Black IPA Recipe

[pittbrewing]

Hello

I was planning on doing a Red, but I now have a craving for a good black IPA. I currently have grain from a kit for a nut brown ale kit on hand, and was wondering if I could add some grain to it to 1) make it a black IPA (duh) and 2) beef up the ABV. The current grains are:
7.5lb Marris Otter
.25lb Special Roast
.25lb English Chocolate
.25lb Briess Caramel 120
.25lb Belgian Biscuit

I was thinking about adding maybe 5-7 pounds of 2 row, maybe a pound or so of midnight wheat, and a pound of flaked oats for mouthfeel? I am also considering increasing everything in the original recipe from .25 lb to a full pound. My goal is something very dark and dark tasting, but not stout-like. But I do not want it to be like a schwartzbier. Just a happy medium. Thank you for the input!

 

[chrilr]

Remember that English chocolate is darker than American. If you increase that to a full pound it will be very roasty in a black ipa . I used 1# chocolate wheat, as the roast in a black ipa, and it was too roasty for my taste. English chocolate is 75 srm darker than chocolate wheat.
I would try to use midnight wheat or dehusked carafa instead. The oats would be good in there also

 

[Miraculix]

Oats don't increase mouthfeel. That's a stubborn myth which seems to stay forever.

I would throw out everything but the mo and instead only use midnight wheat or carafa special 2 for coloring. Maybe add a little bit of Crystal for flavour and maybe cold steep the roasted malts over night instead of mashing them.

 

[Hayden123982]

I agree w/ tossing everything out and sticking w/ MO and using midnight wheat. Then grab a smidge of a lighter crystal and whatever base you want to beef it up with.

What hops are you going with

 

[pittbrewing]

Unfortunately I can't remove those grains because they are already mixed. I got it as a kit. So I am stuck with them. I am not entirely upset though because I want a roasty flavor to it. I don't want a black ipa that tastes like a normal ipa and is just black. I have been researching and playing around with recipes in beersmith and this is where I'm at now:

10 lb marris otter
4 oz each biscuit, chococate, caramel 120, special roast (I cannot remove these)
1 pound rye
1 pound dark munich
1 pound flaked barley
12 oz carafa III

@Miraculix so what is the point of oats in a brew then? Is there something that will create a velvety mouthfeel? I assuming something high in proteins?

As for hops I am planning on using some or all of: Simcoe, Mosaic, Equinox, El Dorado, Amarillo and Galaxy. Kind of unconventional for this style I guess?

Thanks for the input!

 

[Miraculix]

Unfortunately I can't remove those grains because they are already mixed. I got it as a kit. So I am stuck with them. I am not entirely upset though because I want a roasty flavor to it. I don't want a black ipa that tastes like a normal ipa and is just black. I have been researching and playing around with recipes in beersmith and this is where I'm at now:

10 lb marris otter
4 oz each biscuit, chococate, caramel 120, special roast (I cannot remove these)
1 pound rye
1 pound dark munich
1 pound flaked barley
12 oz carafa III

@Miraculix so what is the point of oats in a brew then? Is there something that will create a velvety mouthfeel? I assuming something high in proteins?

As for hops I am planning on using some or all of: Simcoe, Mosaic, Equinox, El Dorado, Amarillo and Galaxy. Kind of unconventional for this style I guess?

Thanks for the input!

Thats the point of brewing with oats: http://scottjanish.com/case-brewing-oats/

Velvety mouthfeel is complicated. But surely wheat could help. But there is more to it than just wheat.

I think your kit won't preduce a nice dark IPA. It will be something drinkable, but I would stick to the original plan, brew it as it was designed and build up a complete new recipe on your own for your next batch. Than you can make it exactly to your liking.

 

[Hayden123982]

It almost seems like you are on track for a tropical stout recipe, so maybe go all in on that vs the black IPA. maybe an extra 4 oz of chocolate and c-120 and add some lighter c malts and stick with the hops you are planning

Or just brew what you have planned and see how that turns out too. I've only done 2 black IPAs using the simple base + small c malt + midnight wheat or other dehusked malt formula in the past and I get some slight roastiness that I like (I also don't just want a black colored IPA). From my little experience w/ the style, I think what you have posted right now might not come across as a black IPA.

 

[505-Brewer]

If the beer is between a black ipa and an american stout i think it would be delicious! I say go for it!

 

[couchsending]

If you don’t have Mitch Steele’s IPA book, I’d recommend it. There’s tons of great recipes in there, Including black IPA recipes provided by John Kimmich and Shaun Hill. El Jefe, and James in particular. I’d make one of those two before I made anything else.

 

[pittbrewing]

Thanks for all the input guys. I think Im gonna just go for and see what happens. Probably won't get around to it until this weekend, but Ill post what its like when I try it