Modern Homebrew Recipes (13 page)

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 Tbsp CaSO
₄
and 0.5 tsp CaCl
₂
in mash

Mash technique:

Step mash, mashout, crystal malt added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

151°F (66°C) 60 minutes

158°F (70°C) 15 minutes

168°F (76°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8.5 gallons (32 L)

Boil length:

120 minutes

Final volume:

6 gallons (23 L)

Fermentation temp:

68°F (20°C)

Sensory Description:
On the strong side for an English IPA, but with substantial bitterness. Has a more rounded and characterful malt base than most American IPAs, with the hops providing a freshness that is assertive but not face-slapping. The fruity notes and sulfur character matches the Burton style.

Formulation notes:
I stuck mostly with classic English ingredients that contribute meaningful elements to the flavor profile. The crystal malt should be restrained, so as not to intrude on the malt and hops.

Variations:
I like the hop combination, but this could be brewed as a single hop varietal beer. I think there is a chance to play around with the base malt a bit, swapping in different maltsters and types of malt. I’d love to see what Golden Promise malt would do in this beer. A different yeast choice is certainly possible; I’d try the Wyeast 1335 British II yeast as an experiment, or Wyeast 1968 or White Labs WLP002 as a malty and fruity alternative.

EAST COAST IPA

East Coast of Lake Michigan, that is. Inspired by the deliciousness that is Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, this is a very drinkable but not bone dry IPA. Compare to the Mosaic Double IPA, another single hop IPA.

Style:
American IPA (Classic BJCP Style)

Description:
A malty IPA that doesn’t get too sweet, and showcases one of the most versatile hops available to brewers: Centennial. I just love the drinkability of this beer, and how it proves that you don’t have to be over-the-top in IBUs or ABV to make a great IPA. I like to include a beer like this in an IPA discussion because it helps show the range of the style.

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

0.5 tsp CaCl
₂
and 0.5 tsp CaSO
₄
in mash

Mash technique:

Infusion, mashout, dark grains added at
vorlauf

Mash rests:

147°F (64°C) 60 minutes

168°F (76°C) 15 minutes

Kettle volume:

8.5 gallons (32 L)

Boil length:

90 minutes

Final volume:

6.5 gallons (25 L)

Fermentation temp:

65°F (18°C)

Sensory Description:
Clean malty base with some richness not always present in modern IPAs. The Centennial hops add complexity with citrus, pine, and grapefruit notes. The yeast adds another fruity element that helps tie the malt richness to the beer. The late hops gives a smooth bitterness that helps balance.

Formulation notes:
The last hop addition is added 10 minutes after knockout for a 20 minute steep, which reduces the IBUs supplied by the hops while bringing out the fresh hop character. Transfer 5.5 gallons (21 L) to fermenter. Centennial really is a versatile hop, and the combination of first wort hopping, hop bursting, and hop steeping pulls all the character out without adding a grassy element.

Variations:
Could dry hop instead of (or in addition to) the late steep. The base beer is malt neutral, so it should serve well as a platform for
other single-hop IPA experiments. If the beer has too much malt or richness, cut back on the Vienna and crystal malts.

NEW WORLD IPA

I made this New World IPA as a retirement present for a co-worker. Using all of my favorite techniques, this typifies many of today’s IPAs that are drinkable with a light malty backbone and tropical and fruity hop varieties. Best thing about this recipe is it was a 20-day turn-and-burn effort; from brewing to serving in less than three weeks! Two kegs were floating in less than an hour and a half, so I guess it was well received. Cases of Guinness, Corona, and Sam Adams sat next to the kegs, untouched; best compliment ever for a homebrewer!

Style:
American IPA (Classic BJCP Style)

Description:
Clean malt flavor with a rich base, but a dry finish that allows the huge fresh hop character to explode. I absolutely love this combination of hops; they are modern American craft beer classics. No crystal malt at all in this beer, which is why I like to say, “Munich is the new crystal” since it adds the desired extra malt flavor without the undesired crystal sweetness. A double-sized batch allows for a yeast experiments (everything can be halved for a normal-sized batch).

Ingredients:

Water treatment:

RO water treated with ¼ tsp 10% phosphoric acid per 5 gallons

1 tsp CaCl
₂
and 1 tsp CaSO
₄
in mash

Mash technique:

Step Infusion, no sparge

Mash rests:

146°F (63°C) 45 minutes

155°F (68°C) 30 minutes

Kettle volume:

13.5 gallons (51 L)

Boil length:

90 minutes

Final volume:

12 gallons (45 L)

Fermentation temp:

63°F (17°C)

Sensory Description:
*
One batch finished at 1.012 and was a perfect American IPA, so fresh and delicious, nicely dry and amazingly drinkable. The other batch finished at 1.018 and tasted a bit more like an American ESB, with a bigger malty backbone but still with a great hop profile. It wasn’t quite as drinkable, but it reminded me of a great IPA that I had in Brazil from the
Cervejaria Colorado
. I find it fascinating to see how much the balance changes with a higher FG; it’s like an entirely different beer. Still very good, but different in overall impression. The higher FG tends to get in the way of the hops a bit, but it depends on your preference.

Formulation notes:
Honey can sometimes take longer to ferment, so watch how these beers finish. The yeast is also somewhat temperature sensitive, so raise the temperature at the end to help it finish strong. I used a heat-while-recirculate technique, so I didn’t need to do a mash out. I also used a no-sparge technique, so the mash efficiency is kind of low, but the malt flavor is clean and strong. After boiling, I did a 20 minute steep of the hops, which aids in clarification and increases the hop character from the knockout hops. First wort hopping, hop bursting, and a hop stand help drive home the hop character. The IBU estimate is based on no IBU
contributions from the steeping hops, which doesn’t work out in reality; the actual IBU value will be higher, but the bitterness will be clean.

Variations:
As I suggested, a split batch with different yeast would be a fun experiment. Wyeast 1272 American Ale II would be a natural choice for me, but you could do one batch with a well-known yeast and use the other batch as the experiment with a new or unknown yeast. Compare the two to see which worked better. While the hop character is intense, it could also be dry-hopped with any of the late hop varieties for an even more complex aroma. It might not be ready as quickly, though, so don’t do this if you’re in a hurry (I worry that dry hopping can reduce clarity in the short term).

SINAMARIAN ALE

I had avoided making a Black IPA for a long time because I wasn’t sure if it was a passing fad or not, and because they style seemed overhyped. I should have ignored those feelings; this is a really nice beer, regardless of what you call it. The name comes from my first reaction when I heard of the style, “isn’t that just an American IPA with Sinamar® added?”

Style:
Black IPA (New BJCP Style)

Description:
Smooth, dry, bitter, and fruity with a restrained roast flavor.