We mentioned brewing a black IPA last weekend and I thought I’d share our detailed recipe. We adapted the basic grain bill from The Brew Guys but chose to use different hops and yeast because experimenting is good for you.

No Regrets Black IPA – Brewed 10/5/14 – Makes one gallon

Adapted from The Brew Guys.

60-minute mash:
2 pounds American 2-row malt
3 oz Crystal 40 malt
2 oz Carafa 2 malt
1 oz Chocolate malt

Heat 3 ½ quarts water to 160 degrees. Add grains and stir gently. Steep for 60 minutes–between 144 and 152 degrees. Stir and take temp every 10 minutes. After grains have steeped for 60 minutes, raise heat and stir until temp reaches 170 degrees. Maintain temp for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 gallon sparge water to 170 degrees. Put grains into strainer and pour wort over them into plastic fermenter bucket. Slowly and evenly pour sparge water over grains. Recirculate collected liquid through the grains back into stock pot. Recirculate two more times–once in fermentation bucket then back into stock pot.

60-minute boil:
14 grams Simcoe Hops at 15 min
8 grams Centennial Hops at 15 min
7 grams Simcoe at 0 min
8 grams Centennial at 0 min

⅛ tsp Irish Moss (rehydrated at least 15 min in 1-2 oz hot water)

Bring pot to boil, reduce heat to slow rolling boil and set timer for 60 minutes. With 15 minutes remaining, add 13 grams Simcoe and 8 grams Centennial and add ⅛ tsp Irish Moss. With 0 minutes remaining, add 6 grams Simcoe and 8 grams Centennial. Prepare ice bath. Cool pot in ice bath to 70 degrees.

Ferment:
Yeast starter:
2 T light dried malt extract
1 c boiling water
1 tube liquid San Diego Super Yeast (WLP090)
¼ tsp Yeast Energizer

To make yeast starter, use a pint size canning jar to dissolve malt extract in boiling water. Cool to room temperature and add yeast and yeast energizer. Cover with plastic wrap secured with rubber band. Give it a good shake and let stand 6-12 hours.

Strain wort into primary fermenter. Add yeast starter and stir vigorously. Attach sanitized stopper and tubing to the fermenter and insert the other end of the tubing into a pint glass filled with sanitizing solution. Wait 2-3 days until bubbling slows, then replace tubing with airlock. Two weeks after brew day, transfer to secondary fermenter (glass carboy). Dry hop: Add 7 grams of Simcoe and 8 grams Centennial hops to secondary fermenter before transferring.