Thoughts on Black IPA recipe

I’m planning on brewing a Black IPA and have come up with the following recipe. I would be grateful of input/suggestions/criticism etc.

5 Gallons

11lbs Briess 2 Row
13oz Carafa Special III
8.3oz Carahell
4.5oz Flaked Oats
3oz caraaroma

1oz Columbus FWH
1.25oz Centennial 15mins
1.25oz Centennial 10mins
2oz Columbus 0mins
1.5oz Centennial 0mins

Perhaps dry hop with 3-4oz Columbus Centennial mix

Mash at 152F    OG 1.070  IBU 85
Wyeast 1098 @ 68F

That’s a nice amount of carafa III. i use a few ounces of chocolate in mine to add a touch of roastedness along with 3/4 lb of C60 for body, but you might get that with the carahell. I use a bunch more hops but thats what I do lol. You’re hop schedule looks good. And yes, definitely dry hop 4 oz. Cents and columbus will be a good combo in this beer.

i really dig centennial in CDAs seems to play well with the roast.  that does seem like alot of carafa lll but who know could be magic:) I use about 6% carafa ll for around 26 srm.  I like my 0min additions as whirl pool additions for 30 min or so and dry hop for sure.

My secret weapon in my Black IPA is Candisyrup D-180 and some Carafa III. I don’t like a lot of roast, but rather a hoppy, dark fruit flavor.

Hmmmmmm! This is an interesting idea. This is my first Black IPA so I will probably stick to grain only, but this sounds like a very interesting idea going forward. How much would you typically use and how much Carafa III?

I use 12 or 14 oz carafa III plus 4 oz of chocolate. I think you have a good number.

I use 1 lb. of the Candisyrup 180 and .75 lb. of Carafa III for a 5 gal batch. It also helps keep the beer dry and not too thick in body.

My Belgian Dark Ale is based on a similar idea. Dubbel malt bill and yeast, APA gravity and hops (mainly Caliente for that big red plum aroma). It works really well.

Interesting. Does the Candisyrup impart significant flavour?

I’ve been working on a Black IPA recipe as well.  Can someone help me with the differences on using 1# Midnight Wheat versus 1# Carafa Special III?

assuming a recipe along the lines of 13# 2 row, .75# C60, and 4 oz. Chocolate malt…

Yes, it gives a nice dark fruit flavor that plays well with hops. I learned this trick from a friend (Justen Pelton)who makes great beer. I’ve used the Candisyrup in Belgian beers many times and the flavor came out nice in those beers so I gave it a try. It helps get a dark color with no roast flavor. I don’t like roast and citrusy American hops together.

I recently did a three gallon batch of Black IIPA with 12 ounces of midnight wheat cold steeped, boiled, and added on day 12: very dark brown and virtually no roastiness.

One thing that I’ve never understood about brewers wanting to avoid roastedness in a black IPA. Isn’t that most of the point in making it black? If you’re not wanting any roasted flavor in your black IPA, why not just make an IPA. Somebody please set me straight if I’m missing something lol.

I like a touch in mine, Frank. Not so much that it clashes with the hops, but not just dyed black IPA either, like you said. My favorite way is to use Midnight Wheat for the color, then 2-3 oz of chocolate for a little roast.

I agree. It’s no different than adding green food coloring to your beer on St Patty’s Day.

Semantics of hoppy porter vs Black IPA aside, I think you need at least a little bit of roast otherwise I don’t see the point. Personally, I like the combo of citrus and roasted coffee/chocolate quite a bit. It can be overdone, but I like a good amount of roast in my Black IPA’s.

I like the green beer analogy. I can’t see the point of just a dyed beer, either. I think the best black IPAs are a little better attenuated and a little less roasty than a porter, and obviously way the hell hoppier.  But with a discernable roast.

Ok, so I’m not completely crazy… Well, that still might be debatable lol… But like Jon and Eric hinted at, I don’t think it needs to be stout roasty, but there should be hints of roast that compliment the hops. I like nice piney/dank/resinous hops in my black IPA. Hmmm could a black IPA be complimented with some Equinix, Jon? I’ve not tried the hop in a beer yet, but it smells like it should work here.

My point is by adding the dark candisyrup you not only get a dark color, but also nice flavor. A flavor that I prefer over roast with American citrusy hops. I don’t have a problem with roast flavor or even some in a black IPA, but like it better in a stout. Most IPA recipes don’t have dark candisyrup, so it is different than making just an IPA.

Oh yeah. It’d be tasty, Frank.  And for the record, I could see the Candi syrup working there. It’d give color, flavor and help attenuate.

I wasn’t so much questioning this technique. It’s different, and it’s probably not for me, but you are adding another element to the beer other than just making it black. I don’t get adding certain dark grains through sparge or cold steep to avoid roast and just add it for coloring. To me, there’s no point. Just make it not black if you’re not adding anything to it but color.