Black IPA - could use advice

Here's the deal: I got a free smack pack of Wyeast 1338 (European Ale). I have no idea what to do with it... so I thought, why not a hugely malty IPA? And, since it's winter, why not a BLACK IPA?

This yeast supposedly underattenuates. Honey malt has treated me so well in previous IPAs that I'm thinking about cutting crystal malt entirely. Could be a risk and I'd love other brewers' opinions on that. With the FG of this beer, I don't want anything too cloying, but then again...

12 lb Maris Otter (73%)
3 lb Munich 10L (19%)
1 lb Chocolate Wheat (6%)
1/2 lb Honey Malt (3%)

1 oz Columbus (FHW)
.5 oz Columbus (15 min)
.5 oz Chinook (15 min)
.5 oz Simcoe (15 min)
.5 oz Columbus (5 min)
.5 oz Chinook (5 min)
.5 oz Simcoe (5 min)
1 oz Simcoe (dry hop 7 days)
1 oz Chinook (dry hop 7 days)

1 tsp gypsum

Mash: 152 for 45 min

Yeast: Wyeast 1338, European Ale. Ferment at ~62F.

OG: 1.078
FG: 1.023
SRM: 32
IBU: 78

So.. thoughts?

maybe some flaked barley cut back on the chocolate to 4% and I mash at 150 for 1 hour

should be tasty any way

Hmm, half pound flaked barley maybe?

That's almost exactly the malt bill I'm going to use to make a Black IPA on Wednesday. The only difference is that I will use a lb of Midnight Wheat instead of Chocolate Wheat.

I made an IPA with that malt bill minus the dark wheat malt. I used Irish Ale yeast and it was f'ing awesome! I vote for sticking with the malt bill you have listed. We can compare notes in a couple months.

What's the difference between Midnight Wheat and Chocolate Wheat? Just different branding by different malsters?

kyleobie said:

What's the difference between Midnight Wheat and Chocolate Wheat? Just different branding by different malsters?

Click to expand...

Referencing Austin Homebrew, the Chocolate Wheat is 300-450L. Midnight Wheat is 550L. The Midnight is just kilned a little darker