Cascade Dark Ale Birthday brew

[karst]

Wondering about my recipe formulation

100 IBUs from Cascade Citra (flavor) Amarillo (aroma) and Magnum (bittering)

80% Maris Otter 3% Carafa II Crystal 120,Briess Special Roast and Roasted Barley 1.6% Chocolate Malt and Chocolate Wheat Malt

This started with some blending experiments with Sinebrychoff Baltic Porter and a freshly transported from San Diego gift of Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale Like the 30:70 Porter:IIPA blend best.

Proposed style guide for Casc. Dk Ale

Aroma: prominent NW hop aromas: citrus, pine, resinous, sweet malt, hints of roast, toast, chocolate malt, and/or Carafa back-up the hops. Dry hopped character is often present. No diacetyl, esters generally range from low to none.

Appearance: Deep brown to black with ruby highlights. Head varies from white to tan/khaki

Flavor: A balance between piney, citrus-like and spicy NW hop flavor, bitterness, caramel malt, and roast, chocolate, or Carafa-type malts. Roast character ranges from subtle to medium. Black malt is acceptable at low levels, but should not be astringent. Intense ashy, burnt character is not appropriate. Caramel malt as a secondary flavor is acceptable but the finish should be dry. Diacetyl should not be present. Emphasis should be on hop flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium, hop bitterness and tannins from roast malts combine to create a dry mouthfeel. Resinous character from high levels of dry hopping may create a tongue coating sensation.

Overall Impression: A highly-hopped, medium-bodied dark ale, similar in many ways to a strong version of American IPA, except that it incorporates dark malts and signature NW hop varieties, often in conjunction with fruity esters. Bitterness and body is much closer to an IPA balance than a strong ale or American stout. Finish is a nuanced interplay of hop and roast bitterness to create a dry quenching impression.

History: A style that came to prominence on the Northwest Coast of North America in the early
21st Century. Northwest hops play key flavor roles, balanced with malt, roast malts give color and flavor, but body should be reminiscent of an IPA, not heavy like a porter or stout. The style celebrates the hops of the Pacific Northwest, but is commonly brewed in other regions.

Comments: Some brewers prefer to cold steep the dark grains to achieve a very dark beer without the tannin contribution of adding the grains to the mash. The use of Sinnamar to enhance color is common. The interaction of dark, roasted malts and grains with NW hop character creates a unique spicy flavor component described as minty, or rosemary like.

Ingredients: Pale or pilsner malt, some mid-range caramel malt in a supporting role, Carfa type
malts, both regular and debittered, small amounts of chocolate malt, roast barley, and black patent malts can also be used. Northwest American hop varieties, or hops with similar characteristics (eg New Zealand), for flavor and aroma additions. Heavy dry-hopping is common.

IBUs 60-90+
Color: 40+ SRM
OG: 1.060-1.075 (15-18 P)
FG: 1.008-1.016 (2-4 P)
Abv 6.0-7.75%

Classic Examples: Rogue Brewer, Phllips Black Toque, Hopworks Secession CDA, Barley Brown’s Turmoil, Widmer W’10 Pitch Black IPA, Lucky Lab Black Sheep, Three Creeks 8 Second IBA, Block 15 Benton Brigade, Stone 11th Anniversary (Sublimely Self-Righteous) Ale, Walking Man Big Black Homo, Rogue Black Brutal, Laughing Dog Dogzilla, Southern Tier Iniquity[/i]

[siwelwerd]

This started with some blending experiments with Sinebrychoff Baltic Porter and a freshly transported from San Diego gift of Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale Like the 30:70 Porter:IIPA blend best.

FWIW, Arrogant Bastard is not an IIPA.

One comment : 100 IBU is a lot. I would think the roast would also add some perceived bitterness. I aim for more like 60 IBU when I do something in this style (I'm a big fan of Mike McDole's "Janet's Brown Ale"). I also go with Carafa II Special to limit the roastiness (part of that is personal taste though).

Okay, a second comment: Arrogant Bastard is all Chinook, if you are looking for that specific hop character.

[RobertHSmith]

Larry,

How long did you want to let this thing sit before drinking it? I'd back off on the IBU's if you want to partake sooner than later.

[karst]

FWIW, Arrogant Bastard is not an IIPA.


whoops! meant Double Bastard @ 11% ABV what I actually needed was Ruination 7.7% and 100+ IBUs But when you live in Rolla you have to make do!


Still need input for Cascade Dark Ale anyone have a July/Aug 2010 Zymurgy?

[Mike C-Z]

There was an article on making a black ipa in the brew your own magazine a while back, looking them over, the beers range from:
OG 1064 FG 1014 65 IBUs,
OG 1070 FG 1010 94 IBUs,
OG 1064 FG 1014 70 IBUs

Hope this helps. I can bring in the magazine or post more details if needed.

[Lynux]

Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous is what I consider to be the best of the style (that I've tasted so far). Here is the recipe straight from Stone:

90% pale malt

5% 60°L Crystal

5% Weyermann Carafa III Special


OG target is 20.5°P (1.082 SG) Terminal Gravity target is 4°P (1.016 SG)


Hops:

Bittering at start of boil: 100% Chinook

Flavor hops added at end of boil or whirlpool: 50/50 blend of Simcoe and Amarillo

Target 120 IBU’s.

Ferment with good ale yeast. We used our house yeast.

Dry-Hop with 50/50 blend of Simcoe and Amarillo, use LOTS! (we used 1 ½ pounds per barrel).