Winter Warmer Question

[stewart194]

I've only done 3 extract kits so far, but I'm planning on modifying my next kit to create a winter warmer style beer. I'm a big fan of Sierra Nevada celebration and another beer called Winter Fest from our local brewery, Free State Brewery.

The original kit, the 5 gal Dead Ringer IPA kit from Northern Brewer, uses 5 oz of Centennial hops. 1 oz is used for dry hopping. One of the customer reviews said that they added 1 oz of Chinook at 60 minutes and 1 oz of Cascade at 20 minutes...in addition to the original hops in the kit...skipping the dry hop addition. She said that it was the best IPA that she and several friends had ever had.

Free State uses different hops than the ones mentioned above, and one of them is Galaxy. They don't list their exact ingredients, but I'm thinking about taking an ounce of Centennial away from the 5 minute addition and replacing it with an ounce of Galaxy. Their beer is pretty different from Celebration, but I really like them both and am trying to create a combination of the two.

I'm also planning on adding 10 oz of Light Brown sugar at the beginning of the boil to bump up the alcohol content.

The final recipe will be
9.15 pounds Gold Malt Extract
1 pound Briess Caramel 40 specialty grains (steeped at 160 for 30 minutes)
10 oz light brown sugar (added at the beginning of the boil)
1oz Chinook at 60 min (30% = 20 grams since I'm doing a full boil)
1oz Cascade at 20 min
1oz Centennial at 20 min
2oz Centennial at 5 min
1 oz Galaxy at 5 min
(No dry hopping)

When I add all of these ingredients to beercalculus.hopville.com it says that the OG will be 1.069 with 84 IBU's. Does that sound right? Will this turnout like I hope it will?

I'm a total beginner at this stuff, and I don't want to ruin a batch of beer. Please let me know what you think!

 

[Pappers_]

I think experimentation is one of the best parts of brewing and don't in any way discourage you from this - your recipe looks fine and I'm sure it will make an interesting beer! That being said, you asked for remarks so here are mine:

1. I can't imagine an IPA or an IIPA that is not dry hopped (or uses another technique to get to the same ends, like using a hopback). You won't get the hop aroma you normally expect with an IPA or an IIPA without those post-boil hops.

2. For me, I don't think of an IPA or an IIPA as a 'winter warmer' beer. For me, those are Strong Scotch Ales, Russian Imperial Stouts, Strong Belgian Dark Ales and the such. Big, malty, full-bodied. IPAs and even IIPAs are usually too attenuated, too dry and are hop-centric. None of these winter warmers would be ready to drink before spring at this point, though, so this comment is kind of useless for you

3. When you buy a kit, you are paying for the recipe formulation. If you are going to significantly modify a kit, its often cheaper just to build your own recipe and buy the ingredients. I usually advise beginning brewers to start with a tried-and-true recipe in the style they are looking to make, and adjust it based on their system, ingredients on hand, or tastes/preferences. You can find those in the recipe database here at HBT, or you can listen to the Jamil Show podcast, or in brewing books. Many of the proven recipes in the HBT recipe database are in both all-grain and extract versions, but if you find one that is only all-grain, feel free to post it in the main forum and ask for help converting it. It will also be helpful if you use brewing software. I use Beersmith, fwiw.

 

[stewart194]

Thanks for the advice! Maybe I misunderstood dry hopping, but the reason I'm not doing it is because I was trying not to make it too hoppy. I've personally never had a beer that I thought was too hoppy, but I won't be the only one drinking this beer. Should I save the ounce of galaxy and dry hop it? You do that in the secondary correct? Right before bottling? How many days should I do this?

I hear what you're saying about winter warmers not being IPA's, but I think I will stick with this for now and see how it turns out. I will check out that podcast also!

THANKS!

 

[Pappers_]

Dry hopping adds that vibrant hop aroma (not flavor or bitterness) that is a big part of IPAs snd IIPAs. If you don't want that IPAish hop aroma, then don't dry hop. But it won't be like an IPA then. And with 84 IBUs, you will definitely have IPA-like bitterness.

If I were brewing it, I would probably opt for keeping it an IPA and go with a hop schedule like this (given the hops you have):

0.5 oz Chinook at 60 min
0.5 oz Chinook at 20 min
0.5 oz Cascade at 10
1 oz Centennial at 10 min
1 oz Centennial at 5 min
0.5 oz Galazy at 5 min
0.5 Cascade dry hop
1 oz Centennial dry hop
0.5 oz Galaxy dry hop

To dry hop, rack your beer to secondary (optional) and throw the hops in on top. Leave for about 5-7 days and then bottle.

 

[Dirty]

I second everything Pappers said.

My two cents is on the Brown Sugar. Cheap Walmart brown sugar will leave a metallic flavor after it conditions for a while. I make my own with 2 oz un sulpherized molasses and a pound of cane sugar. Its the same thing.

If you want, the Merc has great unrefined raw sugars in the bulk food section. I also recommend buying your spices from them. I get all my flaked rye, corriander, and star anis there.

Rock Chalk

Chris

 

[stewart194]

Thanks to both of you!

Pappers -
I will definitely follow your hop schedule and see what happens. Do I need a "hop bag" when I do this? (I'm using pellet hops)

Dirty -
We shop at the Merc almost exclusively. I will get my brown sugar, etc from them. Thanks! Rock Chalk indeed!

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Dirty]

Any time.

You should look at the Lawrence Brewers Guild. I think they meet on Thursdays.

Also the Merc carries some great Turbinado Sugar in the bulk section. I like it better that straight brown sugar.

Welcome to you new addiction.

 

[stewart194]

Thanks! My friend and I are thinking about joining after the 1st of the year actually.

As for the sugar, I was told not to use dark brown sugar and to use light brown sugar. Something about the molasses in dark brown sugar not being easily fermentable, and leaving behind too much sweetness. What is your take on this?

 

[Dirty]

I love the flavor molasses adds to beer, I think it as similar sweetness like a crystal 60. I use the homemade brown sugar interchangeably with any undefined sugar such as demerara or Tubinado. Molasses is basically what is left over from the process of refining sugar. I use it in about a third of my beers.

 

[Dirty]

Sorry almost forgot the most important part. Be sure the molasses is unsulphured type. That's where I think I got the off favor from my previous batch. Anything from the Merc should be fine. Happy brewing.

Chris