Homebrew recipe: India Black Ale (take three)
The second India Black Ale I made was an outstanding success both for myself and importantly a hit with others. So much so 25 bottles of it went within a couple of weeks. So I decided to make it again but try a few of my new tricks – partial mashing, gypsum for intense hop flavour and late extract addition. Of course I thought I’d try hop it up a bit more which, because of the late extract additions and gypsum, isn’t actually necessary. The hop flavour is intensified through these two process changes. As a result there’ll be about the same weight of hops but the total alpha acids in the hop bill will surpass the last IBA.
Hopefully this one is as good or better than the last. So far my black IPA has the makings of a good house beer recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 x 1.5 litre liquid male malt extract cans
- 100 grams dextrose
- 300 grams Carafa special II malt
- 400 grams crystal malt (dark in this case)
- 500 grams Marris Otter pale malt
- 150 grams Carapils
- Hops and lots of them
- Gypsum and Irish moss
- Wyeast 1056
Mash process
Bring four litres of water up to 80 degrees celsius and add all the grains but the Carafa Special. Maintain at 65 degrees for 50 minutes then add the Carafa Special. Steep for a further 10 minutes then pour off liquid into a separate container and add 5 litres of water to the grain and steep again for 10 minutes. Combine liquid and dispose of grains (thoughtfully). Bring this mixture to the boil and then begin the hop schedule.
Hop Schedule
- 60 mins – 40 grams Chinook 11% AA + 2 teaspoons gypsum
- 40 mins – 15 grams Amarillo 8.2% AA
- 25 mins – 35 grams Cascade (5% AA), 35 grams East Kent Goldings (5% AA) and a teaspoon of Irish moss
- Flame out – 15 grams Cascade (5% AA) and 20 grams Amarillo (8.2% AA)
Fermenting
The 2 x 1.5 kilogram pale malt extract was then added to the wort and stirred in thoroughly and poured into the fermenter. The sugars from the Maris Otter base malt should have been enough to isomerise the hop oils and the extract is already sanitary so there was no need to boil it. The total volume was 5 litres at this point. This was then topped up to 23 litres and The Wyeast 1056 was added from a smack pack which had been smacked in transit. The funny thing being that the mini pack of wort inside the smack pack hadn’t been broken. I wonder why the smack pack had expanded. I’m hoping it’s not bad. The OG came out at 1068. With the Wyeast 1056 running at somewhere between 73 and 77% efficiency the final gravity should come out at about 1017 and 7.1% alcohol.
Colour was dark but this time I don’t think it will be quite as black as the last IBA since late extract addition significantly lightens beers. Smell and taste were quite smoky and amazingly the hops didn’t seem too pronounced but only time will tell.
Dry hopping
Once the primary fermentation is complete the beer will be transferred to the secondary and dry hopped with with 30 grams of Amarillo and 15 grams of East Kent Goldings.
Secondary Fermentation
After four days in the primary the beer was siphoned off into a secondary fermenter. The dry hops were added and specific gravity came out at 1012.
Bottling
The beer was left for two weeks in the secondary to allow the dry hops to impart their flavour fully. 140 grams of dextrose was used to bulk prime the beer.
Tasting
Thanks to the Amarillo hops the nose and flavour of this beer exhibits stone fruit characteristics. While bitter it is not as bitter as you would expect from a hoppy IPA but the taste is pleasant. The often overpowering smells and flavours of the Cascade hops have been subdued and without being told about the Cascade it’s hard to notice they are there. With the late extract addition the Carafa special II has been allowed to shine. Giving a slight coffee flavour but without any bitterness whatsoever. If I had to compare this beer to any other beer I would put it somewhere between a James Squire Golden Ale and a Sierra Nevada Torpedo Ale with the ever present hint of a stout or porter that the Carafa Special brings to this beer. It is difficult even for myself as the brewer to believe that each sip of this drink that is blacker than Coca Cola can have such a light and fruity flavour.
Overall. I am extremely pleased and have had some friends back me up by tasting it themselves. I am definitely going to make it again.
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