English IPA

My most recent beers were a few English Pale Ales - specifically a best bitter and an ESB. I also used an English yeast for my Porter. Since I had all this nice English yeast ready to go, I decided to use it for an English-style India Pale Ale.

Now, for the English IPA, first of all, I would like to direct those of you who are reading this to my favorite beer blog, "Shut Up About Barclay Perkins" (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/01/characteristics-of-ipa.html) here Mr. Ron Patterson explains more clearly than I could what I always thought was true about English IPA, which fellow homebrewers and American beer lovers would always disagree with - namely that the English IPA is not a strong beer. The Beer Judge Certification Program has been tremendously useful for judging and comparing beer and the BJCP is also extraordinarily influential when it comes to defining beer styles in the American Homebrewer and Craft Beer scene. However, English IPA is a style they just got wrong, in My opinion.

English IPA is not a strong beer. It just isn't. But then, I'm not English and here on the west coast of the US, an IPA is typically a strong, hoppy, golden to copper-colored ale. So what if you use an English yeast and English hops and English malt? Then you have an English-style American India Pale Ale! Now, What I decided to go for was a beer that was on the big end of what would be called IPA in Britain. My OG was 1.054 and the IBUs should be around 45-50. I used British malts (Maris Otter and British Crystal 65L) and yeast (WLP002, purportedly the Fuller's strain) and I hopped this ale 100% with a new American hop variety (Delta) that is said to be similar to Styrian Goldings. I certainly used far more late hop additions than would be typical of any English ale and I added some corn sugar to help this beer dry out. Here is what I came up with. After all, I want this beer to both fit within the BJCP guidelines and properly fit within the true definition of English IPA.

Here's the recipe:


Recipe: Delta Force English IPA
Style: 14A-India Pale Ale(IPA)-English IPA

Recipe Overview

Wort Volume Before Boil: 14.50 US gals
Wort Volume After Boil: 11.50 US gals
Volume Transferred: 9.75 US gals
Water Added: 1.25 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 11.00 US gals
Final Batch Volume: 10.50 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.044 SG
Expected OG: 1.054 SG
Expected FG: 1.012 SG
Expected ABV: 5.5 %
Expected ABW: 4.4 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 44.7
Expected Color: 8.4 SRM
Apparent Attenuation: 76.6 %
Mash Efficiency: 88.0 %
Boil Duration: 95.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 64 degF

Fermentables
UK Pale Ale Malt (Maris Otter) 18lb 0oz (85.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
UK Medium Crystal (120EBC) 1lb 8oz (7.1 %) In Mash/Steeped
Sugar - Corn Sugar/Dextrose (Dry) 1lb 8oz (7.1 %) Start Of Boil

Hops
US Delta (6.5 % alpha) 85 g Loose Whole Hops used 60 Min From End
US Delta (6.5 % alpha) 85 g Loose Whole Hops used 15 Min From End
US Delta (6.5 % alpha) 85 g Loose Whole Hops used 5 Min From End
US Delta (6.5 % alpha) 85 g Loose Whole Hops used At turn off
US Delta (6.5 % alpha) 85 g Loose Whole Hops used Dry-Hopped

Other Ingredients
Wyeast Nutrient 1 tsp used In Boil
2 Whirlfloc Tablets used In Boil

Yeast: White Labs WLP002-English Ale

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name:Single Step Infusion (65C/149F)
Step: Rest at 149 degF for 60 mins