Cascadian Dark Ale ("Black IPA") Recipe Help/Critique

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modernlifeisANDY

modernlifeisANDY

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Alright, so let me throw my recipe out there first, then I'll explain my question:

9 lb. US 2 Row
1 lb. Munich
0.5 lb. Carapils
0.5 lb. Crystal 80
0.5 lb. Carafa III

1 oz. Warrior @ 60
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 30
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 15
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 5
1 oz. Amarillo dry hop in keg

Okay so down to business - the beer tastes EXACTLY like I was hoping for. Nice and hoppy, really bitter nose, just enough malt to ensure that the scales tip in favor of the hops but they don't feel overpowering - but the color is a little light. I didn't want the Carafa to be overbearing in the roasty flavor so I stuck with 0.5 lbs., and as it is it adds just enough roastiness to the profile to be noticeable but not enough to take over the insane amount of hop flavor.

As it is, it's less "black" and more "dark brown." Is there any way I can add some darker color without overpowering the hops? I mean, 106 IBU is going to be tough to overpower regardless, but I'm just curious. (And for anyone interested, this recipe is so far so good - will be posting pics and full details as soon as the keg finished carbonating. Another day for full volume of CO2.)

Thanks for any input!
 
modernlifeisANDY said:
Alright, so let me throw my recipe out there first, then I'll explain my question:

9 lb. US 2 Row
1 lb. Munich
0.5 lb. Carapils
0.5 lb. Crystal 80
0.5 lb. Carafa III

1 oz. Warrior @ 60
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 30
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 15
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 5
1 oz. Amarillo dry hop in keg

Okay so down to business - the beer tastes EXACTLY like I was hoping for. Nice and hoppy, really bitter nose, just enough malt to ensure that the scales tip in favor of the hops but they don't feel overpowering - but the color is a little light. I didn't want the Carafa to be overbearing in the roasty flavor so I stuck with 0.5 lbs., and as it is it adds just enough roastiness to the profile to be noticeable but not enough to take over the insane amount of hop flavor.

As it is, it's less "black" and more "dark brown." Is there any way I can add some darker color without overpowering the hops? I mean, 106 IBU is going to be tough to overpower regardless, but I'm just curious. (And for anyone interested, this recipe is so far so good - will be posting pics and full details as soon as the keg finished carbonating. Another day for full volume of CO2.)

Thanks for any input!
Click to expand...

Oh and by the way, I didn't research the style a ton beforehand so my numbers may have just been "off" to begin with. Some after the fact research shows that I should have upped to Carafa III to a pound or so. Thoughts?
 
Not to hijack, but here is my grain bill for my CDA. Up your carafa III to get a deeper color, the proposed guidelines say SRM should start at 30. Mine came in at 32 srm. Its all about coloring your beer with the right grains.

10.5 lbs 2-Row
1.5 lbs 10L
0.75 lbs Carafa III (525.0 SRM)
0.65 lbs Special Roast
0.20 lbs Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
 
I think if the flavor is right and the color is "close" I wouldn't mess with it. I've had a few and the best one I've had is a one off beer by Drakes called "chinookian dark ale". I'm sure you can figure out why. It wasn't pitch black. It was a very dark brown in the light. I think people try too hard to get it pitch black like an imperial stout. Remember, beers like brown porters and dry stouts tend to be a hair beneath black. They are dark black until you hold it up to the light, and then you see "brown" hints/highlights.
 
I used black prinze in mine and the roastiness is perfect. It was 2lbs and .75 lbs of chocolate malt for a 1O gallon batch. I ibus were in the 100 range. I wouldn't worry about too much roastiness bumping up the carafa to a lb.
 
Interesting choice of hops especially the Sorachi but no Cascade. I brewed a CDA a short time ago following the recipe that was in Zymurgy a while back (I followed the recipe for the most part but did make some hop substitutions). It turned out fantastic. Montanaandy
 
modernlifeisANDY said:
9 lb. US 2 Row
1 lb. Munich
0.5 lb. Carapils
0.5 lb. Crystal 80
0.5 lb. Carafa III

1 oz. Warrior @ 60
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 30
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 15
0.5 oz Sorachi and 0.5 oz. Amarillo @ 5
1 oz. Amarillo dry hop in keg
Click to expand...

I bet that Sorachi is an interesting combo with Amarillo...maybe even better than Cascade. Have you used those together in a lot of brews? I'd almost think in a CDA you'd almost want a more earthy/citrus combo. I'm sure its great though, and would be interested in trying it in an IPA also.

Thanks for sharing the recipe. Look forward to seeing the pint pic :D


Kerberbb said:
10.5 lbs 2-Row
1.5 lbs 10L
0.75 lbs Carafa III (525.0 SRM)
0.65 lbs Special Roast
0.20 lbs Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM)
Click to expand...

Just curious as to the C-10 you used in your recipe. Do you not like the flavors the darker crystal malts give, in a CDA?
 
chapa said:
I bet that Sorachi is an interesting combo with Amarillo...maybe even better than Cascade. Have you used those together in a lot of brews?
Click to expand...

I've actually never used Sorachi before, so this was an experiment - the combo is FANTASTIC. Definitely a bit "weirder" than you'd expect but in the best way.
 

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