India Steam Beer

[ong]

I've done two of these so far, and both have been phenomenal! I just do a pretty standard IPA grist (last one was 12 lbs of Golden Promise and a half lb of Crystal 40), about 30-35 IBUs at 60, and then several oz after flameout, and hopstand for about 40 minutes. Pitch a healthy starter of Wyeast California Lager (Anchor Steam yeast), ferment around 52 degrees, then lager as usual. The first was all Summit hops, the second is Amarillo/Simcoe.

Both these beers had a lot of perceived sweetness, despite low mash temps and FG. I taste that a lot when I do a big hopstand. Really tasty, fruity beers with a ton of hops flavor but not super bitter. I'm really digging this "style."

If I were ever going to enter this in competition, what category would it fall into? I think I'd be dinged for style in the IPA category.

 

[Yooper]

It would be a specialty beer, category #23.

It sounds great!

 

[ong]

Thanks! Yeah, I've really been enjoying these beers. They are pretty distinct from even the IPLs I've tried, due to a kind of mildness and sweetness. I tend to like the bitterness I get from very late kettle additions more than a super hard 60 minute bittering charge.