I just don't want it too dry with the hops.

Have WLP530, WLP500 & will have a yeast cake of WLP515 available.

Any thoughts/comments/critiques appreciated!!!!
 
I'd drop the pale malt, replace with munich, and drop the victory.

Then dry hop that dude with a combo of saaz and amarillo. Those two are like a marriage made in heaven.
 
The girlfriend and I make a batch of "Belgian" IPA once every couple of weeks; it's one of the three beers we can't see,m to have enough of. Ours is basically a SNPA clone with 4 ounces of special b, mashed at 150, and fermented with either Belgian Ardennes, 70-72 for the first two days, and then dropped down to 66 until it's done fermenting.

Not sure if that's a traditional belgian IPA but it is delicious. And drinkable. the Raging ***** clones and the Houblon Chouffe Tripel IPA (sp?) clones are all so high in alcohol you can't enjoy them while watching TV or hanging out with people without getting into trouble.
 
My only comment would be to add some sort of simple sugars. With the addition of the simple sugars it will bump up the ABV and ensure you have a drier beer, both are characteristic of belgians. I think that you have alot in the grain bill, but belgians can be super simple or quite complex, depending on what you want. The hop bill looks good!
 
Back
Top