Sweetness in IPA

[tenken]

Hi all,

I'm a long time reader, first time poster. I have been trying to work out how to get a specific flavour but haven't had much luck. So I was hoping you might be able to help.

From time to time, I find an IPA that seems to have a soft sweetness to it which couples with the fruitiness of hops. I love it. For a while I thought it was hop based (centennial), then yeast based, then malt based then realised that I don't have a clue lol.

Here are some of the beers that have had this taste are:
- Ballast point Sculpin (normal one)
- Ballast Point Big Eye (to a lesser extent)
- Abita Hop On
- No-Li IPA Born and Raised
- Clown shoes Tramp Stamp (Belgian IPA)
- I haven't found this in an Australian beer

With the sculpin, I have also found plenty of them which don't have this. I first found this in the USA with a californian sculpin but a sculpin in Vegas on the same trip had lost it. When I returned to Australia in 2014, the sample I got from a craft bottle shop had also lost it. Now the Dan's sculpins have the taste. So that indicates that the taste is subject to aging.

But yeah, due to the beers that have had it, I'm pretty sure it isn't yeast based. Abita Hop On uses a Kolsch yeast, Big Eye I believe uses an english ale yeast and I imagine the clown shoes uses a belgian yeast. Similarly, none of them use common "unusual" hops.

What do you think?

 

[Lionman]

The malt bill, coupled with the mashing profile and amount of hops used and when all play a part. The yeast also has influence with the amount it attenuates and the amount of esters produced.

Water profile plays a big part in how different flavours come across.

It can also be a perception thing. Our senses play tricks on us all the time. Beers that a are complex with strong flavours can taste different from day to day just because we perceive them differently.

 

[peteru]

Serving temperature can also play a large part. Chill the beer too much and it will lose a big part of the character, as it warms, subtle things come out.

 

[Neil Buttriss]

Serving temperature can also play a large part. Chill the beer too much and it will lose a big part of the character, as it warms, subtle things come out.

I was always under the impression that the colder the beer the better, maybe for Carlton Dry and other mass produced beers, but I now have my beers at around 4/4.5 Degrees depending on the hop content. I have found the flavours really present better at this temperature

 

[Schikitar]

This might be a good watch/listen..

 

[koshari]

I for a long time couldnt get the perceived sweetness in my red ales. Im my scenario steeped crystal malt ended up addressing the shortfall.

 

[altone]

I was always under the impression that the colder the beer the better, maybe for Carlton Dry and other mass produced beers, but I now have my beers at around 4/4.5 Degrees depending on the hop content. I have found the flavours really present better at this temperature

I grew up in the UK so those icy cold beers are for the kids

I normally have my APA's serving at 5C and Englishes at 7C.
Sadly my old kegerator is struggling to get below 7 now. Going to get an upgrade in January.
Lagers I do think need to be cooler so don't make them atm.

The temperature certainly for me affects the apparent maltiness sweetness and hoppiness of the beer.

 

[Lionman]

I like to use a fair chunk fo wheat malt, with a bit of caramalt to back it up. 60/35/5 ratio of ale/wheat/caramalt

 

[fdsaasdf]

My guess is you're looking for light crystal malt. Ballast Point and Abita are both known for crystal-heavy IPAs.

I have a house recipe for a simple 80/10/10 pale malt/light crystal/wheat with no additions before 10 minutes. Single C hops work well, as do Simcoe, Galaxy and Amarillo.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Serving temperature can also play a large part. Chill the beer too much and it will lose a big part of the character, as it warms, subtle things come out.

I like my drinks around 10-15 o C nothing to do with kidney health, just has more taste, same with white wine. Cold dulls the flavours of most things.

 

[Orval]

My guess is you're looking for light crystal malt. Ballast Point and Abita are both known for crystal-heavy IPAs.

I have a house recipe for a simple 80/10/10 pale malt/light crystal/wheat with no additions before 10 minutes. Single C hops work well, as do Simcoe, Galaxy and Amarillo.

Definitely sounds like crystal malt FTW. Sweet malty goodness.

Difficult to taste much flavour in beer at 4C imo, let alone colder than that, brrrr!