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Author Topic: grain bill for imperial IPA  (Read 10023 times)

ccarlson

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #15 on: June 27, 2011, 10:50:13 am »
I think "thick" is a good description for it. I need some more experience using sugar, because it's probably much more predictable than what I'm doing. While I don't like thick beer, I also don't like hot beer.

Offline denny

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #16 on: June 27, 2011, 11:47:51 am »
I think "thick" is a good description for it. I need some more experience using sugar, because it's probably much more predictable than what I'm doing. While I don't like thick beer, I also don't like hot beer.

If you're implying that sugar=heat then you might want to reassess how you're using it and if other techniques might be giving you the heat.  Sugar on its own shouldn't do that.
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ccarlson

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #17 on: June 27, 2011, 12:06:45 pm »
I think "thick" is a good description for it. I need some more experience using sugar, because it's probably much more predictable than what I'm doing. While I don't like thick beer, I also don't like hot beer.

If you're implying that sugar=heat then you might want to reassess how you're using it and if other techniques might be giving you the heat.  Sugar on its own shouldn't do that.

Too much sugar will produce too much alcohol. That's the "heat" I'm referring to. Maybe you only use that term for fusels, which I realize is not what we're talking about.

Offline majorvices

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #18 on: June 27, 2011, 12:10:47 pm »
Many belgian tripels use as much as 20% sugar as fermentables and I certainly don't consider any of those examples as displaying "too much heat". My own tripel uses 20% of sugar for a 1.075 beer and it is extremely deceptive and quaffable - the abv is hidden very well.

Offline denny

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #19 on: June 27, 2011, 12:48:27 pm »
Too much sugar will produce too much alcohol. That's the "heat" I'm referring to. Maybe you only use that term for fusels, which I realize is not what we're talking about.

"Too much" might, but "too much" is a relative and subjective assessment.
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ccarlson

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #20 on: June 27, 2011, 01:52:07 pm »
And that's my point, what is too much? I'm looking for a good ROT on % of sugar vs. OG or ???

Offline anthony

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #21 on: June 27, 2011, 02:09:10 pm »
Much of this style is based on perception anyways... 3F Dreadnaught and Dogfish Head 90m are listed as classic examples and they definitely have fairly high finishing gravities when compared to something like Pliny. I think that while malty character and dryness of finish can separate an American Barleywine from IIPA, that the main differentiation between IIPA and American Barleywine is the character of the bitterness which in IIPA, quoting the guidelines, may be "absurdly high"... the specific character of the specialty malt comes into play as well but I also think there can be a fair amount of overlap between the styles within their respective aging curves.

Offline gordonstrong

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #22 on: June 27, 2011, 02:43:42 pm »
90 Minute seems different from when it was first put on the list.  It's sweeter now.  Doesn't really taste right.  I'd expect it to drop down on the list in future guidelines.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #23 on: June 27, 2011, 03:00:06 pm »
I definitely think DFH 90 min is not a good example to the style. In fact, I don't really like that beer much. Like I mentioned in my post above, this is the type of beer that feels like a session beer. Once you have one, you will usually want another. DFH 90 min is not in that camp IMO.

I do agree there may be some crossover, or some people's opinions may differ on the amount of crossover. But too often I have these sweet and "thick" IIPAs that don't remind me of what I expect a IIPA to taste like.

Offline anthony

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #24 on: June 27, 2011, 04:37:49 pm »
I definitely think DFH 90 min is not a good example to the style. In fact, I don't really like that beer much. Like I mentioned in my post above, this is the type of beer that feels like a session beer. Once you have one, you will usually want another. DFH 90 min is not in that camp IMO.

I do agree there may be some crossover, or some people's opinions may differ on the amount of crossover. But too often I have these sweet and "thick" IIPAs that don't remind me of what I expect a IIPA to taste like.

I don't disagree. I prefer my IIPAs to spotlight hops with none of that pesky malt getting in the way, but here in the midwest, there seems to be a huge regional bias toward these other "lesser"  ;) examples.

I can't begin to count the number of times I've had exchanges with seasoned beer judges who think that Pliny is too dry, not enough malt to back up the hop character it has, etc.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2011, 04:39:36 pm by anthony »

Offline denny

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #25 on: June 27, 2011, 04:45:38 pm »
And that's my point, what is too much? I'm looking for a good ROT on % of sugar vs. OG or ???

You need to experiment to see what works for your tastes.
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Offline chumley

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #26 on: June 27, 2011, 06:41:48 pm »
What Denny said.

FWIW, I like this malt bill for a 1.080 IIPA, 5 gallon batch:

14 lbs. 2-row
0.75 lbs. caravienne
1.5 lbs, sugar

But, everybody has their own tastes.

I bought a sixer of a IIPA from a local microbrewery that I've never this weekend.  I could tell right off the bat it was all malt....much too sweet, I could only drink one.

Offline gordonstrong

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #27 on: June 28, 2011, 12:39:19 pm »
Ah.  You must have gotten a UIPA (underattenuated IPA).  They're pretty popular based on the number of people who make them.
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Offline denny

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #28 on: June 28, 2011, 12:46:04 pm »
Ah.  You must have gotten a UIPA (underattenuated IPA).  They're pretty popular based on the number of people who make them.

 ;D
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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Offline redbeerman

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #29 on: June 28, 2011, 05:10:42 pm »
Ah.  You must have gotten a UIPA (underattenuated IPA).  They're pretty popular based on the number of people who make them.
;D ;D  I prefer those like Ruination.  Hoppy with a crisp dry finish, but you can still taste the malt.  Pliny is tough to get around here, but I hear there is a place a little over an hour away that has it.  Between Ron and myself, we'll get some one of these days soon.
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