Turning a Belgian Wit into a White IPA?

[heckofagator]

Hey all, I was going to brew the following Belgian Wit recipe this weekend

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=24978&highlight=belgian

but thought I might like to go towards a white IPA style. Do I just need to add some hops maybe at the 30 and 10 minute marks? I don't necessarily want to over-do it, but would like to come out with some hop flavor and aroma. Suggestions?

 

[kh54s10]

Lots of hops. A Belgian Wits aren't highly hopped. Use a recipe building program. More hops at flame out and more as a dry hop!

 

[BroStefan]

Also an BIPA would typically be a much bigger beer than a Wit

 

[heckofagator]

yeah, it could very well be. I thought a white IPA was just a Belgian Wit with some extra hops, but I am probably incorrect. Wondering if I shouldn't mess with the recipe as it for fear of turning something that would have been enjoyable to drink into something not so enjoyable

 

[IslandLizard]

You could use a Belgian Wit recipe, imperialize the malt bill to get 1.060 gravity at minimum, rather in the low 1.070s. Use an IPA hopping scheme, including whirlpool hops, and add your Coriander and Orange peel at double level, right there.

Ferment with a Belgian yeast, WY3944 (Wit), WY3522 (Ardennes) or one of the Abbey or Belgian Strong yeasts. Start lowish on ferm temps for the first 2-4 days, then ramp up or let her free rise to completion.

Since it's a Belgian, don't forget to add some (0.5 - 1 pound) sugar (syrup) at some point, either in the boil, or to the beer once primary has subsided a bit (to prevent fusel alcohols).

Since it's an IPA, you must dry hop with a decent amount. At least 1-2 oz in a 5 gallon batch.

 

[bucketnative]

From BJCP Style Guide:

Similar to a Belgian Wit style except highly hopped to the level of an American IPA. Bitter and
hoppy like the IPA but fruity, spicy and light like the Wit. Typically the hop aroma and flavor are not as prominent as in an American IPA.

 

[BroStefan]

From BJCP Style Guide:

Similar to a Belgian Wit style except highly hopped to the level of an American IPA. Bitter and
hoppy like the IPA but fruity, spicy and light like the Wit. Typically the hop aroma and flavor are not as prominent as in an American IPA.

Very true but not the whole story.

Vital stats

Wit OG 1.048-1.052
BIPA OG 1.058-1.080

 

[bucketnative]

Very true but not the whole story.

Vital stats

Wit OG 1.048-1.052
BIPA OG 1.058-1.080

Your stats are correct for the Belgian IPA, which is different from a White IPA (OP's style in question)

But the White IPA does have a higher OG range than witbier, 1.056-1.065. So it should be a little stronger than a true wit. It is also has a lower range of IBUs than does the BIPA.

 

[filthyastronaut]

Add hops late in the boil (15 or later, never bother with 30 min. additions), add some at flameout, do a second hopstand (or don't), and dry hop with a couple oz. or more. Play with amounts and hop varieties to your liking, and whether or not you want it to be more like an IPA or a hoppy Wit. Add the classic spices or not, if you want hop dominance they might get in the way, but if you want it to resemble a Wit more go ahead and add them. Increase ABV only if you want to. It really depends on what you want to do with it, and the ways you can switch it up are endless.

 

[xCSx]

I just created a recipe for a belgian white IPA recipe based off of this one:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/permafrost-all-grain-india-white-ale-recipe-kit

I found when I scaled it down to 3 gallon BIAB - I was over 100 IBU - so I had to cut back a bunch of the hops...

 

[joshesmusica]

I just created a recipe for a belgian white IPA recipe based off of this one:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/permafrost-all-grain-india-white-ale-recipe-kit

I found when I scaled it down to 3 gallon BIAB - I was over 100 IBU - so I had to cut back a bunch of the hops...

Scaling should adjust the levels of each parameter. If your original recipe isn't 100 IBUs, but your scaled recipe is, you've done something wrong.

 

[xCSx]

Scaling should adjust the levels of each parameter. If your original recipe isn't 100 IBUs, but your scaled recipe is, you've done something wrong.

i'm not sure what the original is as it doens't say there, but there was A LOT OF hops in the original recipe for just 5 gallons

 

[joshesmusica]

OP, if you're looking for a true White IPA (as someone stated, its own style, *not a BIPA*) then go with a witbier recipe, up the OG, up the IBUs, up the late hops, and dry hop it.

Something I would suggest, based purely on my own tastes, would be what I call a Hoppy Witbier. Go with a witbier recipe, leave all the major stats the same, but use some nice citrusy American or NZ hops in the last 5 minutes and dry hops. I've been tweaking a recipe to get it 100% where I want it. The last time I tried a more typical german hop for the late hop addition, and an american hop for the dry hop. It was really good fresh, but the dry hops faded before the more traditional one, so it took on a character I didn't like. So next time I brew this, I'll be replacing the german hops with an english variety, and I'll go for a stronger american hop. The point is to try to really keep that citrusy, yet earthy and spicy flavors coming from the yeast and the spices added in a traditional witbier, and amplify it with the hops.

Even if you're going for a White IPA, I would suggest taking that last sentence into consideration. A lot of White IPAs fail by just being an IPA recipe with a wit yeast. It all needs to complement each other, not having a flavor battle on your taste buds.

 

[joshesmusica]

i'm not sure what the original is as it doens't say there, but there was A LOT OF hops in the original recipe for just 5 gallons

And that might be true, and there should be A LOT OF hops *relative* to the recipe once you scale it down.

BUT, if it's 50 IBUs in the original, it should be 50 IBUs when you scale it. Otherwise you haven't properly scaled the recipe completely.

A White IPA true to style shouldn't be anywhere near 100 IBU - max 70.

 

[joshesmusica]

If you would like an idea of my recipe, OP, here it is:

OG: 1.050
FG: 1.008
IBU: 14.8
EBC: 6.9

Pilsen malt - 44.4%
Wheat malt - 44.4%
Flaked oats - 7.4%
Acidulated malt - 3.7% (Only needed because of the water I used at the time, still testing my water in the city I've recently moved to. If you're not doing anything to adjust water, you don't have high alkaline water, or you add acid in some other way, ignore this and add that percentage on to the pilsen malt.)

Warrior - 60 min - 5g (.17 oz - almost nothing here. If you need to add in 1/4oz or something, simply adjust the time. For example 1/4oz at 30 min would make you end up at 15.5 IBUs instead. Only slightly different. Most likely imperceptible difference)
Bramling Cross - 5 min - 45g (basically 1.5oz)
Coriander seed (crushed) - 5 min - 20g (basically 3/4oz)
Bitter orange peel - 5 min - 50g (basically 1 3/4 oz) - works just as well with sweet orange peel, which lends a slightly juicier flavor profile as compared to bitter peel.

WLP400 for the yeast

Dry hop 5 days with 1 3/4oz each of Azacca and Citra.