Step-Mash for an IPA?

[ShaLaH]

Fellow Brewers,

My last two IPA's came out really good - great flavor, great aroma, nice color, dry - but the mouthfeel was still too thin for my taste. To try and increase body & head retention I used 15% Flaked Wheat & 10% Flaked Oats in my grain bill. I mashed at 154 F.

I just moved to a different state so there are a few new variables for this batch. I don't have a water profile yet so I'm gonna brew with RO water and add salts as needed. I'm gonna add about 8% of CaraPils for body and am thinking of doing a step mash. Would a step mash help increase the body or would i be wasting time?

 

[Double_D]

A step mash would help breakdown proteins and give more time for enzymatic conversion, I think. I'd expect a thinner body from that. I don't think it's a waste of time but my .02 is it's probably not what you're looking for. Are you trying to get a thick stout type body in your IPA?

 

[ShaLaH]

A step mash would help breakdown proteins and give more time for enzymatic conversion, I think. I'd expect a thinner body from that. I don't think it's a waste of time but my .02 is it's probably not what you're looking for. Are you trying to get a thick stout type body in your IPA?

Not really a Stout mouthfeel but a fuller, silkier, sort of feel instead of watery. The great Northeast IPAs from Other Half, Trillium, Treehouse, etc have this pillowy mouthfeel that I'm after.

 

[beskone]

Not really a Stout mouthfeel but a fuller, silkier, sort of feel instead of watery. The great Northeast IPAs from Other Half, Trillium, Treehouse, etc have this pillowy mouthfeel that I'm after.

Oats and Wheat up to ~15%

 

[ShaLaH]

Oats and Wheat up to ~15%

I used 15% Flaked Wheat & 10% Flaked Oats for that last batch. Are you saying I should scale the Wheat & Oats back to 15% of overall grain bill?

 

[m00ps]

what yeast are you using?

 

[ShaLaH]

what yeast are you using?

Hey M00ps, I was hoping you'd reply.

London III

 

[kristiismean]

i think that is the recommended MAX amount of flaked

15% white wheat malt instead to improve mouthfeel?

 

[m00ps]

Hey M00ps, I was hoping you'd reply.

London III

Oh, thats what I was gonna recommend if you find your IPAs too thin. Without looking into your water chemistry, maybe just up the flaked ingredients?

I've used a total of 40-45% flaked wheat/oats a number of times with good results. I do what is basically a BIAB method so I don't need to worry about stuck sparges though

 

[Upthewazzu]

Some of those NE breweries are throwing flour into the recipe as well to get that look and mouthfeel.

And they pretty much all use white or red wheat.

 

[ShaLaH]

White Wheat Malt, eh? Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into that.

Any idea how much flour I'd use for a 5 gallon batch?