Special B with a fruity IPA

Hey everyone.

So I saw a recent thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/citra-amarillo-198430/ gave me an inspiration to produce a simcoe/citra/amarillo IPA. and when designing it, I couldn't quite settle on a crystal/caramel profile. then I thought maybe instead use special B. I saw a few threads where people talked about an APA with special B, but with these really floral hops I didn't know how these would mix. I haven't created the hard copy recipe yet, but I imagine it couldn't be too far from the following.

Batch Size: 6.25 gal
Boil Size: 7.15 gal
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG
Estimated Color: 13.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 61.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
12.75 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 86.44 %
1.50 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 10.17 %
0.50 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 3.39 %
0.75 oz Amarillo [8.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 17.0 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [13.40 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (25 min) Hops 11.8 IBU
0.50 oz Citra [13.40 %] (25 min) Hops 12.2 IBU
1.50 oz Amarillo [8.00 %] (5 min) Hops 6.3 IBU
1.00 oz Citra [13.40 %] (5 min) Hops 7.0 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (5 min) Hops 6.8 IBU
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale

I just wonder how the special B would act in this. Or if ultimately I should just change it out for a high lovibond crystal.

Thanks. I would love to know anyone's experience with special B in an IPA

Kyle

It depends what you want your beer to taste like, but it will probably fall outside the style (if you care). With .5 lbs of Special B and 1.5 lbs of Aromatic you are looking at something more like a big red. I like my IPAs to be pale, dry, and really hoppy (multiple ounces at flameout and for dry hopping). If you want some raisin and caramel mixed in with the hopping I think you are on the right track.

I do like a good rust red/copper in color in my IPAs, but I don't know if I want it red...I will have to do my belgian pale and quad just finished buying and see what the colors look like after the fact. Thanks. I am stoked though about the hop profile. Simcoe is my favorite hop with citra gaining ground.

I recently used special b in an ipa, I believe like a 1/3 lb and it came out amazing, definitely my best IPA to date.

I have used Special B twice - once in an APA and once in an IPA. Both were absolutely fantastic, the special B is a show stopper.

Do not be concerned about those hops overtaking your special B. It will be awesome. May I ask why you only have less than 4% on your grain bill consisting of crystal malt (special B in this case)? If you like your beers with less crystal, brew on. However, if you are feeling timid and have held back the Special B as you are unsure of the results, relax. I normally put about 8-12% crystal in my IPAs, and I did the same with Special B (since it is a crystal malt) - it still came out awesome.

I held back on the special B in favor of the aromatic. Aromatic is really my favorite malt so I tend to incorporate it into everything. Also, it doesn't take much special B to put you over SRMs for an IPA. With this current look I think it will give it a nice aged copper color. This is actually more specialty grains than I normally add to a an IPA. I try to stick with the 92:4:4 ratio with base and 2 specialties. But I this is a going to be a fun project so we will see.

Thanks for the confirmation that special B will work well. I am looking forward to trying it.

-Kyle

KyleWolf said:

I held back on the special B in favor of the aromatic. Aromatic is really my favorite malt so I tend to incorporate it into everything. Also, it doesn't take much special B to put you over SRMs for an IPA. With this current look I think it will give it a nice aged copper color. This is actually more specialty grains than I normally add to a an IPA. I try to stick with the 92:4:4 ratio with base and 2 specialties. But I this is a going to be a fun project so we will see.

Thanks for the confirmation that special B will work well. I am looking forward to trying it.

-Kyle

Click to expand...

Ahhh I see I see. Funny you say Aromatic is your fav, I actually JUST started a thread asking if people like Aromatic in APA/IPAs!! Craziness. I forgot how dark Special B makes a beer. I like your ratios you work with - its good to have a system like that. How have you been enjoying your beers using that?

When I think of 'specialty malts', I think of anything that is not a base malt or a crystal malt. Always good to hear someone else's perspective.

Update us as to how it tastes

That seems like a lot of aromatic to me, even if it is a 6.5 gallon batch. I admit I've never tried it, though.

Don't be afraid of Special B. As others, I've used it in IPAs (usually 5-8 ounces per gallon batch) with wonderful results. I find the prune-character complements the stronger hop flavors quite nicely.

It is a lot of aromatic. I will admit this is currently the most aromatic I will have used in a recipe to date. I may tone it down a bit and add a bit more Special B.

I am using 1.5lb of Aromatic though in a Belgian Quad I just ordered the grains for...should be arriving in the next few hours actually. But that is not comparing apples and apples.

Lol, sorry jjones, I always consider specialty grains anything that isn't a base grain. Though I should be careful because aromatic is self converting so I really should make a distinction between those kind of grains as well. Though yes, I really do love aromatic. It adds this smooth quality that holds a malty mouth feel almost regardless of the FG.
I guess the best way for me to describe it is that it leaves the impression of a lot of malt without, well...all the malt