What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Darren Wood]

Recipe: Black IPA
Brewer: Darren Wood
Batch Size (fermenter): 23.02 l 

Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 92.8 EBC
Estimated IBU: 70.8 IBUs

Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
(75.0 %) 4.49 kg NZ Pale Malt
(15.0 %) 0.90 kg Carafa Special II (Weyermann)
(8.0 %) 0.48 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
(2.0 %) 0.12 kg Chocolate Malt

45.00 g Pacific Jade [13.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 mins) -
25.00 g Motueka [7.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min
25.00 g Pacifica [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min
30.00 g Motueka [7.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min
30.00 g Pacifica [5.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min
25.00 g Motueka [7.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days
25.00 g Pacifica [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days

1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) -

Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body

Saccharification 66.7 C 75 min
Mash Out 75.6 C 10 min

[Josh C]

That is a lot of Carafa Special II. Weyermann website says 1-5% for Carafa special. I usually see 5% for black IPAs.

[Barry]

Was about to suggest the same thing. That's a fair heap of dark crystal too.

Seems like you're aiming for a sessionable black IPA Darren, with that OG and mash temp. Those malts might be quite full on.

Be interested to see how it shapes up.

[Crusader-Rob]

I used 4.5% in a black IPA recently, turned out very very dark, super tasty, wouldn't want anymore tbh.

[Josh C]

I didn't notice the dark crystal, I just skimmed over thinking it was medium crystal. Yes I usually keep dark crystal under 3%. The advice I have heard for black IPAs is just a normal IPA recipe with 5% Carafa Special II added. I would personally go light or Medium crystal too. 

I should note that Carafa Special always makes my beer way darker than the beersmith estimates, a little goes a long way.

[Darren Wood]

Super glad I posted the recipe here—would have been a shitter otherwise — awesome help everyone, thanks for that. I need to pay more attention to the recommended %. Beersmith actually tells me that kinda stuff so there's no excuse other than laziness. Also beersmith does totally lie about the Cafafa Special darkness...

Tweaked grain bill

93% NZ Pale Malt
3.5% Carafa Special II
2% Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L
1.5% Chocolate Malt

[Josh C]

Looks much better. If you want more body and sweetness you could add some lighter crystal too to hit ~8-10% total crystal.

[Darren Wood]

Great advice, thanks heaps!

I've been spending far too much focusing on hops... I've been making SMaSH beers (using Maris Otter) so still lots n lots of room to play with grains :) Looking forward to getting stuck into more of these malts over my next few brews.

[MrC]

Currently mid-mash on this Pseudo Red Pilsner.  

Pulling back a little on the Special B from a previous beer and subbing in a little choc to make up for the loss in colour.  Was originally planning a basic pilsner but decided to add the darker malts at the last minute.

Stats:

OG: 1.060
IBU: 37
ABV: 6.1

Fermentables:
88% Pilsner, Germany

3% Cara-Pils

2% Aromatic Malt

2% Melanoiden Malt

3% Caraaroma

2% Special B

... and 50g choc malt for colour

Hops:
12g @ 60min Pacific Jade
20g @ 10min NZ Cascade
10g @ 10min Nelson Sauvin
10g @ 10min Riwaka
20g @ 0min NZ Cascade
10g @ 0min Nelson Sauvin
10g @ 0min Riwaka
20g Dry 5 days NZ Cascade
10g Dry 5 days Nelson Sauvin
10g Dry 5 days Riwaka

Yeast:
Safale US-05 fermented at 19C

[Ben Dean]

Brewing a stout today. Gladfield Ale Malt, Roasted Barley, Dark Crystal, Munich. Pacific Jade, Bramling Cross to 45 IBU. US05. Estimated OG - 1.042

Will hopefully make a tasty winter drop.

[Ben Dean]

OG ended up at 1.044

Went out for a couple of beers after putting the brew down. Got back 3 hours later and the US05 is glugging away already!

[Darren Wood]

Current mashing a super simple Citra IPA recipe I found online somewhere... I'm FWH the long addition which differs from the original recipe:

IPA
Method: BIAB
OG: 1.066 SG
Color: 11.5 EBC
IBU: 68.0 IBUs
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Batch Size: 25L

88% NZ Pale Malt
12% Crystal 20L
30g Centennial - First Wort 90 min
30g Citra - Boil 15 min
70g Citra - Boil 5 min
40g Citra - Dry Hop 4 Days
Safale US-05

Mash @ 66C for 75 min
Mash Out 75C for 10 min