Belgian IPA - possibly just being silly...

[Bock_Lesnar]

Right, so here's where I'm at. I had a plan for a simple pale ale which isn't going to happen for one reason or another.

I've got 100g of Mosaic for that reason, plus a fairly basic grain bill made up of 4kg pale malt, 550g Vienna, 100g light crystal, 100g medium crystal already crushed in the bag.

So, as with most of my "I can't decide what to brew moments", I've decided to go big or go home. That, and I'm pretty keen to repitch the Ardennes yeast I've currently got dominating a Delirium Tremens clone.

With all of that in mind, I'm taking a stab at a Belgian IPA - something I've never been able to find in New Zealand.

I'd like to preface this with the fact that I've brewed for a year but never made a recipe before, so go easy on me. In terms of the hop schedule, I'm kinda stabbing in the dark (possibly poorly) based on other recipes I've seen - namely this one.

Any suggestions, go nuts (keeping in mind what I've currently got in my grain bill above).



Type: All Grain
Batch Size (fermenter): 23.00 l
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Starter: 2L

Est Original Gravity: 1.063
Est Final Gravity: 1.013
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.6 %
Bitterness: 52.2 IBUs
Est Color: 6.9 SRM


Grain
5.40 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) - 84.4 %
0.60 kg Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) - 9.4 %
0.20 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (25.0 SRM) - 3.1 %
0.20 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (55.0 SRM) - 3.1 %

Yeast
1.0 pkg Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522)

Hop Additions
30.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - First Wort Hop 5 22.4 IBUs

30.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 6.9 IBUs
30.00 g Mosaic [11.20 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 7 14.0 IBUs

15.00 g Mosaic [11.30 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 4.2 IBUs
15.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 4.8 IBUs

15.00 g Mosaic [11.30 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
15.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs

15.00 g Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
15.00 g Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs
30.00 g Mosaic [11.30 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs


Mash In Add 16.80 l of water at 163.0 F 150.0 F 75 min

 

[motorneuron]

I think that looks pretty good. 52 IBUs and relying on first-wort hopping rather than an initial bittering addition will mean it's relatively smooth. That may be what you want, of course, but if you want a bit more assertive bitterness, you could consider adding something else at the 60 minute mark. I can't immediately think how the Belgian yeast would play with firmer/harsher or smoother bitterness.

If you want to play up the "Belgian" character of the beer, you could also consider using some Belgian malts instead of at least part of the grain bill. E.g., use pilsner or Belgian pale ale malt for some of the 2-row, and consider using some Belgian aromatic in place of some of the Munich. You could even add a dash of Special B in place of the 60L crystal, though that would be a more dramatic change. (Pils malt would require a 90-minute boil.)

 

[Bock_Lesnar]

I've added 200g of aromatic, so we'll see how that goes

 

[TNGabe]

So you're in new zealand and you're using simcoe and mosaic? i don't get it. 1.013 is to sweet, you'd be better without the caramel malts, but since they're already in there, add some sugar and think more along the lines of IIPA. You're still going to have hoppy, estery, malty, so maybe a bit much at first, but somehting that will age well.

 

[Bock_Lesnar]

So you're in new zealand and you're using simcoe and mosaic? i don't get it. 1.013 is to sweet, you'd be better without the caramel malts, but since they're already in there, add some sugar and think more along the lines of IIPA. You're still going to have hoppy, estery, malty, so maybe a bit much at first, but somehting that will age well.

considering adding some sugar a few days into fermentation. Also, why would I not use Simcoe or Mosaic? I use plenty of NZ hops but I certainly don't use them exclusively - why limit myself like that?

 

[TNGabe]

considering adding some sugar a few days into fermentation. Also, why would I not use Simcoe or Mosaic? I use plenty of NZ hops but I certainly don't use them exclusively - why limit myself like that?

That was supposed to be funny, dry humor fails on the internet yet again. That and I really like NZ hops.

 

[Bock_Lesnar]

That was supposed to be funny, dry humor fails on the internet yet again. That and I really like NZ hops.

Glad to hear it. I've absolutely destroyed my LHBS supply of Wai Iti hops. Do you guys get that over there? I've never seen anyone on this forum using it. Great for dry hopping - sweet mandarin flavour and aroma!

So looking at the bill I used, how much sugar would you add to dry it out a bit?

 

[TNGabe]

Glad to hear it. I've absolutely destroyed my LHBS supply of Wai Iti hops. Do you guys get that over there? I've never seen anyone on this forum using it. Great for dry hopping - sweet mandarin flavour and aroma!

So looking at the bill I used, how much sugar would you add to dry it out a bit?

No! Haven't been able to find Wai Iti, Wakatu, or Riwaka. Maybe with this years harvest hitting homerew suppliers in the next few weeks, I'll be able to get some.

On the sugar, I'd shoot for around 10% by extract. So if you were expecting 1.063 from the grainbill, you'll need enough to bump it up to about 1.070.

 

[dobe12]

I brew a Belgian ipa every few months. Recipe looks decent, but I'd also recommend throwing some sugar in to help dry it out. Mash lower, maybe around 149-150f. Two things I really like about my Belgian ipa is I use a mix of American citrus and noble hops together. I also like to ferment with Ardennes but warm. I pitch around 70f and let it get up into the mid-upper 70's.

 

[Bock_Lesnar]

Thanks guys, appreciate it. Ended up mashing at 149 and will jump onto my computer tonight to calculate out an addition of sugar to be added to the fermenter along with my dry hop. I've got some high hopes!

 

[jtejedor]

Recipe sounds good to me. I made a belgian IPA a few months ago, I always try to consume IPA's young because of the hop presence. I bottled the last half gallon or so of the keg to make room and forgot about the bottles. Had one recently and it was spectacular. I couldn't believe it was the same beer. Seems most belgian yeasts benefit from some age so try to stow a bottle or two away.

 

[Bock_Lesnar]

Recipe sounds good to me. I made a belgian IPA a few months ago, I always try to consume IPA's young because of the hop presence. I bottled the last half gallon or so of the keg to make room and forgot about the bottles. Had one recently and it was spectacular. I couldn't believe it was the same beer. Seems most belgian yeasts benefit from some age so try to stow a bottle or two away.

While I'm sure I won't manage it, I'm trying to hammer out as many easy drinking batches as possible so I can stash and forget this batch and the Delirium Tremens clone I've recently brewed. Ideally I'll get to six months with half of both batches at the very least.