IIPA kits: Which one to choose?

[Philip_T]

So, I've resigned myself to sticking with brew kits for the foreseeable future due to some hit/miss recipe's I've tried to create on my own. I'm only 8 batches in and may have tried to do too much too fast. I'd like to just take it easy for the next few batches and use kits that have been proven while I work on refining my process.

So, I'm thinking next up is another IIPA and I had my eye on four choices.

1. NB's IIPA
2. NB's 115th Dream Hopbursted IPA
3. AHS's Kalamazoo Hopdunk IIPA
4. AHS's Double IPA

Does anyone have any recommendations from these four? Or another one I may be missing?

I prefer a nice malty backbone to my IIPA's to help mask the bitter, and I like more of a citrus aroma rather than floral.

Regards,
Phil

 

[brewin570]

I made the 115th a couple weeks ago and it came out great, very hoppy. The only thing I will do next time I brew it is dry hop it also, needed more aroma. Pretty balanced for the the full lb of hops in it. My favorite kit I have done.

 

[Philip_T]

I made the 115th a couple weeks ago and it came out great, very hoppy. The only thing I will do next time I brew it is dry hop it also, needed more aroma. Pretty balanced for the the full lb of hops in it. My favorite kit I have done.

The 115th is at the top of my list currently...and I just noticed that it does indeed come with a whole lb of hops so that must be quite the balancing act. Is there a commercial beer you would compare it to?

 

[brewin570]

One guy that tried it said its similar in intensity as Pliny, but I dont know if thats right or not, Ive never had pliny. I dont think that kit will disappoint you.

 

[Xcorpia]

+1 on the 115th

 

[martygrumps]

I brewed the Hopdunk back in February when Simcoe hops were still available. I also added the 1% boost. If you like Hopslam, you'll like this one. It's definitely a big beer. A Fall sipper. My final ABV was 10.5%.

Make sure you make a good starter. Give it time to carbonate.

 

[Philip_T]

Thanks for the reply's so far guys.

martygrumps, unfortunately, we don't get Bell's here in Colorado so I've yet to have a Hopslam. I've heard a lot about it though and it sounds like I would love it based on their description/profile of the beer.

brewin570 - thanks for the follow-up. I've had a Pliney or 2 and it is a great beer!

 

[barrooze]

Why don't you just do a Pliny recipe? Are you set on an IIPA over a DIPA?

 

[Philip_T]

I wasn't really aware of that much of a difference between an Imperial and a Douple IPA. Either way, I have no real preference over one or the other.

While I like Pliney, I'd something a bit bigger with maybe not as much pine. Also, pliney finished a bit dry for me, not that I dislike it, I still think it's a great beer.

Some of my favorite IIPA/DIPA's are:
Myrcenary: Odell
Dry Dock's Double IPA (formerly Seven Seas)
Hercules: Great Divide

 

[cheezydemon3]

Why don't you just do a Pliny recipe? Are you set on an IIPA over a DIPA?

wanna explain the difference?

i thought the "double" in dipa referred to the 2 "i"s, as in IIPA.