Brewdog Hardcore Ipa

[Faithy]

G'day,

I tried one of BrewDog's Hardcore IPA's (their second attempt) last week and loved it. Once I get my 45L SS stock pot, I want to try and make a similar AG brew (BIAB as I currently live in a 2 bedroom apartment).

BrewDog's website says this IPA has an ABV of 9.2% and OG of 1085. Obviously, they have a very highly attenuating yeast. I'm not sure about their claim of 150 IBU's though. It also states that they use Marris Otter Pale Malt, Caramalt and Crystal Malt. I have been told that MO malt is not as plump as it used to be so I will be using Joe White malt instead (with a small $ saving too).

Please feel free to offer any opinions as I will not be attempting this for a couple of weeks.

This it what I'm thinking:
MALT:
7kg Ale Malt (6 EBC)
1kg Munich Malt (15 EBC)
250g Caramalt (50 EBC)
250g Crystal Malt (130 EBC)

HOPS:
40g Columbus 14%AA @ 60 mins (I know this is reasonably high but I am taking the high OG into consideration)

15g Chinook 12% @ 15 mins
15g Centennial 9.7% @ 15 mins

15g Chinook 12% @ 5 mins
15g Centennial 9.7% @ 5 mins

15g Amarillo 8.6% @ flame out
15g Cascade 6.3% @ flame out

12g Amarillo 8.6% dry hop in secondary
12g Cascade 6.3% dry hop in secondary

YEAST:
I have 3 options here...
1) Wyeast 1056 American Ale:
The characters are well suited and the attenuation is good at 73-77% but flocculation is low and I only fine (no filter yet).
2) Wyeast 1272 All American Ale:
If fermented at 15C, it produces a clean, light citrus character. Attenuation is 72-76% and flocculation is high.
3) Wyeast 1332 Northwest Ale:
The characters seem well suited but the low attenuation of 67-71% would leave a beer with way too much body.
I am thinking of going with 1272 (fermented at 15C) due to the good attenuation, high flocculation and characters suited to the hops.

I am planning on mashing at 65C for more fermentables/less dextrins. I have some Crystal Malts in the recipe for some body/flavour/sweetnes but this should be overpowered by the hop bitterness, flavour and aroma.

I'm planning on doing a 22L batch so I can lose 1L to trub, 19L to a keg and bottle a few.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Josh

 

[sinkas]

email dickie at brewdog, theyll probably give you the lowdown, + a recipe was published in BYO a few years ago

don't wast your time saving a dollar using JW malt, and use british spc malts too, Id probably use WY1968, and mash at 67

stick to just centennial and columbus

 

[dgilks]

Be aware that they recently changed the recipe for Hardcore as the American market hated the old one. The info on the website relates to the new formula Hardcore IPA while the bottles that came into Oz are the old formula.

I'd drop the Munich from the grist, just use Marris Otter (it isn't that much more expensive than JW Ale), the CaraMalt and Crystal 40L. As for the 150 IBU, that deals with calculated rather than actual IBUs so do try and get your hop bill right up there. You also don't have enough dryhops in there. I would be looking at a minimum of 70g of each hop (Columbus and Centennial) for your dry hop. Also, try using less hops at 60 minutes and more later in the boil for more flavour/aroma.

Here is a recipe I just threw together. It meets the specs based on the BrewDog website. It works out to 1.085 SG, 150 Theoretical IBUs, hopped and dryhopped to hell. It will be 9.2% at 80% apparent attenuation.

Fermentables

UK Maris Otter Malt 7.800 kg
UK Caramalt 0.400 kg
US Caramel 40L Malt 0.300 kg

Hops

US Columbus (14.0%) 45 g @ 60 Min From End
US Centennial (9.7%) 40 g @ 15 Min From End
US Columbus (14.0%) 40 g @ 15 Min From End
US Centennial (9.7%) 40 g @ 10 Min From End
US Columbus (14.0%) 40 g @ 10 Min From End
US Centennial (9.7%) 40 g @ 5 Min From End
US Columbus (14.0%) 40 g @ 5 Min From End
US Centennial (9.7%) 40 g @ Flame Out
US Columbus (14.0%) 40 g @ Flame Out
US Centennial (9.7%) 45 g Dry-Hopped
US Columbus (14.0%) 45 g Dry-Hopped

 

[katzke]

US-05 should work for you. Just did an IPA heavy on crystal malts that came in at 1.070 and it finished just where I expected it.

I would also not worry about reducing your mash temp. Unless you like dry IPAs.

 

[Faithy]

Thanks for your replies.

I did a little searching and it seems that the Hardcore IPA with Centennial and Columbus hops was their first try (the one the yanks disliked). See http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article.php?id=70

Simcoe, Chinook and Pacific Gem are all used in the latest example (assuming I'm reading their info right). I also found a copy of the January-February edition of BYO which says they also dry hop with Amarillo and mash at 65C - as I was planning.

I don't see how you think it could be dry with that much sugar in the wort and 77% attenuation from the yeast. Does that not mean that 23% of the sugars (and there's a lot at 1085 OG) will remain un-fermented? That, and the use of crystal malt should provide more than enough body.

I might give the AG recipe from BYO a go and see how it lines up.

 

[Faithy]

I just read on another part of their site that says their "new" one is the 9.2% IPA with Columbus and Centennial. Their same website says the 9% IPA with Simcoe, Chinook and Pacific Gem is the "new" one???

I am confused.

I know the one I tried was the 9% IPA and as I liked it, I will try to brew that one.

 

[sinkas]

so much spin, they dont even know whats what,

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Be aware that they recently changed the recipe for Hardcore as the American market hated the old one. The info on the website relates to the new formula Hardcore IPA while the bottles that came into Oz are the old formula.

I got a 4 pack of the Punk IPA, Trashy Blonde and Hardcore IPA from the local last friday.

I liked the Trashy Blonde and Punk IPA but the Hardcore was too much for me. I know it's marketed as being over the top and aggressive but I honestly thought the bitterness was bordering on undrinkable. The smell was strong fruity and malty sweet but it's the first craft beer I've had to force down. I wonder if this would be the "old recipe" and the newer one is an improvement.

OT: The same bottle also has 5AM Saint, my favourite, but I wasn't able to buy as the pricing system was wrong and they were entered into the database way overpriced. Should be sorted by this Friday to pick up a carton of Saints! :icon_chickcheers: