English/American hybrid IPA

[BrettV]

I'm brewing an IPA for a wedding, and I thought it might be an interesting idea to do a cross between an American an English IPA. I'm thinking of doing a grain bill of maybe half 2-row and half Maris Otter with some Crystal malts, using EKG for bittering, adding some brewing salts to get a Burton-on-Trent water profile, fermenting with an English Ale strain, and dry-hopping with something distinctly American like Amarillo or Cascade. Would I totally lose the English malts with the big, American dry hops, or would some of that character shine through? I'm open to thoughts and opinions from the peanut gallery.

 

[roastquake]

I think it's a good idea, my suggestion is don't be heavy handed on the hops (see English IPA specs) and your Maris Otter should shine. Can you post a recipe?

 

[LexusChris]

I just finished a beer which has some similarities... and it came out well!

Mine was like this:

Recipe: Spa Day APA
Style: American Pale Ale

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 13.90 gal
Post Boil Volume: 12.48 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 11.00 gal   
Bottling Volume: 10.98 gal
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 6.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 37.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.5 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
4.90 ml               Lactic Acid (Mash 0.0 mins)              Water Agent   1        -             
4.00 ml               Lactic Acid (Mash 60.0 mins)             Water Agent   2        -             
2.50 g                Calcium Chloride (Mash 0.0 mins)         Water Agent   3        -             
2.00 g                Calcium Chloride (Mash 60.0 mins)        Water Agent   4        -             
11.00 lb              Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)           Grain         5        47.8 %        
11.00 lb              Pale Malt (2 Row), Golden Promise (2.6 S Grain         6        47.8 %        
1.00 lb               Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM)    Grain         7        4.3 %         
1.00 oz               Nugget [13.30 %] - Boil 90.0 min         Hop           8        23.1 IBUs     
1.50 oz               Willamette [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min      Hop           9        6.6 IBUs      
1.00 tsp              Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins)              Fining        10       -             
1.00 tsp              Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 mins)          Other         11       -             
1.00 oz               Citra [3.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool  20.0 m Hop           12       1.7 IBUs      
1.00 oz               Simcoe [12.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool  20.0 Hop           13       6.0 IBUs      
1.0 pkg               German Ale/Kolsch (White Labs #WLP029) [ Yeast         14       -             


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 23.00 lb
----------------------------
Name              Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In           Add 7.69 gal of water at 165.2 F        154.0 F       60 min        

Notes:
------
A: Bready notes with mango/pinapple & citrus.
T: Fruity hops up-front, with a clean herbal finish.  Citrus in the middle.

Half Golden Promise malt, half American 2-row. Some crystal. Nugget for bittering, Willamette for flavor. Finish with Simcoe & Citra. I did not try for a certain water profile, but did use the german Kolsch yeast.

It was a very enjoyable beer with a nice bready toastiness to it, and the Willamette came through well. The Citra/Simcoe whirlpool as not as strong as I had hoped for, but made for an unique & enjoyable pale ale.

I've been trying to enter it as an APA and an EPA in competitions. My 1st comp as an APA did not get any medals, and I've not received the scoresheets yet. I just put the same beer in as an EPA in the LA county fair .. so we'll see if the bready malt & noble decendant hops get some traction there.

I like your recipe idea, and hope it turns out well!
--LexusChris

 

[BrettV]

I think it's a good idea, my suggestion is don't be heavy handed on the hops (see English IPA specs) and your Maris Otter should shine. Can you post a recipe?

Sure, I was thinking something like this:

Batch size: 5 gal

3# 2-row Mash 60 min
3# Maris Otter Mash 60 min
12 oz. Caramel/Crystal 60L Mash 60 min
3# Golden light DME Late boil

2.0 oz. EKG AA 4.5% 60 min
1.0 oz. EKG AA 4.5% 30 min
1.0 oz. EKG AA 4.5% 15 min
1.0 oz. EKG AA 4.5% 5 min
1.0 oz. Amarillo AA 9.3% 5 min
2.0 oz. Cascade AA 7% Dry hop 7 days

1 pckg. Thames Valley Ale (Wyeast #1275)

I do partial mash BIAB, which yields around 84% efficiency, so my numbers would look like this:

OG: 1062
FG: 1014
ABV: 6.2%
IBU: 55

I used the BJCP guidelines for an English IPA, and pushed the IBUs to the higher end of the style (and used American aroma hops) to get more American IPA quality.

 

[seanybubbles]

Interesting idea. Keep us posted on the results.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[RonPopeil]

Not hard conceptually. Figure more English bitter's are based on Maris Otter, dark crystal and simple sugar for dryness. Swap out mild traditional hops for bold west coast American hops and use an English strain that attenuates well like WLP007 and you're pretty set.

 

[RonPopeil]

My look at this thing. I have to use two row because maris otter isn't in the db. This assumes 74% extract efficiency, 60 minute sach rest and 82% attenuation from wlp007 which is very practical with some simple sugars and a lower mash temp like this.