A sweet touch to an IPA?

[sentfromspain]

Does anybody know how it is that breweries like Brewdog or Mikkeller have a sweet note in their IPAs?

No matter what the alcohol content or IBUs or hop mixture or grain bill (even 100% pilsner or marris otter), they are able to give their IPAs a quite enjoyable sweet flavor that mixes excellently with the bitterness. Examples: punk ipa, hardcore ipa, the entire Mikeller single hop series... I could go on.

Maybe they are mashing at 158F / 70C, but I wondered if anybody knew how it is done...

 

[Nightshade]

Could be the grain, could be in the yeast pitch (underpitching a slight bit though I doubt this) could be in mash temp.

 

[BierMuncher]

I mash my Tits Up IIPA at 158 and only for 45 minutes. High mash temps and shorter rest times will insure more unfermentables and a maltier/sweeter finish. I also use a pound of honey malt in most my Pale Ales. Lends a nice sweetness without an overpowering carmel tone.

 

[rico567]

Ed Wort's BCB Rye IPA, which is perennial favorite of mine, comes out with a slightly sweet overtone to go along with the spiciness of the rye and hop bittering. Works very, very well in this IPA. I have had other IPAs with sweetness in the profile that I liked, but this is my favorite. As "BierMuncher" suggests, control of your mash time/temperature should yield the desired results.

 

[sentfromspain]

@BierMuncher You only mash for 45 minutes? I assume you do the 170F / 78C finishing mash step, also but... only 45 minutes?

 

[phuff7129]

I brew a dipa using all Simpsons Golden Promise with just a little carapils and a pound of corn sugar. I mash at 150 going for a highly fermentable wort. It finishes right at 1.010 but the Golden Promise gives it this amazing sweetness that really plays nice with the 15oz of hops!

 

[brettg20]

I mash my Tits Up IIPA at 158 and only for 45 minutes. High mash temps and shorter rest times will insure more unfermentables and a maltier/sweeter finish. I also use a pound of honey malt in most my Pale Ales. Lends a nice sweetness without an overpowering carmel tone.

^^ This, period. Higher mash temp + honey grain + a lot of hops = :rockin:

 

[srob18]

I have a semi similar question that I'm wondering about with corn sugar. I've seen recipes that call for 1 pound or so to be added during the boil but was wondering if any of the more experienced brewers out there can help me with when to add it. The only reason I'm asking is I usually add some during the bottling phase and have heard that adding that much could cause the bottles to explode? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated since I will be brewing an IPA soon.

 

[brettg20]

You don't want to add too much when bottling because they will explode. I use it when brewing IIIPA's to give the yeast the extra sugar to ferment, not to make it necessarily sweet. Not sure if you will need it in an IPA...

 

[mblanks2]

I have a semi similar question that I'm wondering about with corn sugar. I've seen recipes that call for 1 pound or so to be added during the boil but was wondering if any of the more experienced brewers out there can help me with when to add it. The only reason I'm asking is I usually add some during the bottling phase and have heard that adding that much could cause the bottles to explode? Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated since I will be brewing an IPA soon.

Adding the sugar into your boil will ferment out leaving "NO" residual sweetness. I would add at the last 10 minutes of the boil or even at flameout to reduce the caramelizing and color changes that may occur. Adding the sugar when used for priming is what you don't want to overuse because of bottle bombs and used properly should add no residual sweetness.
I use about 5% - 7% Caramel malt to add sweetness as opposed to adding sugar.

 

[passedpawn]

Adding the sugar into your boil will ferment out leaving NO residual sweetness.

Fixed that for you. I'm pretty sure that's what you meant to say. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

Fixed that for you. I'm pretty sure that's what you meant to say. Correct me if I'm wrong.

that had me baffled a bit too. I kept re-reading it, but it's early and I'm low on coffee.


as for the sweetness, I use light crystal or honey malt to keep some balance. my Zythos IPA I used rye and some Special B. it turned out great!

 

[mblanks2]

Fixed that for you. I'm pretty sure that's what you meant to say. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Thank you. That's exactly what I meant. Some-timers, creeping up on me, I guess.