Black IPA - Recipe Critique

[mrgrimm101]

Hello,

Tomorrow I get to brew! So I'm making a Black IPA, but I wanted to see if anyone out there had some advice or critiques for my recipe. I combined different recipes to something that will fit my taste. Ideally, it will be very hoppy, with piney, grapefruity, and slight citrus notes. I want some roast flavor and aroma to shine through, but not be overpowering.

OG 1.071
FG 1.016 - 1.018
IBU 72
SRM 30

7 lbs Light DME
1 lb Light DME (15 minute addition)
8 oz Crystal 60
8 oz Midnight Wheat
3 oz Carafa III

1 oz Magnum (60min)
0.5 oz Centennial (60min)
0.5 oz Centennial (15 min)
0.5 oz Chinook (15min)
0.5 oz Chinook (10 min)
0.5 oz Centennial (5 min)
1 oz Centennial (0 min)

1 oz Centennial (dry hop)
1 oz Chinook (dry hop)
1 oz Cascade (dry hop)

I split the DME additions slightly because when I plugged it into Beersmith with 7 lbs at the start and another 1 lb at 15 minutes it boosted the IBU back up to where I want it. If I did all 8 lbs at the start, the IBU would be lower around 60-63.

I was also considering adding 1 oz of Cascade as a late boil addition, so around 5 minutes or so. I just don't want it to be TOO hoppy. I love hoppy beers, but I'm unsure if there's a line or not that I don't want to cross.

My original plan was to use some citra or simcoe to add more citrusy notes to this beer, but I decided to stick with centennial, chinook, and cascade.

Also, I was unsure about yeast type. Typically I would go for an American Ale yeast (rehydrated US-05) for this type of beer. But my house is in a weird temperature range right now. Upstairs is about 72F-75F and downstairs is about 60F. I've fermented US-05 at about 61F-62F and didn't necessarily like the flavors that it gave off from that low. I'm unsure if S04 could handle this lower temp better or not.

 

[rodwha]

I brewed up a BIPA back in January and used 8 oz midnight wheat and 2 oz Briess chocolate in a 5.5 gal batch. It wasn't very roasty though, which is what I was after. I've not used regular Carafa but wonder how roasty it will make it.

I prefer more west coast type IPA's and so I use 1/2 an oz of hops for bittering and really load up the rest. I used 2.5 oz at 21 and 14 mins, and then 4.5 oz for a whirlpool, 2 oz for a 7 day and another 2 oz for a 3 day dry hop. It was mostly Centennial with small portions of Columbus. It was great!

I'm thinking yours will be fairly bitter, but maybe that is what you want.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Since you are steeping and not mashing your dark grains, what you have should give you a slight roasty edge. You don't want too much or it will add its own bitterness that could conflict with your hops. You might be able to bump up the carafa but I usually prefer to err on the conservative side. For yeast you could try Mangrove Jack's West Coast yeast. It gives a fairly even, clean flavor over a broad range of temps.

 

[mrgrimm101]

My plan is to get the ingredients from my LHBS and I'm not sure if they have Mangrove Jack..I can inquire about it. I usually get great results from US-05, its just at the lower end of the temp range I've noticed a peachy sort of flavor come through.

I didn't want too much carafa, as the midnight wheat should impart some roastiness as well. I thought about bumping it up, but as you said, I was trying to be a bit conservative this time. I didn't want to add too much bitterness from the malt.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Im not reading too many great things about the MJ M44. Most people dont like the long lag time and it doesnt really seem any better than US05

 

[njpatg]

I am making this one on Sunday , check it out

http://growlermag.com/neck-tat-that-says-evil-black-ipa/

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

I have only used the MJ M44 twice but it has worked well. Did one IPA at 6.5% ABV and got 81% attenuation and a DIPA at 9.2% ABV with 86% attenuation. Both fermented in the mid 60's and had no funky flavors. They did have a long lag - 36-ish hours - that made me a little nervous but I don't really mind that if the end result is worth it. The DIPA was 3.5 gal in a 5 gal carboy and I needed the blowoff for 3 days. I haven't tried it at lower temps because my cellar didn't cooperate but it was quite clean in the mid 60's.

 

[sboyajian]

Sounds to me like a regular IPA turned black. To me a black IPA has ample roasted malts. Never could get behind a just a west coast IPA with dehusked and midnight..

To each their own I suppose. I'm sure it will taste good.

 

[mrgrimm101]

My LHBS didnt have Carafa III so I substitued that for Blackprinz

 

[hottpeper13]

I would use Notty, at that temp it will ferment ~62-64 maybe swamp cool it so it stays at 60. will have a very neutral flavor. CDA next on my list, looking forward to tasting notes.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Think you need some darker malts. Seems like a little on the higher end of a normal IPA.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

Nvm, just saw the you added some.