A Dude of a brew!!!

Well, Preaching in Hell is in the fermenter, but not as we discussed around here. It got changed along the way. I began to think about hop utilization and isomerization. Realizing that a huge amount of hops would be needed to get to the bittering range I really wanted in this strong beer I would need a calculated 200 IBUs. In reality the beer should show as being half that. In order to varify that I wasn't going off the deep end, I varified my assumptions with a variety of professionals, particularly in San Diego where this super hoppy, Imperial IPA is rooted. They all agreed that this was the right course of action. In fact Stone's Ruination IPA is an example of the style with this range of hops. I also elected to use a smaller percentage of crystal in order to reduce the level of sweetness in the beer. This will be a strong beer and all that alcohol will provide a high degree of sweetness to the batch. Likewise, I borrowed a trick from our monk friends and added a bit of candi sugar. This helps build the strength without adding grain sweetness, thus actually drying out the beer. I used Wyeast 1137 (Ringwood) because I had a supply of fresh slury from a local brewery.

The name seemed fitting for a very bitter drinking experience.

All that being said, here is what I did:

Preaching in Hell
A ProMash Recipe Report
Recipe Specifics
----------------
Batch Size (Gal): 20.00 Wort Size (Gal): 20.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 61.00
Anticipated OG: 1.08390 Plato: 20.204
Anticipated SRM: 7.8
Anticipated IBU: 220.1
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Grain/Extract/Sugar
% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
82.0 50.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.03800 3
1.6 1.00 lbs. Crystal 60L America 1.03400 60
11.5 7.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.03800 2
4.9 3.00 lbs. Candi Sugar (clear) Generic 1.04600 1
Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.

Hops
Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.00 oz. Columbus Pellet 14.80 197.5 60 min.
5.00 oz. Columbus Pellet 14.80 22.7 10 min.
5.00 oz. Columbus Pellet 14.80 0.0 0 min.
5.00 oz. Columbus Pellet 14.80 0.0 Dry Hop

Yeast
-----
WYeast 1187 Ringwood Ale

Mash Schedule
-------------
Mash Type: Single Step
Grain Lbs: 58.00
Water Qts: 75.98 - Before Additional Infusions
Water Gal: 19.00 - Before Additional Infusions
Qts Water Per Lbs Grain: 1.31 - Before Additional Infusions
Saccharification Rest Temp : 146 Time: 75


Total Mash Volume Gal: 23.64 - Dough-In Infusion Only
All temperature measurements are degrees Fahrenheit.

LOL... Awesome.

I thought you might appreciate the recipe.

Brewpastor said:

I thought you might appreciate the recipe.

Click to expand...

I can't even imagine adding an entire pound of hops at the first addition. Unreal! :rockin:

It was really cool. The whole brew turned green and the aroma was great. I had to watch the boil so it wouldn't go over, but man it was wonderful. I whirlpooled the whole works and the pile of hops was really amazing.

The grain bill is also very heavy so you need strong hop characterisics. However 16oz on the first addition seems overkill. 16 oz over the course of the boil would seem more sensible and even then you should have a healthy excess to balance of the bitterness bite with the southern aromas.

It all seems rather sensible and accurate to me, especially when you note the 20 gallon batch size.


Right on Pastor, keep us posted!

Turricaine said:

southern aromas.

Click to expand...

Huh?

As for the huge first addition, the proof is in the product. Go and try a Stone Ruination IPA and see what you think. It has a similar hopping rate and schedule. It all is based on the isomerization of the hops in high gravity wort. If you want a really hoppy, high gravity IPA you need a LOT of hops!

Anyway, its my beer and that is how I wanted to do it. I will let you know how it turns out.

Dude said:

Huh?

Click to expand...

Maybe he means swamp gas? :cross:

Preaching in Hell is going crazy. I got home last night and it was foaming all over the place. That wonderful smell of hoppy wort - you have to love it! My wife's only comment was that none of it better get on her car. Like I said the beer is going crazy!

Southern aromas like cornbread and brunswick stew in the kitchen in the winter, or like 'processed' beer and peanuts at a NASCAR race?

Looks like a wicked recipe. I'm starting to develop a bit of an anti-crystal bent so I'm definitely with you there. Might be a good jumping off point for adding some rye...just sayin'...

Baron von BeeGee said:

Might be a good jumping off point for adding some rye...just sayin'...

Click to expand...

There is always next time, although this is going to be so hoppy I don't know how the rye could be picked up, unless I really used a lot....

Oh the possibilities...

Hello Brewpastor,

Did this take a long while to age? Do you remember the brew at all--seems like it would be hard to forget.

How did this bad boy turn out?

220 IBU?! Is the wort dark green?