Yeast Suggestion - Double IPA

[EnVinoVeritas]

Here is the recipe I wanted to model after..."Damn Devil Double IPA"

Damn Devil Double IPA
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Brewer: DT
Style: Imperial IPA
Batch: 5.00 gal

Characteristics
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Recipe Gravity: 1.128 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 152 IBU
Recipe Color: 14° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.032
Alcohol by Volume: 13.2%
Alcohol by Weight: 10.1%

Ingredients
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Light malt extract 8.00 lb, extract
Extra Light D.M.E. 6.00 lb, extract
Wheat D.M.E. 1.00 lb, extract
Crystal 20L 1.00 lb, steeped
Gambrinus honey malt 1.00 lb, steeped
Briess victory 0.50 lb, steeped

Warrior 2.00 oz, whole, 60 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 45 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 30 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 15 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 10 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 5 minutes
Amarillo 0.33 oz, pellet, 0 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 45 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 30 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 15 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 10 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 5 minutes
Simcoe 0.33 oz, pellet, 0 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 45 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 30 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 15 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 10 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 5 minutes
Centennial 0.33 oz, pellet, 0 minutes
Crystal 1.00 oz, whole, Dry Hop

American Ale yeast 1.00 unit, 2 packets of US-56 dry yeast

Notes
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Recipe Notes:
Hops - after the Warrior - 14.5%AA for bittering, use 1 oz. of SAC blend (0.33 oz. Simcoe - 12%AA, 0.33 oz. Amarillo - 8.3%AA, 0.33 oz. Centennial - 9.9%AA) for each hop addition. The Crystal - 3.5%AA is a dry hop. Dry hop for 1 week.

Question:

I wanted to use US-05 or Wyeast American Ale (Am. Ale II?) but am concerned about the alcohol tolerance of the yeast... Most of the tech specs on the yeast say the tolerance is 10-11% - the final estimate alcohol percentage is 13%. Not sure if any of you have suggestions on this. Or should I reduce the amounts of malt/hops to lower abv and keep it balanced?

I also don't want the IPA to be too sweet. I thought reduce extra light dme by two lbs and adding 2 lbs of dextrose might help.

Help and suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

 

[steinsato]

I made a big IPA with an OG of 1.101. I ended up using S-04. I beleive it has a higher alcohol tolerance than US-05.

 

[janzik]

Neverminding that this is out of style...

Vital Statistics: OG: 1.070 – 1.090
IBUs: 60 – 120 FG: 1.010 – 1.020
SRM: 8 – 15 ABV: 7.5 – 10%

I'm not sure I'd want to drink something that finished at 1.032. You mention you don't want anything that's going to be too sweet, well, this kind of gives me the ****** chills thinking about how cloying it will be. Personally I would shoot for something at the high end of the style first (closer to 1.090, than something over 1.1, like your recipe suggests.

Back to your question, though. I had a 1.088 that I used a 2-3L starter (I forget offhand) of WLP001 and after 10-12 days it was stuck at 1.026 (which btw, was sweet in a 123IBU recipe). I tossed in a packet of US05 and I was able to get it down to 1.016. It tastes pretty good, but I'm still waiting for it to carbonate.

I'm not versed in using LME/DME in my recipes, so I couldn't tell you specifically how to tweak it, but, I would shoot for a 1.090 recipe with a BU/IBU of over 1.1 (it's a field in Beersmith). So pretty much anything in the 1.080s and above you'd probably want 100-150IBU (anything over 100 is supposedly percieved, but you can write it up that way).

 

[Jumbo82]

I'd definitely replace some of the LME with cane sugar to help dry it out. I made a Pliney the Bastid clone a while back with O.G. 1.075 and got it to finish at 1.012 with the help of some simple sugars. With your estimated O.G. of 1.128, I think you're going to have trouble getting most yeasts to finish the job. I'd tone it down a bit as janzik suggests and be sure to pitch plenty of healthy yeast (use the Mr. Malty pitching rate calculator). By the way, Beer Smith calculated I had 233 IBUs in the Pliney clone I made and its one of the best beers I've ever made, so don't be afraid to go crazy with the hops. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[EnVinoVeritas]

I do not really care about having a high abv, but something drinkable. I may just modify the malt bill.

I would like to know if you have had any experience using Pacman Yeast - I guess it has really good attenuation and may help with this brew especially since it is purported to have a higher alcohol tolerance...