Would an India Pale Lager has the same stats (S G, F G, IBUs, SRM) as an IPA?
It can be whatever you want it to be. I would start with a base lager that you are already comfortable with, increase the og and hops.
+2. Treat it just like an IPA grist wise, or use a pils malt base like you would for a lager . As for hop varieties have fun with it - use lots of noble lager-ish varieties ,or just hop it with your favorite IPA hops. As for yeast, Wy2124 works great, and WLP940 Mexican Lager is even better IMO for this - incredibly clean which brings the hops even more front and center.
Wolverine State makes a nice IPL, Gulo Gulo. WLP 940 is the house yeast.
Sounds great. It’s definitely my first choice for it.
For some styles I think it is too clean, if you can understand what I am saying.
I agree totally, Jeff. It doesn’t have much character of its own - I see it a lot like using 1056 for an American style. I used it a time or two in more traditional lagers and thought it didn’t bring enough to the party. But I do think it’s great for IPL.
EDIT - It’s overdoing it to say that 940 has no character at all - it’s recognizable as a lager strain. But it’s the cleanest one I’ve used.
I’m of the opinion that an IPL needs to taste like a lager or else it’s just a regular IPA, regardless of the yeast. So Mexican Lager is out for me since it doesn’t add any real lager character. Same thing with US 2-row. I’ve been happy with Pils malt and 34/70 as a base in my hoppy lagers. WY2633 has worked pretty well, too.
Currently, I have a hoppy lager fermenting with 2278. I haven’t brewed with that strain before, but I’ve heard it produces a very crisp beer, so I have high hopes.
As far as specs are concerned, I’d target the same OG as an IPA. For IBUs, I like the lower end (maybe 50-60) so the bitterness doesn’t completely overwhelm the malt and yeast character. For hops, I like at least a little noble character. Fruity noble variants like Sterling, Motueka, and Mandarina Bavaria are good choices to build around. From there you can splash in the usual pine/tropical/citrus as you like.
Agree on 2124 or Saflager 34/70, makes a great IPL in my experience. Also great for black IPL, which I’ve taken to using lager yeast almost exclusively now for my black hoppy beer recipe, None More Black! I feel it really balances the hop and malt profile nicely.
Interested to hear what your experience is with 2278, Eric.
I’m thinking I should have gone this way with my German themed IPA: Pilsner, Munich and Vienna. Herkules, Mandarina Bavaria, and Huell Melon. Split the batch and did half & half WLP090& Wy1007. Might have a rebrew and use 34/70 and just treat it like the lager it wanted to be to begin with
I have a hunch that Wy2112 would be a very good strain choice for making an IPL.
Thoughts?
I think it would make a good, hoppy steam beer. I know that 2112 is technically a lager yeast, but the beers it makes don’t taste much like what I expect a lager to taste like. At least to my palate it doesn’t.
In my experience 2112 ferments very clean at the low-end of its temperature range around 58°F. Some people say it gives a fruity character but I have not found this to be true- again, I ferment at the low end. It does leave a lot of residual maltiness in the finished beer so I don’t know if it would be good for an IPL.