# Black Ipa



## _HOME_BREW_WALLACE_ (23/6/12)

Black Ipas.

Who makes em? I wanna do a reasonably big one 6-8%
I have done a bit of reading. Base malt, Munich, carafa to colour at end of mash, crystal???? 60-ish ibu. high-ish mash temp blah blah blah......

Can you share any experience you guys have had with putting your recipes together? How did they turn out? What would you change if you re-made the recipie?


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## np1962 (23/6/12)

My Black IPA Recipe
Change nothing, it's close to perfect. IMHO
I love tweeking recipes so this annoys me no end!
Cheers
Nige



_WALLACE_ said:


> Black Ipas.
> 
> Who makes em? I wanna do a reasonably big one 6-8%
> I have done a bit of reading. Base malt, Munich, carafa to colour at end of mash, crystal???? 60-ish ibu. high-ish mash temp blah blah blah......
> ...


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## punkin (23/6/12)

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...amp;recipe=1515

This is my one inspired by Kooindas Black ipa. 

I've done it 3 times now and love it.

Development thread is second post on the discuss page, i kegged the latest version last night. I'll report back in a week or so when it's carbonated.


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## loikar (23/6/12)

NigeP62 said:


> My Black IPA Recipe
> Change nothing, it's close to perfect. IMHO
> I love tweeking recipes so this annoys me no end!
> Cheers
> Nige



I have to chime in here.

I have made Nige's Black IPA and can say first hand it's Dangerously Delicious.

I don't think I went to bed sober for the duration of the keg.


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## punkin (23/6/12)

Latest version is no chill with Nelson flowers.



> *Black ipa3* (Cascadian Dark Ale)
> 
> Original Gravity (OG): 1.065 (P): 15.9
> Final Gravity (FG): 1.016 (P): 4.1
> ...


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## Rowy (23/6/12)

Here's mine. Tastes great you can up the IBU's if you want.

*Black Mountain AIPA* (American IPA)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.057 (P): 14.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (P): 3.6
Alcohol (ABV): 5.60 %
Colour (SRM): 27.6 (EBC): 54.4
Bitterness (IBU): 57.0 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

76.92% Perle Malt
7.69% Wheat Malt
3.85% Carafa II malt
3.85% Chocolate, Pale
3.85% Crystal 120
3.85% Victory

0.4 g/L Northern Brewer (15% Alpha) @ 50 Minutes (Boil)
0.8 g/L Galaxy (14.4% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Galaxy (13.4% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L Nelson Sauvin (11.5% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)
0.8 g/L Cascade (7.8% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)

0.1 g/L Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) @ 0 Minutes (Mash)
0.2 g/L Whirlfloc Tablet @ 15 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66C for 75 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 18C with Safale US-05

Notes: Dry hop at day 5 with 15gms Cascade, 15gms NS


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## Wolfy (23/6/12)

_WALLACE_ said:


> I have done a bit of reading. Base malt, Munich, carafa to colour at end of mash, crystal???? 60-ish ibu. high-ish mash temp blah blah blah......


I prefer Black IPA's more hop focused than dark-roast-malty, so Midnite Wheat and (the dehusked) Carafa Special make good black-colour-addition malts IMHO.

_Edit, stupid American midnite/midnight spelling._


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## _HOME_BREW_WALLACE_ (23/6/12)

Wow! Thanks for the quick replies.

Question... i notice some of the recipies above use choc. i thought the idea of a black Ipas was the colour without the roastiness from the darker malts. or is this just to suit the brewers likes?


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## Rowy (23/6/12)

_WALLACE_ said:


> Wow! Thanks for the quick replies.
> 
> Question... i notice some of the recipies above use choc. i thought the idea of a black Ipas was the colour without the roastiness from the darker malts. or is this just to suit the brewers likes?




I use the pale choc Wallace and not heaps of it as you can see. It just adds that little bit of bite. The carafa is the cracker for the colour. You'll get to try one of mine at the case swap so you can see what I mean.


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## Spiesy (23/6/12)

I just got back from Temple Brewery, their Black IPA was my pick of the bunch... very nice.

Being that I'm still new to the brewing caper, can anyone confirm that the dominant hop I was getting was Centennial?


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## Spiesy (23/6/12)

Spiesy said:


> I just got back from Temple Brewery, their Black IPA was my pick of the bunch... very nice.
> 
> Being that I'm still new to the brewing caper, can anyone confirm that the dominant hop I was getting was Centennial?



Looks like I've learnt a new hop... awesome...

From the brewery:
_The aroma offers an explosion of piney resinous hops, achieved through multiple kettle and dry hopping charges of Columbus, *Centennial* and Simcoe. If you were to close your eyes, youd be convinced you were holding a highly hopped IPA from the Pacific Northwest. Its deceptively smooth and sessionable, so tread carefully._

BTW, as opposed to other hop-heavy IPA's, I found the malt v hop balance to be very nice. I think I too may prefer Black IPA's over standard IPA's.


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## punkin (23/6/12)

Wolfy said:


> I prefer Black IPA's more hop focused than dark-roast-malty, so Midnite Wheat and (the dehusked) Carafa Special make good black-colour-addition malts IMHO.
> 
> _Edit, stupid American midnite/midnight spelling._



That's what i took away from the Kooinda version. It's an optical illusion that fools the tongue because of your expectation.


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## Spiesy (23/6/12)

sounds like I need to try it punkin... I've loved (almost) everything the Kooinda boys have done so far... particularly the APA and Golden Ale.


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## Wolfy (23/6/12)

_WALLACE_ said:


> Question... i notice some of the recipies above use choc. i thought the idea of a black Ipas was the colour without the roastiness from the darker malts. or is this just to suit the brewers likes?


I think it suits the brewer, and what you like.
I've had some really dark roasty black IPA's, that I did not enjoy as much as the ones that focused more on the hops and balance, almost as if the black colour was an optical illusion rather than there for the roast malt flavours. Personally, I like just enough dark roastyness to balance the intense hoppyness, Feral's Karma Citra does this nicely for me, though if I was going to emulate it I'd back off on the roast just a little more.


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## bum (24/6/12)

_WALLACE_ said:


> i thought the idea of a black Ipas was the colour without the roastiness from the darker malts.


I think this comes down to the tired BIPA v Cascadian Dark IPA thing. The style is but a wee baby and there isn't any real consensus yet. Brew it however you reckon it'll work - that's what homebrew is for.


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## bconnery (24/6/12)

bum said:


> I think this comes down to the tired BIPA v Cascadian Dark IPA thing. The style is but a wee baby and there isn't any real consensus yet. Brew it however you reckon it'll work - that's what homebrew is for.


Most of the commercial versions I've tried fall towards one camp or the other. Either an IPA with a dark colour and perhaps a hint of dark malt, or something that's more akin to a hoppy porter/stout, albeit one that is on the light end of the darkness for what might be traditional for the base style. 

As you say, it is a new and evolving style so pick something and go for it. 

I think finding a commercial one you like and heading in that direction is a good start, if you aren't sure which direction you think your preferences lie. 

Personally I quite like both directions so I'll have a few stabs at making something like my favourites and see how we go.
I went for something like the Mountain Goat Crossbreed the first time, but if I could have something like Feral Karma Citra on tap I'd be a happy man...
Or the Temple version, or Obama.


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## Mike L'Itorus (24/6/12)

afaik, black IPA's are identical to normal IPA's, other than the fact that they need to be drunk out of seperate and distinct taps, otherwise the polisie may well intervene.


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## Jay Cee (24/6/12)

_WALLACE_ said:


> Question... i notice some of the recipies above use choc. i thought the idea of a black Ipas was the colour without the roastiness from the darker malts. or is this just to suit the brewers likes?



Hoping others can comment, but in conversation with another brewer, he mentioned that dark colour with less flavour impact can be achieved by finely grinding roasted barley, and adding late in the mash say the last 10 minutes.


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## Adam Howard (24/6/12)

Jay Cee said:


> Hoping others can comment, but in conversation with another brewer, he mentioned that dark colour with less flavour impact can be achieved by finely grinding roasted barley, and adding late in the mash say the last 10 minutes.



Either that or you can cold steep Carafa Special III overnight and then add the liquid to the boil kettle during sparging.


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## Wolfy (24/6/12)

Midnite wheat.
If you believe the manufacturers specs and advertising:
_Bitterless black malt that can be used in any recipe calling for debittered black malt.
Midnight Wheat Malt is the smoothest source of black color of any malt available. 
Subtle, smooth, no bitter, astringent, dry flavors or aftertaste, starts slightly sweet, hints of roasted flavor, finishes exceptionally clean._


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## Jay Cee (24/6/12)

There's also a Weyermann liquid extract called Sinamar. Sounds like mostly for appearance only, which means it's little more than grain-derived food coloring ! 

http://www.weyermann.de/eng/produkte.asp?i...7&sprache=2


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## Guysmiley54 (24/6/12)

Jay Cee said:


> There's also a Weyermann liquid extract called Sinamar. Sounds like mostly for appearance only, which means it's little more than grain-derived food coloring !
> 
> http://www.weyermann.de/eng/produkte.asp?i...7&sprache=2



Nope, it is a Carafa extract I believe. I used a fair bit in a BIIPA I did and it did introduce a roast flavour in the beer.

If you want some dark malt characteristics in your beer, it's a nice trick to back off on the IBU on the recipe just a touch and let the bitterness from the roast balance out the malt. YMMV


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## _HOME_BREW_WALLACE_ (25/6/12)

I think the next couple of brews will be black ipas. i will use the roast to get the colour in one. cold steeped carafa in the other. sooo many decisions..... i will have to report back with my findings.


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## black_labb (25/6/12)

I've used choc rye in a black rye IPA. It's huskless so it doesn't give a burnt flavour. Works well, though not as dark as some of the black/carafa grains. I probably should have used more for a really black colour as opposed to dark brown but with 400g/23L batch it didn't have any noticeable roast.


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## katzke (26/6/12)

We do a Black IPA. Mostly because the wife is the one that drinks the stuff and she does not like dark beers.

Use Carafa special at flame out finely ground just to get the color.

Insainly biter and hoppy. The kind of beer only 1 in a 100 on the board would like. The kind of IPA the west coast of the USA is known for. Least the good ones.


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## Wolfy (26/6/12)

katzke said:


> Use Carafa special at flame out finely ground just to get the color.


You use it at flame-out or mash-out?


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## katzke (28/6/12)

Wolfy said:


> You use it at flame-out or mash-out?



Sorry I add it at mash out a little bit at a time to get what color you want. I also BIAB so my grains come out faster then if you were draining through the grain bed. I do not make fine powder, coarser like hot wheat cereal I guess (can not remember what you call it there, one is Cream of Wheat here).

Good catch on my quick post and wrong term.


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## milestron (28/6/12)

hey - i'm in the process of formulating a black ipa at the moment - seems like alot of recipes are opting to either steep the carafa special cold or add it at the end of the mash - will this make a big difference? I understand this is to subdue the roasty type flavour and let the hops shine, but does it make a big difference, like is carafa especially unpleasant if mixed in with the rest of the grain bill?


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## black_labb (28/6/12)

Milestron, The flavour doesn't clash, think of a dryer and hoppier american stout. 

A black IPA is a bit of a silly style in that it is supposed to taste like a pale IPA but look like a stout. Why I'm not sure, but they can be great beers and I've got one bottle conditioning at the moment that uses rye and choc rye in it. I personally can't be arsed to use some black/carafa/whatever in one for colour additions only if I didn't want their flavour.


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