Is it generally recommended to use Carapils malt in American IPA's?

[jetmac]

Would I notice the difference?

My recipe is 10 lbs 2 row, 1.5 lbs Vienna and .5lb crystal 40. I want to mash at 150F

 

[Bmorebrew]

It's up to you, but if you do add some, remember that it counts as a crystal if you want to keep your total crystal around a certain percentage. If you're only looking for a touch of body, you could adjust your mash temps up a couple of degrees, but if you're looking for head retention, I would keep it at or less than 2%. Remember, if you're hopping heavily, that can also aid head retention.

Just my $0.02.

 

[jetmac]

5—6 oz of hops. If I do use carapils, should I use the recommend minimum of 5%?

 

[heywatchthis]

With 5-6 oz of hops and .5 lbs of C40 I would use .33 lbs of Carapils or less...In my opinion, you won't need it, but some people swear by it and use it in everything. Its totally up to you, but I wouldn't use more than a third of a pound.

 

[phenry]

I recently stopped using Carapils in my IPAs and started mashing 1-2 degrees higher instead. I would typically use .5 lb Crystal 60 and .5 lb Carapils and mash at 150*F, but with this change I really can't tell much difference at all between body or head retention.

 

[jetmac]

phenry, that's what I'd rather do. I'll skip the Carapils and mash @ 152ish

 

[jetmac]

Then if need be, I will boil a bit longer to hit my post boil gravity.

 

[jetmac]

Or more vigorously

 

[phenry]

I just replaced the Carapils with more base malt to keep my gravities the same. 2-row is a lot cheaper than Carapils for me, so that knocked off a dollar and some change for all of my pale ales.

 

[scottland]

I just like to control the dextrine content using the mash temp. I rarely see a need for carapils.

 

[turkeyjerky214]

I just like to control the dextrine content using the mash temp. I rarely see a need for carapils.

Could you elaborate on this? Is dextrine what gives the beer body or does it also affect head retention? How exactly does the mash temp affect this?

 

[jetmac]

Could you elaborate on this? Is dextrine what gives the beer body or does it also affect head retention? How exactly does the mash temp affect this?

If a beer is mashed at a higher temps, more body and less alcohol will occur as compared to mashing at lower temps.To get body into beers you mash at a higher temp but produce fewer fermentable sugars to make alcohol. So to keep the alcohol in lite colored beers and also add some body and head retention you add things like carapils malt and there is also Malto Dextrin, which is a powder derived from corn and is nonfermentable.

MALT= More Alcohol Lower Temperature