Your favorite grain bill for a DIPA and why??

[Demus]

I love DIPAs, and not because I'm a hophead trying to get drunk! I think the maltier backbone stands up better to the big hop loads and the noticeable maltiness tones down the bite lighter IPAs can have. Think Great Divide Hercules or Dog Fish 90 minute.
So, I'm looking for a good base foundation to experiment with various hop combos. I want to keep the grain bill the same, and would like it to be a great one. So what's your favorite grain bill for a big IPA and what do you like so much about it? I'm shooting for at least 1.080 starting gravity.

Thanks!!

 

[olotti]

I think if u did something with a majority of two row or marris otter I prefer mo cuz it allows me to use less crystal malt since mo has a nice body on its own. But if u went say 80% 2 row some c 40 and a little victory or Vienna and carapils for head retention I think that'd make a nice malty body for a dipa. I'd like to see others responses also as I'm lookin for a grain bill for a dipa.

 

[Brewtah]

I just kegged a DIPA. My grain bill was unusual. I was trying to clone a beer. I used .5 lb dex and .5lb brown sugar. The base grain was about 70% 2-row. My normal base grain tends to be MO. I would love a go to base recipie. You could look on the recipe section and formulate from there. I tend to like maltier beers, so my "go to" recipe might look different from others.

 

[Hopper5000]

IMHO, you shouldn't use ay crystal malt. I think it really takes away from the hops. I usually mostly 2-row or maris otter (~85%), a bit of munich (~7%), carapils (~4%), and flaked oats (~4%).

 

[atom]

I like 50/50 american/english 2-row (and some sugar to dry it out).

 

[Hopper5000]

I you are trying to keep it simple then just do what atom recommends. I believe Stone's Enjoy By series uses 50% 2 row and maris otter with about 10% sugar

 

[kanzimonson]

Another agreement for half maris otter, half two row. Sometimes I'll sub in some wheat, and I usually do 10% sugar.

 

[bobbrews]

I think the maltier backbone stands up better to the big hop loads and the noticeable maltiness tones down the bite lighter IPAs can have. Think Great Divide Hercules or Dog Fish 90 minute. I'm shooting for at least 1.080 starting gravity.

Sounds like your tastes are suited less towards clean Double IPAs like Pliny the Elder or Heady Topper and more toward malty Imperial IPAs like Avery Maharaja or Moylan's Hopsickle. In this case, using grains like Victory malt, Biscuit malt, dark Crystal, dark Munich would probably appeal to you.

For my tastes, I like a very clean grist which showcases the hops better. Wheat, Rye, or Vienna if I'm feeling adventurous, but mainly a 2-row or Pearl Malt base (Maris Otter & Golden Promise are too toasty for me). Simple sugar, light crystal, or honey malt are sometimes used sparingly.

 

[sudbuddy]

2 row, c 40, munich, carapils and dextrose

 

[Calichusetts]

Someone hit on it earlier...there really are two roads to IPAs/IIPAs. Ones with maltier backbones and some sweetness to compete with the bitterness, and ones that are light, dry, crisp and pure hop-centric.

I brew both styles.

Hop-centric:
83% Pale Ale malt
9% Munich
5% Mix of carapils and flaked wheat
3% honey

Maltier Backbone:
75% Pale Ale malt
10% Munich
9% Crystal malts (20L, 60L, 120L equally)
5% Flaked wheat
1% Brown Sugar

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

For funsies you could replace a chunk of the base malt with rye malt, I love my IPAs/DIPAs with rye character. Still dry the beer out with sugar additions but it adds a lot of malt character and flavors without a bunch of malt sweetness.

40% isn't super noticeable to me after it conditions, but I am not super sensitive to rye spice.

 

[Demus]

Rye isn't my favorite. Anyone know what Lagunitas uses? Their malt body really comes through even on the big hop bombs...

 

[Remmy]

I love Pilsner, Caramunich and 1 lb. of sugar.

 

[kanzimonson]

Rye isn't my favorite. Anyone know what Lagunitas uses? Their malt body really comes through even on the big hop bombs...

Lagunitas uses wheat in almost every beer, and they use an English ale yeast for a house strain (WY1968/WLP002). I love their character too and I've done a lot to emulate it in my brewing.

If you're going to try this yeast strain in American styles, then I recommend a slightly higher than normal pitch rate, pitch at about 62, perform the bulk of fermentation around 65, and then as things slow down increase the temp to 70-72 to finish strong. You can definitely achieve 80% attenuation with this strain if you're diligent.