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Author Topic: Specialty Grains % in IPA's  (Read 5367 times)

Offline erockrph

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2014, 08:51:57 pm »
One thing I will advise caution with is that extract is generally less fermentable than an all-grain grist. When combining large amounts of crystal malt with extract you may end up with a beer that doesn't finish as dry as you'd like for an IPA. I think you should be fine in the 5-10% range for crystal malt(especially a lighter colored one), but you may want to sub in about 5-10% simple sugar to help dry it out a bit.

If you don't mind doing a mini-mash, Victory (about 5%) and/or Munich (up to 20%) are other nice ways to add some malt complexity to your IPA without worrying about keeping it from drying out.
Eric B.

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Offline flbrewer

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2014, 06:05:09 am »
Would I sub out extract for that sugar or replace the crystal with sugar? Also, are you talking corn sugar or table?


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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #17 on: March 18, 2014, 07:22:27 am »
Usually you would sub sugar for base malt since you'd still want the flavor of the specialty grains. You can use corn or table sugar for the same effect. Or rice syrup.

Edit: I meant extract, not base malt.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 10:24:45 am by mtnrockhopper »
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2014, 09:42:22 am »
Would I sub out extract for that sugar or replace the crystal with sugar? Also, are you talking corn sugar or table?


I replace some of the extract with plain old table sugar.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline denny

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2014, 10:15:32 am »
No. I like to use ~ 5% crystal for West Coast style IPAs such as RR Blind Pig and others that finish drier (ie., less sweet). Just depends on what I'm shooting for. Some IPAs I use a higher %, as said.

I use however much crystal I need to get the flavor I want and dry out the beer through hopping, yeast choice and water treatment.
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Offline bluesman

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2014, 10:40:03 am »
The beauty of our hobby is the freedom of choice and the creativity that it allows for. There are styles that have windows of opportunity, and then there are variations of style, and then there is sheer creativity or as I've often heard it referred to as "No Pants brewing".

I like to use crystal malt in varying amounts to achieve or target a flavor, and depending on the target/variation of a specific style that I'm shooting for, and through trial and error I've learned how much of a given specialty malt I need to add in order to achieve that targeted flavor. In other words, design a recipe and then tweak it to your targeted taste. No rules, no boundaries, only creativity and experimentation will satisfy ones aspirations.
Ron Price

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #21 on: March 18, 2014, 01:02:07 pm »
No. I like to use ~ 5% crystal for West Coast style IPAs such as RR Blind Pig and others that finish drier (ie., less sweet). Just depends on what I'm shooting for. Some IPAs I use a higher %, as said.

I use however much crystal I need to get the flavor I want and dry out the beer through hopping, yeast choice and water treatment.

Yep, mentioned that in an earlier post. Lots of ways to get there !
Jon H.

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: Specialty Grains % in IPA's
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2014, 04:13:29 pm »
One must qualify their statements, the default seems to be BJCP. For example one might ask "What do you think about brown malt in an APA?" The default answer would be "You can't do that." or "You dont want to do that." If the asker isnt trying to brew an SNPA clone is it true they CAN'T use brown? What would happen if they tried? Are there malt police? And better yet, how do we know what they want? The question kind of implies they might want to. A better answer seems to be letting them know your experience of what different qualities brown would impart. Teach what things do or dont do, maybe toss in how it might effect the beer regarding style
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 04:15:34 pm by klickitat jim »