# IPA - Pilsner and Caramunich II



## stakka82 (14/2/13)

Hey all,

I've just crushed grains for an ANZUS themed IPA I'll brew tomorrow night. Pretty excited about it, recipe is as follows:

JW Pilsner 95%
Caramunich II 5%

OG 1060
IBU 63

Columbus @ 60
Columbus, Galaxy and Nelson @ 15
Columbus, Galaxy and Nelson @ 5
Columbus, Galaxy and Nelson Dry hop 2g/L

Mash @ 64, US-05

Wondering if anyone has done an IPA with no American style crystal in it before? I've never brewed an ale with just Caramunich as the crystal before, thoughts/experiences with that?

Cause I'm not brewing till tomorrow night I have a chance to chuck in some medium or dark crystal if need be to sweeten it up a bit.


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## sponge (14/2/13)

I've brewed a few APA/IPA's using heritage xtal since its so delicious.

Always works well.

You could even increase the mash temp slightly if you want it to finish sweeter.


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## micblair (14/2/13)

Whilst you can make some pretty awesome beers with simple malt bills, I sometimes found certain aspects were lacking. With 60 IBU's coming from some pretty characteristic hops such Nelson and Galaxy, you may want a little more malt depth other than just 5% caramunich T2. I would be incorporating 10-15% Munich malt also. 

My recent single hop Centennial IPA a few months back which had the following grain bill. 

OG 1.060; SG 1.012

Malt
75% Pale
15% Munich
5% wheat
3% Caramunich T3
2% Acid malt.

Hops
0.7 g/L @ 60 min
2 g/L @ 20
2 g/L @ 10
2 g/L @ 5
2 g/L @ 0

1 g/L dry hopped

Yeast: 1272 @ 12C


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## stakka82 (14/2/13)

With respect, I don't think 10 percent regular munich is going to shine through with that particular hop bill and the caramunich.

My question is basically should I add crystal on top or not.


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## micblair (14/2/13)

15% Munich, and Caramunich T2 is a crystal malt; but the question you should be asking yourself is: do you want 10% crystal malts as your grain bill? 

I think your standard grain bill looks better suited to an APA if anything.


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## GalBrew (14/2/13)

Caramunich II should be fine in this beer, I do the same thing in my IPA, which is Galaxy and NS heavy. I would put more in though if that's all you are going to put in other than pils, maybe 8%? Depends on how you like your beer. I would also put in a little wheat, but that's just me.


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## micblair (14/2/13)

I suppose it depends what you want the crystal malt to do? If you want some added colour (I doubt you do as you're using Pils as a base), or if you want some residual sweetness? But if its a distinct malt flavour, I believe you're better off getting these from base malts. Anyway, you're the brewer - run the batch and let us know how it turns out.


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## stakka82 (14/2/13)

Mic blair: Thanks, your recipe kind of answers my question in that the only crystal is caramunich and I assume that grain bill worked in that regard. I won't after everyone's feedback, but if I was going to add med or dark crystal I would have gone with about 3 percent to add a bit of depth and sweetness.

Galbrew: Thanks mate Think I'll keep it at 5% this time and see how we go. Next time might go higher or add 2-3% reg crystal depending on how it turns out.

Cheers


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## Nick JD (14/2/13)

If you listen to a few American podcasts with Zamil and Dr Dude or whatever they're called, they regularly discuss taking the spec malts right back (and even out) of IPAs (and especially IIPAs) as the high OG tends to add anough background maltiness alone.

I've done heaps of german malt IPAs (actually, most of them), with Wey Pils and Caramunich(s) and caramalt, caraaroma (oh yeah). I like them better, but they don't have _that_ USA malt taste.


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