A Few Ipa Questions.

[Dave70]

I'm not all the that familiar with the in's an outs of IPA brewing and I think the style may be the first love of many here, so here we go.

Is the hop flavor and aroma preserved better by kegging or bottling?

On kegging, would you get a better result by dry hopping the secondary or hop socking the keg? ( by that I'm talking about aroma basically)

Would you class just about anything brewed with an ale yeast and upwards of 50 IBU's an IPA? (RIS aside)

Do you bother to balance the malt / hop profile by mash temp or additions of malts like crystal - or does that just go out the window in favor of a mouth full of hops?

I found the last time I dry hopped with cascade it turned out to be a little harsh, are you better off sticking with a something milder like saaz for the sock and leaving the higher AA hops as late or zero additions?

That's all I can think of.

cheers.

 

[black_labb]

UK IPA's tend to be pretty well balanced, american IPA's are less so.

A bit of some specialty malts works well in an ipa. A bit of malt background works well in an english style, some medium crystal works well in either.

It's a fairly broad style, just put alot of late hops and don't make it darker than copper. Have a look at some recipies in the database.

 

[argon]

I'm not all the that familiar with the in's an outs of IPA brewing and I think the style may be the first love of many here, so here we go.

Is the hop flavor and aroma preserved better by kegging or bottling?

Wouldn't think it would make any difference.

On kegging, would you get a better result by dry hopping the secondary or hop socking the keg? ( by that I'm talking about aroma basically)

You'll get 2 different profiles from 2 different additions. My preference is to add dry hops around the same time i start to cold condition, prior to packaging. I like to have a little bot of interplay with the yeast as i feel it softens the grassiness i get if just add to a finished beer. It's also dependent on variety, as some will throw more grass than others. I aslo like to suspend my hops in a bag as i don't want them to almost immediately get caught up in the yeast cake. i find i get a 'brighter' presence this way

Would you class just about anything brewed with an ale yeast and upwards of 50 IBU's an IPA? (RIS aside)

Nope. I do pretty much all my American beers above 50 and have done ESBs above 50. It just depends on the balance. I figure an IPA i much more hop forward than the others. So the balance is more heavily favoured to the hops and bitterness.

Do you bother to balance the malt / hop profile by mash temp or additions of malts like crystal - or does that just go out the window in favor of a mouth full of hops?

I like to have a reasonable % of crystal in my IPAs up to about 14%, but others prefer to keep it lower as they don't enjoy the sweetness. Each to their own.

I found the last time I dry hopped with cascade it turned out to be a little harsh, are you better off sticking with a something milder like saaz for the sock and leaving the higher AA hops as late or zero additions?

Again depends ho you used it. Perhaps it was too long, too warm, no interplay with fermentation. I find cascade a really good one to dry hop with. As i said before, i like long and cold for dry hopping. Others prefer short and warm. Do whatever to your preference. I've never dry hopped saaz, and i wouldn't think it would be appropriate in an IPA.

 

[Pennywise]

What style of IPA are you interested in would be the first thing that comes to mind. English an American are quite different

Edit: You mention cascade so I figure it's AIPA :wacko:

 

[black_labb]

I'll add some more

Try to avoid most continental european hops in an IPA. They won't be bad in there but they won't have much effect on things. Styrian goldings works well in an english ipa late/dry hopped.

Medium crystal works well for sweetness, dark crystal would work well in an english ipa.
Some people like some wheat or rye in there for head retention and mouthfeel. Too much rye will have an effect on the beer though not neccesarily a bad effect.

 

[Phoney]

It's a fairly broad style, just put alot of late hops and don't make it darker than copper. Have a look at some recipies in the database.

But black IPA's are my favourite!

 

[Nick JD]

http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/Category14.php

 

[manticle]

I'm not all the that familiar with the in's an outs of IPA brewing and I think the style may be the first love of many here, so here we go.

Is the hop flavor and aroma preserved better by kegging or bottling?

Don't know, don't keg.

On kegging, would you get a better result by dry hopping the secondary or hop socking the keg? ( by that I'm talking about aroma basically)

See above

Would you class just about anything brewed with an ale yeast and upwards of 50 IBU's an IPA? (RIS aside)

No. Besides big barleywines, beer makers can make anything they want so you could do a 50+ Tripel (some commercials are easily measured 40. Also I know HB guys here who make alts 50 and more. Not sure what they are commercially. What IBU do baltic porters get up to according to the rule book?

Do you bother to balance the malt / hop profile by mash temp or additions of malts like crystal - or does that just go out the window in favor of a mouth full of hops?

Balance/harmony is key to all good brewing in my experience and opinion.

I found the last time I dry hopped with cascade it turned out to be a little harsh, are you better off sticking with a something milder like saaz for the sock and leaving the higher AA hops as late or zero additions?

I wouldn't dry hop an IPA with saaz (actually I'd leave dry hopping with noble hops alone until the next time I feel like experimenting). I've used cascade early, late, mid and dry, on its own and in conjunction and had no discernible harshness. Frequent, small late additions can work well (say every 5 ins after your 30 minute addition?). Needs the grist and yeast to back it up.

 

[Dave70]

What style of IPA are you interested in would be the first thing that comes to mind. English an American are quite different

Edit: You mention cascade so I figure it's AIPA :wacko:

Yeah, AIPA I guess. I just try to brew using elements or flavors I enjoy, and I enjoy citrusy hops like Cascade and Centennial in ales that let the hops shine through. But as mentioned be previous callers, they'd probably overwhelm saaz to the point where it's a waste of time.

The closest I come to brewing according to style is the name on yeast, but I'm glad others do. Something like a Stone Ruination IPA would probably let you know where you stand.

good answers chaps.

 

[Nick JD]

I do the "rule of sixty five" IPAs: 1.065, 65IBUs, 6.5 SRM, 65C mash, for an AIPA. I'm not a big fan of anything in the IIPA territory (battery acid).

 

[Fourstar]

I do the "rule of sixty five" IPAs: 1.065, 65IBUs, 6.5 SRM, 65C mash, for an AIPA. I'm not a big fan of anything in the IIPA territory (battery acid).

Info useful for AIPAs below.

Similar to this, my main focus is to try and keep the IBU:SG 1:1 for my IPAs. e.g. 1.070 @ 70 IBU and going from Nicks note above, the best IPA I have ever made was dubbed the number of the beast. 66IBU 6.6 ABV 6SRM.

Other than that, SIMPLE grain bills for AIPAs and only minor amounts of crystal as the base malt at high gravities leaves enough residual sweetness. To crystal heavy and a fuller body doesn't allow to hops to pop as much IMO. All the best i have made have been relatively simple grain bills. Anything over 1.060 gets a mandatory addition of the sugaz, 5-15% of the grist depending on how dry i want it.

Hops - lets use 60 IBU as an example try and get at least 70% of your IBU with 20 mins to go

20 IBU AT FWH.
25 IBU @ 20 min
15 IBU @ 10-0
1.5-2g/L flameout addition (40g~ for 20-23L batch)

2g/l dry hop (optional)

 

[chunckious]

Info useful for AIPAs below.


Hops - lets use 60 IBU as an example try and get at least 70% of your IBU with 20 mins to go

20 IBU AT FWH.
25 IBU @ 20 min
15 IBU @ 10-0
1.5-2g/L flameout addition (40g~ for 20-23L batch)

2g/l dry hop (optional)

Hey Fourstar.
Is FWH possible with BIAB? After mash out, add hops for 10mins and remove before starting heat for boil.

 

[Fourstar]

Hey Fourstar.
Is FWH possible with BIAB? After mash out, add hops for 10mins and remove before starting heat for boil.

I'd just add them as soon as you riase the bag and begin heating. FWH is all about the hop isomerisation at the lower temperatures before boiling so you will still achieve some effect similar to traditional brewing techniques. give it a go! :icon_cheers:

 

[chunckious]

And leave them there for the duration of the boil?
Googling info on it now.

 

[Fourstar]

And leave them there for the duration of the boil?
Googling info on it now.

correct.. and if you're a scum/hot break skimmer... stop it. you're not making Consomm, you're making beer :icon_cheers: