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Author Topic: grain bill for imperial IPA  (Read 10024 times)

Offline blatz

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #30 on: June 29, 2011, 08:00:01 am »


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.

and you told them to turn in their judging badges on the spot, right?
The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

BJCP National: F0281

Offline gordonstrong

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #31 on: June 29, 2011, 09:11:38 am »
Nice.  Badge police here.  Taking you in for questioning.

I think the problem people have with differentiating the styles is that they calibrate on bad examples.  A crappy, underattenuated IIPA will taste a lot like a crappy, underattenuated ABW.  That doesn't mean the styles are the same.  That means if you make them wrong, you can wind up with similar results.

I remember someone telling me that lambics had to have a lot of acetic acid in them because they had one at the Delirium Cafe and it tasted that way. I told them that they went an awful long way to get a bad beer.  Even world class examples can be off if old or mishandled.
Gordon Strong • Beavercreek, Ohio • AHA Member since 1997 • Twitter: GordonStrong

Offline johnf

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #32 on: June 29, 2011, 09:50:42 am »
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.

+1

I lived in Oregon and drank this 5 years ago. I live in KC now and we don't get it but have spend a lot of time in Delaware the last couple of years and it is not the same. Hard to drink. I still like the 60 minute draught and it is ubiquitous in Wilmington.

Offline anthony

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #33 on: June 29, 2011, 02:43:26 pm »


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.

and you told them to turn in their judging badges on the spot, right?

Nah ;-) I just roll my eyes and move on to a different judge to harass about some other style.

Offline skyler

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #34 on: July 08, 2011, 12:33:46 pm »
I absolutely deplore syrupy, sweet IIPAs. They are too similar to am American Barleywine, and while that style of Barleywine (the hoppier, lower-bodied kind that is similar to some IIPAs) is my favorite kind of Barleywine, I do not consider that an IIPA and I never want more than 8 ounces of it. My IIPA tastes fall within the Pliny camp (though I have lately had a strong preference for "new school" hop profiles).

That being said, while I don't mind using simple sugar in my beers, I don't see the need for it in my IIPA. For me, the dryness is unnecessary since I use little to no crystal and no carapils and I mash very low. For me and my tastebuds, the caramel flavor that crystal adds to a beer just isn't what I am looking for in my IIPA - I like a very clean, neutral malt profile with minimal sweetness and complexity. That being said, I also like my IIPAs around the 100 IBU range (Tinseth, on paper), and at around the 8-8.5% ABV range, which is at the lower end of the gravity range in the BJCP guidelines. I suppose if I was going for a 9-10% ABV IIPA, I would probably add some simple sugar to get it up there.

Offline dannyjed

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Re: grain bill for imperial IPA
« Reply #35 on: July 08, 2011, 06:47:51 pm »
The BW I made on New Year's Day tasted a lot like a IIPA after a few months, but now that the hops have mellowed it tastes like ABW(much sweeter).  By the way, I used a pound of sugar.  The first time I crossed two categories with one beer.
Dan Chisholm