Back in Black IPA Tap Handle

Batch 95

Before a recent Stockton Thunder game, I had the opportunity to enjoy a couple of Steve Altimari’s Black IPAs at Valley Brewing, in Stockton.  It was a big ‘ole IPA, bursting with a wonderful grapefruit finish from massive amounts of Amarillo hops, and dark as night.  Two of them made me really happy and set the tone for the evening:)

I contacted Steve on FaceBook and he was incredibly forthcoming about the hop bill, and how he darkened up the IPA, without adding the roastiness and astringency from dark grains.  The secret is to use Weyermann’s Sinamar, a proprietary extract of their roasted malt, Carafa, add some Magnum hops for bittering, and bunches or Simcoes and Amarillos for flavor and aroma.  What follows is a wide sweep at his recipe (I’m way too lazy to do the math from Steve’s info:) – with lots of late hops to add the grapefruit explosion.

I’m only five batches away from my centennial batch!

Back in Black IPA
14-C Imperial IPA
Brewers: Mark Ranes, Steve Hillestad
Brewer Focus: Maggie Curley
Date: 12/23/09

Size: 10.08 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 385.8 kcal per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.086 (1.070 – 1.090)
Terminal Gravity: 1.022 (1.010 – 1.020)
Alcohol: 8.56% (7.5% – 10.0%)
Bitterness: 100.0 (60.0 – 120.0)

Ingredients:
15.0 lb Pale Malt(2-row)
15.0 lb Maris Otter Pale
1.0 lb Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt
1.0 lb Carastan
1.0 lb Carafa TYPE III- in the Sparge
2.0 oz Magnum (14.5%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
2.0 oz Amarillo Gold (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
2.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
4.0 oz (or more) Sinamar – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2 Servomyces Yeast Nutrient – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2 ea Whirlfloc – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
3.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
3.0 oz Amarillo Gold (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
2000 mL White Labs WLP001 California Ale
8.0 oz Amarillo Gold (10.0%) – added dry to secondary fermenter

We’ll be brewing this up at Steve and Maggie’s place, on the Buford 3-10. Additionally, we’ll be fermenting in Steve’s kegmentor (or is that a fermeggle:), so we get 10 gallons of the same wort fermenting in one vessel.  We’ll dry hop with 8 ounces of new crop Amarillo pellet hops that are en-route from Hops Direct.

Black IPAs may simply be a trend, but I’m looking forward to this ale!

Related posts:

1. Black Widow Stout on Deck
2. Amarillo IPA Tomorrow
3. Evil Twin Red Ale on Deck

Mash Destruction IPA Tap Handle

I recently listened to the March 16, 2009, podcast of The Brewing Network’s, The Jamil Show – Can you Brew It: Green Flash West Coast IPA. This is an IPA I really like, with a strong malt backbone, aggressive bitterness and full of intense hop flavor.  I took the show’s recipe for a six gallon batch and extended it out for ten gallons, trying to maintain the IBU levels, the ABV and color rating.  It will take tons of hops, all of which I have on-hand.  It calls for a malt I’ve never used before, Carastan, so it’s a bit of an adventure, also. The Carastan appears to be very dark for its 30/37 Lovibond rating – much darker than Crystal 40.  I’m just a bit wary of it, but the brewer at Green Flash uses it in their recipe, so I’ll definitely give it a shot.

I’ll be brewing this hop beast on Saturday.  Originally, I had planned on brewing tomorrow, and the starter is ready to go, but tomorrow is the first day of my Spring Break and I just want to veg out.  I have some keg and carboy cleaning that needs to get done, too.  Saturday morning I’ll be lighting the burners about 9:00 a.m.

Here’s the recipe:

Mash Destruction IPA
14-B American IPA
Date: 4/11/09

Size: 10.32 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 79.0%
Calories: 309.1 kcal per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.070 (1.056 – 1.075)
Terminal Gravity: 1.015 (1.010 – 1.018)
Color: 8.45 (6.0 – 15.0)
Alcohol: 7.26% (5.5% – 7.5%)
Bitterness: 95.4 (40.0 – 70.0)

Ingredients:
26.5 lb American 2-row
1.0 lb Carapils Malt
2.0 lb Carastan
1.25 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 90.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1.0 tsp Wyeast Nutrient – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
1.0 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
0.5 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Columbus (15.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
0.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
2000 mL Starter White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Notes
Mash in at 150 degrees.

Seven day primary fermentation at 72 degrees.  Mash out at 168 degrees.

Dry hop with mix of five hop blend at 64 degrees for seven days.

Related posts:

1. Single Hop Ale Experiment Continues…
2. Red Flare Ale Again…
3. Evil Twin Red Ale on Deck

Simcoe IPA Tap Handle

I recently blogged about my ongoing single hop ale experiment, and it’s time for another round.  On Veterans Day, I’ll be taking my base single hop recipe, and subbing in Simcoe hops.  Basically, this means keeping the hopping schedule, individual hop charge IBU percentages and overall brew IBUs identical to the original ale – changing the hop variety only. So far, I’ve done this with Centennial and Columbus hops, and now it’s time to see what Simcoe hops bring to the table.  After recently tasting Weyerbacher Simcoe Double IPA (thanks, Maggie:), I’m expecting a big, piney, resinous, full flavored IPA.  I have used Simcoes in a variety of ales in the past, and thankfully I have some on-hand for the brew.  I plan on having all three of these single hop IPAs on tap, side-by-side, so that people can experience the differences each hop offers.  They should all be ready for the various holiday season events.  Here’s the recipe:

Simcoe IPA
14-B American IPA
Author: Mark Ranes
Date: 11/11/08

Size: 10.08 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 317.28 kcal per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.071 (1.056 – 1.075)
Terminal Gravity: 1.018 (1.010 – 1.018)
Color: 7.27 (6.0 – 15.0)
Alcohol: 7.03% (5.5% – 7.5%)
Bitterness: 61.6 (40.0 – 60.0)

Ingredients:
20.0 lb Pale Malt(2-row)
4.0 lb Vienna Malt
10.0 oz Crystal Malt 10°L
6.0 oz Crystal Malt 40°L
1.0 lb Cara-Pils Dextrine Malt
.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 60.0 min
1.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 45.0 min
.7 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
1.0 lb Corn Sugar
2.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2 ea Whirlfloc – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.0 tsp Yeast Nutrient – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.5 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
2000 mL White Labs WLP001 California Ale
4.0 oz Simcoe (13.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter

Related posts:

1. Columbus IPA Brew Day Tomorrow
2. Mash Destruction IPA
3. Citra IPA Tomorrow

A Kolsch is a bit of a challenge to brew though as it needs to be cold fermented, even though it is an ale.  My conditioning fridge is finally empty enough handle a couple carboys for 10 days or so.  I currently have forty gallons of ale in carboys (and no empty carboys), so I’ll be need to rack the wit into kegs this afternoon, before I get water and grain ready to brew.  I made a 2000 ml starter last night, so hopefully I’ll get the nice clean fermentation this ale requires.

Klassic Kolsch
6-C Kölsch

Size: 10.08 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 220.35 per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.050 (1.044 – 1.050)
Terminal Gravity: 1.012 (1.007 – 1.011)
Color: 4.1 (3.5 – 5.0)
Alcohol: 4.88% (4.4% – 5.2%)
Bitterness: 24.96 (20.0 – 30.0)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp 5.2 pH Stabilizer – added during mash
18 lbs Pilsner Malt
1.5 lbs Cargill White Wheat
2 oz Hallertau (4.5%) – added during boil, boiled 90 min
1 oz Tettnanger (4.5%) – added during boil, boiled 50 min
1 tsp Wyeast Nutrient  – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 15.0 min
1 oz Tettnanger (4.5%) – added during boil, boiled 2 min
2000.0 mL Starter White Labs WLP029 German Ale/Kölsch

The weather report is forcasting 94 degrees for tomorrow, so an early start on this brew day will be be in order.

Related posts:

1. Klassic Kolsch is Fermenting Away…
2. Feeling Empty (Figuratively and Literally!)
3. Klassic Kölsch Tomorrow

I’ll be getting up early (at least for me:) to light the burners and get this brew off the ground early, as the temperatures are projected to be right at 100 over 104 degrees tomorrow here in the valley…

Here are the recipe particulars:

Evil Twin Red
10-B American Amber Ale

Size: 10.0 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 308.09 per 16.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.069 (1.045 – 1.060)
Terminal Gravity: 1.017 (1.010 – 1.015)
Color: 17.0 (10.0 – 17.0)
Alcohol: 6.83% (4.5% – 6.0%)
Bitterness: 26.18 (25.0 – 40.0)

Ingredients:
2.0 tbsp 5.2 pH Stabilizer – added during mash
22.0 lbs Maris Otter Pale
1.25 lbs Munich Malt
.75 lbs American Victory
1.0 lbs Crystal Malt 40°L
0.5 lbs Crystal Malt 120°L
1.0 lbs 2-Row Carapils Malt
0.5 lbs Pale Chocolate
0.5 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
0.5 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added during boil, boiled 20.0 min
1.25 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.25 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
1.0 tsp Wyeast Nutrient  – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 ea Whirlfloc Tablets (Irish moss) – added during boil, boiled 10.0 min
2.0 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
2.0 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
2.0 oz Centennial (10.0%) – added dry to primary fermenter
2.0 oz Amarillo (8.5%) – added dry to primary fermenter
2000.0 mL Starter White Labs WLP001 California Ale

Related posts:

1. Evil Twin Red Ale Dry Hopped!
2. Time for a Red – An Imperial Red!
3. American Amber Ale on Deck…