Help with Dark Hearted Ale

[burtonbaton]

For my third batch ever (all extract), I was planning to do a Two-Hearted Ale clone; however, today while drinking a Two-Hearted, I started to wonder about making a dark ipa version (Dark Hearted Ale!) instead of a straightforward clone. This would be the first time I've ever veered off into making my "own" recipe, so I could use some help.

Here's the recipe I was planning to use:

5 gal batch:

6.5 lb Light DME
1/2 lb Crystal 20L
1/2 lb Carapils
1/4 lb Vienna

Hop schedule:
1 oz Centennial @ 60
1 oz Centennial @ 20
1 oz Centennial @ 15
1 oz Centennial @ 5
1.5 oz Centennial @ 1
2 oz Centennial dry hop

Either WL001 or harvested Bell's yeast


So, can I just add say a half pound or so of Black Patent or Carafa to my steeping grains? Any suggestions as far as how to change my hop schedule? Making it a little hoppier than Two-Hearted wouldn't bother me, and I assume I'll need more anyway with the added grain. Any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

 

[Bendbiker]

I just did this clone but I divided up the hops into amarillo and centennial.

My hop schedule was 60 min, 15 min, 5 min, and 1.5oz dry hop, so yours IS probably hoppier than B2H.

Personally I would up the Vienna or maybe even throw in some munich. or some special b...

 

[Bendbiker]

love the name btw...

 

[burtonbaton]

Thanks. So is there any reason not to just add the carafa III (or black patent if I can't get carafa) into this recipe? Is a half pound going to enough/too much? I don't mind it being a little roasty, but don't want it to compete with the hops. By adding the carafa are the carapils and/or Vienna still needed? I haven't really used specialty malts besides caramel, so I'm not sure what to expect by adding these together.

Also, I have a blonde that I'm about to take out of the primary. Would this be a good beer to just dump on the yeast cake (I know some don't recommend ever doing this, but I was thinking about doing this today rather than having to wait on a starter.)

 

[foltster]

You could drop the carapils and crystal 20L and add 1LB of Crystal 150 or 120. Might still need to add a touch of black patent to get the desired color.

 

[schmagy]

i just kicked a keg of my all grain two hearted clone. i only used 4 oz of centennial plus 1 oz of dry hop. it was plenty bitter with my 7.5+7.9%abv brew. i think i used a similar hop schedule as u tho i ithink i shifted up 5 minutes on the last three additions. two oz dry hop would probably be awesome... i love aroma.
i also used 6 oz of 80l crystal for color,

next time i would up the dextrine malt to 1 lb, and drop the 80l.
its a simple brew that showcases the excellent centennial hop. Too much competing with the roasty was not as lovely in my book. I think too much centennial can lead to a soapy flavor. (which i did not mind)
I will endeavor to add all the malty flavor i can in mine next time, to include using a kolsch yeast. Local lhbs heartily endorses it with his IPA's based on experience. sounds like some here have had a similar experience.

 

[schmagy]

awesome name btw

 

[burtonbaton]

After 5 months or so of bottle conditioning, and only a couple of bottles left, this is really tasting amazing. The hops are still there, and the light roastiness actually blends quite well. I wish I had saved more, but I think that's the homebrewer mantra of regret. Here's the final recipe. Can't wait to try a partial mash version, but this proves to me that extract can make great beer:

Dark Hearted Ale (extract w/ steeping)
5 gal batch:

6.75 lb Light DME
3/4 lb Vienna
1/2 lb Crystal 20L
1/2 lb Carapils
6 oz English Roasted Barley

Hop schedule:
1/2 oz Centennial @ 60
1 oz Centennial @ 20
1 oz Centennial @ 15
1 oz Centennial @ 10
1 oz Centennial @ 5
1.5 oz Centennial @ 1
2 oz Centennial dry hop

WLP001