Midnight Wheat Malt (Easy Imperial IPA)

[LJvermonster]

Hi All,

Quick question about midnight wheat malt to darken the color of the beer; do you really only need a pinch to darken a 5.5 gallon batch by 5 points SRM? To go from 4.5 to 13.8 it is saying all I need is .2 lbs 3.2 ounces. Is it really that potent in color? And is it worth it to add something like that just for color or would you leave it as is? Would you change anything else?

My recipe is below:

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/141526/easy-imperial-double-ipa

Easy Imperial Double IPA
Style:*Imperial IPA*
Boil Time:*60 min*
Batch Size:*5.5 gallons*(fermentor volume)
Boil Size:*7.5 gallons*
Boil Gravity:*1.062*(recipe based estimate)*
Efficiency:*75%*(brew house - Estimated)

Original Gravity: 1.085
Final Gravity: 1.024
ABV (standard): 8.04%
IBU (tinseth): 190.78
SRM (morey): 13.62

Fermentables
14 lb American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 86.40%
1 lb Corn Sugar - Dextrose 46 0.5 6.20%
0.2 lb American - Midnight Wheat Malt 33 550 1.20%
1 lb American - Red Wheat 38 2.5 6.20%
16.2 lb Total

Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
1 oz Magnum Pellet 15 Boil 60 min 46.37
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 45 min 9.93
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 45 min 18.44
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 30 min 8.31
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 30 min 15.44
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 20 min 6.55
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 20 min 12.17
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 15 min 5.37
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 15 min 9.97
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 10 min 3.92
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 10 min 7.28
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 5 min 2.16
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 5 min 4.01
1 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Whirlpool at 200 °F 15 min 4.77
1 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Whirlpool at 200 °F 15 min 8.85
2 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Whirlpool at 180 °F 15 min 9.53
2 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Whirlpool at 180 °F 15 min 17.7
2 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Dry Hop 5 days
2 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Dry Hop 5 days

Hops Summary
8 oz Cascade Pellet 7
8 oz Chinook Pellet 13
1 oz Magnum Pellet 15

Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Temp Time
24 qt Batch Sparge Sparge 152 F 60 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.5 qt/lb

Yeast
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Attenuation (avg): 72%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 59 - 75 °F
Starter: No
Fermentation Temp: 70 °F
Pitch Rate: 1.25 (M cells / ml / ° P) 532 B cells required

 

[Lgaddy44]

I usually don't chime in too often on recipes, I figure to each his own. That and I doubt everybody has a professionally trained palate to distinguish slight differences in a grain bill, I know I don't.

As far as the midnight wheat, I think you can put some faith in the numbers. If you input the Lovibond value into any decent software, the SRM should be calculated pretty accurately. So yes, I think it's quite possible that it may only take 3 oz or so to achieve the color your're targeting.

As far as your hop schedule, this goes back to my first statement, of everybody having they're own tastes. For me personally, I think you're using way too many hops (and I do enjoy my IPA/IIPAs). Your IBUs are off the charts. Maybe that's what you're shooting for, maybe not.

I'll leave those who're better suited, to give you some input on your hop additions.

 

[Colbizle]

I usually don't chime in too often on recipes, I figure to each his own. That and I doubt everybody has a professionally trained palate to distinguish slight differences in a grain bill, I know I don't.

As far as the midnight wheat, I think you can put some faith in the numbers. If you input the Lovibond value into any decent software, the SRM should be calculated pretty accurately. So yes, I think it's quite possible that it may only take 3 oz or so to achieve the color your're targeting.

As far as your hop schedule, this goes back to my first statement, of everybody having they're own tastes. For me personally, I think you're using way too many hops (and I do enjoy my IPA/IIPAs). Your IBUs are off the charts. Maybe that's what you're shooting for, maybe not.

I'll leave those who're better suited, to give you some input on your hop additions.

I agree with Lgaddy44, I think your hop additions are going impart an extremely Harsh bitterness.

 

[LJvermonster]

I usually don't chime in too often on recipes, I figure to each his own. That and I doubt everybody has a professionally trained palate to distinguish slight differences in a grain bill, I know I don't.

As far as the midnight wheat, I think you can put some faith in the numbers. If you input the Lovibond value into any decent software, the SRM should be calculated pretty accurately. So yes, I think it's quite possible that it may only take 3 oz or so to achieve the color your're targeting.

As far as your hop schedule, this goes back to my first statement, of everybody having they're own tastes. For me personally, I think you're using way too many hops (and I do enjoy my IPA/IIPAs). Your IBUs are off the charts. Maybe that's what you're shooting for, maybe not.

I'll leave those who're better suited, to give you some input on your hop additions.

I was definitely going for a nice hoppy beer with distinct bitterness but I do not want to overkill it. I was thinking because of the high FG (1.024) that it would be very malty and would require a bit of bitterness to balance that. Would it be a better idea to remove the 45 and 30 minute adds and add more to either the end of the boil/whirlpool or more dry hopping?

 

[Lgaddy44]

I think that'd be more in the direction I'd go with it. Check your calculations without the 45 and 30 minute additions, you may not even need to add more at the end of the boil.

 

[LJvermonster]

So I revised my recipe to remove the 30 and 45 minute hop boils and this is what it looks like; does this look like it should be a bit better?

http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/141526/easy-imperial-double-ipa

Added By: LJvermonster
Method: All Grain
Style: Imperial IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.062 (recipe based estimate)
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
Source: Goodman
Original Gravity: 1.085 Final Gravity: 1.024 ABV (standard): 8% IBU (tinseth): 138.94 SRM (morey): 9.62

Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
14 lb American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 87%
1 lb Corn Sugar - Dextrose 46 0.5 6.2%
0.1 lb American - Midnight Wheat Malt 33 550 0.6%
1 lb American - Red Wheat 38 2.5 6.2%
16.1 lb Total
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
1 oz Magnum Pellet 15 Boil 60 min 46.5
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 20 min 6.57
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 20 min 12.2
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 15 min 5.38
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 15 min 10
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 10 min 3.93
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 10 min 7.31
0.5 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Boil 5 min 2.16
0.5 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Boil 5 min 4.02
1 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Whirlpool at 200 °F 15 min 4.77
2 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Whirlpool at 180 °F 15 min 9.53
1 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Whirlpool at 200 °F 15 min 8.85
2 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Whirlpool at 180 °F 15 min 17.7
2 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Dry Hop 8 days
2 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Dry Hop 8 days
1 oz Cascade Pellet 7 Dry Hop 4 days
1 oz Chinook Pellet 13 Dry Hop 4 days

Hops Summary
Amount Variety Type AA
8 oz Cascade Pellet 7
8 oz Chinook Pellet 13
1 oz Magnum Pellet 15

Mash Guidelines
Amount Description Type Temp Time
24 qt Batch Sparge Sparge 152 F 60 min
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.5 qt/lb

Yeast
Fermentis / Safale - American Ale Yeast US-05
Attenuation (avg):
72%
Flocculation:
Medium
Optimum Temp:
59 - 75 °F
Starter:
No
Fermentation Temp:
66 °F
Pitch Rate:
1.25 (M cells / ml / ° P)
532 B cells required

 

[youreanimpulse]

I'd be surprised if the FG is really that high. US-05 routinely takes those kinds of recipes down to 1.012, maybe 1.014, for me. It's a beast. I like the hop schedule but I would do at least part of the hop stand at a lower temp (140-160).

 

[brdb]

I'd be surprised if the FG is really that high. US-05 routinely takes those kinds of recipes down to 1.012, maybe 1.014, for me. It's a beast. I like the hop schedule but I would do at least part of the hop stand at a lower temp (140-160).

I agree, I see ~85% attenuation regularly with S-05. With a 1.085 OG, I'd expect to see a FG in the neighborhood of 1.01 - 1.015.

 

[Staylow]

If it was me, I would target 70-ish IBU's at 60 minutes from the Magnum and Chinook, then maybe an ounce of each at 5 or 10 minutes, then a total of 4 ounces at flameout for a 20 minute hop stand, then another 4 ounces when I start the chiller. Dry hop with another 3 or 4 ounces for the dry hop. This should yield a monster hop aroma and flavor that isn't overly bitter/harsh.