10 weeks- IIPA - 14% ABV - too much?

[theonetrueruss]

I'm planning what I would like to be a 14%ABV Double IIPA and will have 10 weeks from the time I brew to the time I serve... I'll be kegging so it'll have a full 8 weeks of fermenting on the primary yeast cake then 1 week dry hopping, then a week of forced carbonation.

Questions:
1) Is shooting for 14% too high for my time frame? On anything but a hop heavy ale I would totally say yes! too high! age it a year and then see... but for a big IPA I'd loose my hop character in that time...

I'm really wanting to try a super big IIPA.

So.. if that's not totally crazy... The next question is:

2) What yeast will work for this? I usually use S-05 for IPA/PA but I don't think it will work past 12%... I am thinking of doing a 2 QT starter of WLP-099 and also using 3 packs of S-05. Aerating the heck out of my wort before pitching then aerating again after 12 hours.

Does this have a shot at working or should I just do a huge WLP-099 starter and forget about using S05 with it?

Thoughts? Other options?

 

[wedge421]

If you have the equipment to be able to brew a 14% batch then I say go for it.

As far as yeast goes you could pretty much pick anything but just make sure to make a massive starter for a beer like that so it ferments nice and quick.

Good luck

 

[humann_brewing]

First off yes that is a super fast timeline for that big of a beer, secondly, you are going to have a nearly impossible task of trying to make it taste anything like a IIPA with that high of a gravity. Your tongue will just not be able to discern the bitterness over all of that malt.

You could call it a barleywine and probably get away with it though

As for the yeast, stick something like WLP001, WLP007 or similar with a big enough starter and let it do it's thing. Once that has finished, then you can put in the WLP099, no starter necessary as the gravity will be down low enough it is not necessary. This yeast can just handle the high alcohol environment.

 

[scottland]

^^^ Agreed. 14% is just too much malt to call it an IIPA. Maybe something like a triple IPA, but the sweetness from the alcohol and residual sugars will really mute the hops.

If you want a strong IIPA, maybe shoot for 9-10%. That's about the upper limit of where the hops really start to get out shined.

 

[theonetrueruss]

Thanks.. that gives me something to consider.. still will probably try it and see how it turns out... once an idea gets into my head...etc

 

[bottlebomber]

I've had an DoubleIPA that was around 11 or 12 I think from SpeakEasy... 14 should be do-able but im not sure what you'd call it at that point... id start it off with one strain that will be providing most of your character and finish with something neutral that can brave the booze such as champagne yeast...maybe even distillers yeast for that high ABV

 

[Steve973]

You guys are forgetting dog fish head 120 minute ipa. It can work.

 

[HHP]

You guys are forgetting dog fish head 120 minute ipa. It can work.

From what i understand dogfishhead feeds theirs with corn sugar throughout the fermentation, which is what I would suggest for this beer if you want to retain IPA character. Aim for 1.080-1.090 gravity from your mash, hop heavily, and feed with corn sugar after the gravity has dropped. Also I would say you should mash at a relatively high temp, maybe 155 or 156.

Just my $.02

 

[indigi]

I feel like 10 weeks is too short of a time frame and it would be one hell of an expensive mess if it goes poorly. I'm not the best brewer in the world so maybe I could cut down on my grain to glass time, but anything I make over 9% needs about a month or so in primary then a couple more months of conditioning to really hit its stride.

I'd recommend having a backup plan in case you find it needs more age. You don't want bank on your first attempt at a huge malt and hop bomb coming out good AND fast.

e: I'd say mash hell of low, like 148-150, for 90 minutes. You'll have plenty of unfermented sugars leftover once the yeast start dying off in droves around 12%.

You guys are forgetting dog fish head 120 minute ipa. It can work.

120 doesn't fall under anyone's idea of "IIPA." It's a gimmick. They called it that for marketing purposes. Even people who love it have to admit that all things being equal, the words "India Pale Ale" aren't the first to come to mind when you take your first taste. It's more like a hoppy barleywine if anything. Just know going in you might not exactly get that characteristic IPA light/medium mouthfeel easy drinking barely malty character, and that's ok on a limit-pushing beer like this.

 

[bknifefight]

With that time frame, for any high ABV beer, I would try to ferment cool and long to keep it from getting hot with alcohol which can take months to fade.

 

[SickTransitMundus]

+1 for fermenting cool, and for a HUGE starter. You will need a 12 liter starter with one fresh smack pack, or 5 liters with two packs if you use liquid. Aerate the wort well. I would definitely use oxygen to get full and rapid attenuation.

Don't use WLP099 as your primary strain. In my experience it throws off fusel oils like crazy, producing off-flavors and nasty hangovers. WLP001 would be better.

You're going to want an adjunct sugar to ensure good attenuation. Bell's Hopslam uses honey, which I've found to be a great counterpoint to citrus hops in IIPAs. Consider adding three-ish pounds of honey (I like it raw) split into one pound additions. Add the first just after high krausen, the second three days after that, the third three days later.

Ultimately this is a realistic schedule, if you can get a complete ferment. I routinely serve my IIPAs on a 4 week primary + 5 day dry hop + 1 week force carb schedule. Then again, I usually aim for 9-10% ABV, and I like this style fresh.

 

[jkreuze]

You guys are forgetting dog fish head 120 minute ipa. It can work.

DFH is 9% though, right? That's a far cry from a 14% beer.

 

[bknifefight]

DFH is 9% though, right? That's a far cry from a 14% beer.

The 60 Minute is 6%, the 90 Minute is 9% and the 120 Minute used to be 20% but they scaled it back to 18% (correct me if I'm wrong here)

 

[theonetrueruss]

so 20+9/2=14.5 sounds like 14 is quite reasonable (well... maybe not reasonable but should be doable. I'm going to go for it.. I'll let you know how it turns out in a few months

 

[dcp27]

14% will be fine for a IIPA, I just had Dark Horse's double crooked tree (13%) at lunch at its fantastic. IIRC chico can take you to 15% if you treat it right. pitch a ton, keep it cool, and keep it simple and 10 weeks should be doable

 

[jeepinjeepin]

The 60 Minute is 6%, the 90 Minute is 9% and the 120 Minute used to be 20% but they scaled it back to 18% (correct me if I'm wrong here)

Something like that. It was 20.something. Now it's 18.something. Sam said he brought it down on purpose for flavor.