Help With Belgian IPA

[Cookiedds]

I am planning on brewing up a Belgian IPA with a restrained Belgian yeast character but big hop flavor & aroma. Here's what I have so far, what would you tweak?

Belgian IPA
Belgian Pale Ale

Type: All Grain
Date: 12/16/2010
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Brewer: Christian Claeys
Boil Size: 7.58 gal Asst Brewer: Greg Ross
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: 10 Gal Brew Kettle and Igloo 10 Gal Mash Tun
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
11.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel (3.0 SRM) Grain 77.19 %
0.50 lb Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
0.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
0.50 lb Wheat Malt, Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.51 %
0.25 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 1.75 %
1.00 oz Admiral [10.50 %] (40 min) Hops 24.4 IBU
1.00 oz Admiral [10.50 %] (30 min) Hops 21.3 IBU
1.00 oz Motueka [8.60 %] (20 min) Hops 13.8 IBU
1.00 oz Motueka [8.60 %] (10 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1.00 oz Motueka [8.60 %] (5 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
2.00 oz Motueka [8.60 %] (Dry Hop 9 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Motueka [8.60 %] (0 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
0.30 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1.20 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Primary 3.0 days) Misc
12.00 gm Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Candi Sugar, Amber (75.0 SRM) Sugar 7.02 %
1 Pkgs Antwerp Ale (White Labs #WLP515) Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.069 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.95 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 67.7 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 16.9 SRM Color: Color

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 13.25 lb
Sparge Water: 4.45 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

Single Infusion, Light Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 19.88 qt of water at 159.5 F 150.0 F

Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Kegged (Forced CO2) Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 21.6 PSI Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

 

[GuldTuborg]

Special "B" in a pale ale? It might work, but it seems out of place to me. The rest of the grainbill seems OK. I've never used the yeast or hops you've chosen, so I can't help you there. The hops are sure there in sufficient quantity, which is always nice! Good luck!

 

[bknifefight]

Keep in mind it's a Belgian Pale Ale, I think the Special B is fine. I am not familiar with those hops, are they noble hops? Noble hops are the only ones I ever use in Belgians and I have made some tasty Belgian Pale Ales. Your hop schedule is a little weird too, why no 60 minute addition? You would probably get more IBUs from 1 oz at 60 than the 1 oz at 40 and the 1 oz at 30 together, which will give nothing toward the flavor or aroma, by the way. I say drop the 40 and 30 and get your IBUs at 60 minutes instead.

 

[Cookiedds]

Both Admiral and Motueka hops are used by Belgian breweries. The Motueka is a New Zealand grown Saaz varient with the same Saaz qualities and a lemon/lime twist. The Admiral hops are a UK hop with a bit of orange flavor & aroma. I generally do most or all of my hoping for pale ales and IPAs in the last 30 minutes, I just like the bittering profile when the hops are added later in the boil. I've made burley, high IBU IPAs with all the hop additions in the last 20 minutes of the boil. I have a 9.4% OH, calculated 177 IBU IPA on tap right now that was drinking great 3 weeks from the brew date, HUGE hop flavor & aroma but totally smooth bitterness at the same time.

 

[GuldTuborg]

Keep in mind it's a Belgian Pale Ale

I'm not seeing how that makes a difference. I guess if you don't mind it being more amber than pale, it might work. The flavor of the Special B I see as being a bit out of place in an IPA as well, but maybe I'm the odd one out.

Maybe it's my imagination that's keeping me from seeing how it would work. Does anyone know of a Belgian IPA that definitely does use a significant amount of special B (like I need another excuse to buy and drink more beer)?

 

[Cookiedds]

I think i'll scratch the Special B to clean it up a bit. What do you think of the Belgian candy sugar? Dark or clear if I keep it in the recipe?

 

[heywatchthis]

Motueka is definately more of an American style hop if you've never used it. When they say lemon lime twist, they mean that it tastes like seven up...I didn't care for it in quantity too much. Kinda like Sorachi Ace a little in that it is a great compliment hop, but heavily used on its own is kinda blech.

 

[GuldTuborg]

What do you think of the Belgian candy sugar? Dark or clear if I keep it in the recipe?

Brew Like a Monk has quite a few interviews and talk on this topic. The Belgian approach seems to be to use whatever is cheap and easily available. Since you're not looking for the flavor and color contribution of darker sugars, I'd just use plain table sugar. It's cheap, you probably already have it, and I've never come across anyone who's actually had odd flavors arise when using 20% or less in the grainbill (despite the commonly cited fear of "cidery" flavors). I use it up to 15% in several of my own recipes. They're also some of my best, if I may say so.

Around 1lb in a nearly 1.070 brew seems about right. You'll get a slightly drier beer, and it will let the hops and yeast take the spotlight a bit more without sacrificing the underlying malt character.

 

[Houblon]

Strange hops & yeast combo...

 

[kanzimonson]

I think it sounds really fun. Whereas most people take an American IPA grain and hop bill and then ferment it with a Belgian yeast, it's more like you're taking something that's like a Dubbel and hopping it up. I love the caramel and candy flavors in Dubbels and I think they could be really complementary to some hoppiness.

Brew it and screw the naysayers! So long as you take care of the fermentation, it's not going to be undrinkable. (And I like the Special B)

 

[bknifefight]

I'm not seeing how that makes a difference. I guess if you don't mind it being more amber than pale, it might work. The flavor of the Special B I see as being a bit out of place in an IPA as well, but maybe I'm the odd one out.

Maybe it's my imagination that's keeping me from seeing how it would work. Does anyone know of a Belgian IPA that definitely does use a significant amount of special B (like I need another excuse to buy and drink more beer)?

I don't really consider 0.25 lbs a significant amount. I think it would add a nice touch of color (not too much) and the dark fruit flavors go really well with the Belgian yeast's spicyness.