What did I brew? Is it a blonde IPA?

Help me out here guys. Brewed this yesterday by combining a Summit Smash recipe and a British Summer Ale, both of which I had brewed before. This turned out to be quite a different beast, and I don't know how to classify it.

Type: All Grain
Date: 7/6/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 7.25 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: Brew Pot10gal
Brewhouse Efficiency: 81.00


Amount Item Type % or IBU
7 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (3.0 SRM) Grain 66.67 %
2 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 23.81 %
8.0 oz Wheat Malt, Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %
0.50 oz Summit [16.70 %] (60 min) Hops 37.4 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (30 min) Hops 4.0 IBU
0.25 oz Summit [16.70 %] (30 min) Hops 9.5 IBU
0.50 oz Saaz [3.50 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
0.25 oz Summit [16.70 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
8.0 oz Dememera Sugar (2.0 SRM) Sugar 4.76 %
1 Pkgs Nottingham Yeast (Lallemand #-) Yeast-Ale


Est Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.37 %
Bitterness: 50.9 IBU
Est Color: 4.9 SRM


Step Time Name Description Step Temp
90 min Step Add 14.00 qt of water at 156.8 F 147.0 F

yo?? anyone?

the IBU are in the IPA range, and the color is light... I'm thinking something like a Bitter Summer ale.?.?

the estimated SRM isn't that far below IPA...so for BJCP, you could get away with a 14B American IPA

Well I don't think Pilsner is an appropriate ingredient in an IPA nor is the dememera sugar. The Saaz hops certainly aren't.

So I wouldn't say it's a great example of an American IPA.

A Blonde IPA sounds like a great description!

I keep finding myself pushing outside the boundaries of the BJCP. How would a summer ale be categorized? Usually as a "blonde"? Such low IBU and ABV allowances in that category!

Looks like a hybrid IPA, with the extremes of both American and British versions of the style. I like it!

IMO, flavor and aroma make the beer. Depending on the strength of the hop flavor and aroma I would call it an APA or IPA. If it is not too harsh on the bitterness, APA.

I don't know what you made, but I'm wanting to make it and use a Belgian yeast in it.

ChshreCat said:

I don't know what you made, but I'm wanting to make it and use a Belgian yeast in it.

Click to expand...

yeh i thought it would be a good belgian too!

For the reasons previously mentioned, this recipe isn't going to really fit in any BJCP category. You might get away with it as an American Pale Ale, but the lack of American hop flavour and aroma might be the death of it.

The premise for BJCP competitions is that brewers pick a style in advance, then use it as a target for their brew. The judges then evaluate how closely the brewer came to that target. The targets, of course, are strictly defined in the BJCP Style Guidelines. Reverse engineering the process by brewing first then trying to figure out where it fits often won't work, unfortunately.

Regardless, that sounds like an interesting beer and whether or not it fits within a BJCP style 'target' will have no bearing on how much you will enjoy it! Hope it turns out great.

So, nottingham is ridiculous! This went from 1.064 to 1.010 in about 80 hours. Already tastes delicious. I'm considering kegging it after only 4 days which seems crazy. Maybe you guys should talk me down.

Ok I already talked myself down. Patience. Patience. I'm going to give it another week before keg.

give it two and you'll be even happier! just because you've reached FG doesn't mean that the yeasties are done...

I let this sit in primary for 16 days then bottled it. After 10 days in the bottle it is really enjoyable, but could still use a bit more time to absorb some carb. The summit and saaz hops combine with the light malts for a really nice refreshing summer beer. It is nice and dry at 1.009. I'll post a pic later.

Wouldn't call it a blonde IPA tho - not enough hop flavor or bitterness to be called an IPA, despite the estimated IBUs.