First DIPA

[elgee]

I'm making my first DIPA and want to see if my grain bill is ok.

9 lbs us 2 row
6 lbs uk 2 row
2 lbs crystal 40
1/2 lb Munich malt

Thanks

 

[peterj]

Looks like too much crystal malt to me. Double IPAs should be dry, but that will likely finish pretty sweet with such a large grain bill and so much unfermentable crystal. I would use 0.5 - 1 pound of crystal at most and maybe about 1 lb of corn sugar subbed for what you take out.

 

[peterj]

I like the mix of US and UK though. Should be interesting. And the Munich sounds good too.

 

[elgee]

I have read that a lot of DIPAs use corn sugar, but with so many ferment able sugars in the grain bill, what is the purpose for me to add the corn sugar?

 

[peterj]

I have read that a lot of DIPAs use corn sugar, but with so many ferment able sugars in the grain bill, what is the purpose for me to add the corn sugar?

All grains contain a portion of unfermentable sugars which give flavor and body to the beer. Base grains contain less than most (like crystal malts) but when you have such a large grainbill, the small portion of unfermentables in the base malts add up and make it hard to get the final gravity down. A very attenuative yeast will only attenuate about 80%, but if your OG is 1.090 then 80% attenuation would be 1.018 which is slightly high for a DIPA. Corn sugar is 100% fermentable, so if you sub that in for some of the base malt you can end up with a lower FG and a drier beer.

With almost all high gravity beers I make, I try to make the wort as fermentable as I can. I limit the amount of crystal malts, mash low (like around 148-149), aerate well, and pitch a lot of attenuative yeast.

 

[elgee]

That makes sense

 

[jhoyda]

I use a pound of crystal in my 1.060 IPA. If I mash at 148 F it finishes 1.005-1.007, if I mash at 152 F it finishes around 1.010-1.012. I like it more at 1.010 seems more balanced. If you mash low for longer I don't think 2#'s of crystal is out of line.

 

[peterj]

I use a pound of crystal in my 1.060 IPA. If I mash at 148 F it finishes 1.005-1.007, if I mash at 152 F it finishes around 1.010-1.012. I like it more at 1.010 seems more balanced. If you mash low for longer I don't think 2#'s of crystal is out of line.

Maybe for a 1.060 IPA but he's talking about a Double IPA and with that grainbill he's looking at an OG of around 1.090.

 

[elgee]

Correct, I am looking at achieving abv between 9-10%. I feel like adding corn sugar is cheating by adding sugar over using more base malt?

 

[tagz]

Definitely not cheating. Many commercial breweries use a percentage of simple sugar to achieve the right finish/mouthfeel, especially with higher gravity beers. There are several Belgian styles where sugar is part of standard profile.

 

[peterj]

Definitely not cheating. Many commercial breweries use a percentage of simple sugar to achieve the right finish/mouthfeel, especially with higher gravity beers. There are several Belgian styles where sugar is part of standard profile.

This is exactly what I was going to say. There is no cheating if you end up with better tasting beer. Corn sugar is just another tool you can use to achieve the kind of beer you want. You just have to know when and how to use it.

 

[Hawaiibboy]

Definitely not cheating. Many commercial breweries use a percentage of simple sugar to achieve the right finish/mouthfeel, especially with higher gravity beers. There are several Belgian styles where sugar is part of standard profile.

Spot on here. Ray Daniels makes note of this in his book, Designing Great Beers, about most pale ales.

Here was my grain bill for my BIAB IIPA (3.5gal batch size)
12lbs Pale Malt (can substitute brewers malt or another pale equivalent eg: Marris Otter)
8ozs Cara-Pils
8ozs Crystal-40
12ozs Dextrose (corn sugar) added to the boil

My OG: 1.097 FG: 1.013