My first IPA

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 9:52 am

Hi Team.

I've been thinking about doing an IPA for a while and tried to find a 'taster' in the local bottlo to see if I really wanted to do a full brew. Couldn't get one so I've just bit the bullet and bought a Coopers IPA kit.

I was going to brew it on a 1.5Kg can of Coopers LME plus 1Kg of dex but that's about a 7% brew. Too high?

Advice from anyone who's done a kit IPA please. I'm assuming the malt would be the first call but what about the dex? All, half or none?

Also kit yeast or CPA culture? I bet I know what the answer to that'll be but I've got to do a search here for the correct culture sugars.

If I did use the malt and dex with the kit yeast would I be right in thinking I need to grow up a starter?

Cheers Geoff.

Emo · Post by **Emo** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 10:28 am

The best Pale Ale advise I can give is, Cascade hops and lots of them.

Emo · Post by **Emo** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 10:29 am

Emo wrote:The best Pale Ale advise I can give is, Cascade hops and lots of them.

It's hard to find but the best Pale Ale I've ever had is from a small NZ brewery call Emersons.

Danzar · Post by **Danzar** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 11:30 am

Keep it simple.

Go Coopers India Pale Ale (the other brands are lighter and not along the James Squire style, if that's what you're after).

1.5kg LME (light)
Cascade 12g should be enough.
Fuggles (dry hopped for aroma).
Safale S04 yeast.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 11:56 am

I agree with 1.5 LDM.

As for yeast, a CPA/CSA will do the trick nicely. You are best off using malt, but you could use dextrose to get it going.

And screw cascade, use willamette, goldings or fuggles. Something Pommy.

Danzar · Post by **Danzar** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 6:38 pm

Chris wrote:I agree with 1.5 LDM.

As for yeast, a CPA/CSA will do the trick nicely. You are best off using malt, but you could use dextrose to get it going.

And screw cascade, use willamette, goldings or fuggles. Something Pommy.

Hmmm, goldings, good call.

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 7:26 pm

Im having a crack with my own IPA styled beer tonight.

1 x tin Muntons Bitter (C.R)
1kg x Light Malt
1/2 x tin LME
50 gm Goldings
50 gm Williamette

Have a muslin bag with some Carapils, Caramalt and Chocolate Malt which Im going to steep in about 3 litres of water.

Any thoughts?

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Monday Jan 08, 2007 7:29 pm

Try the Gage Roads IPA its not bad at all!

Cortez The Killer · Tuesday Jan 09, 2007 9:47 pm

Zuma wrote:Im having a crack with my own IPA styled beer tonight.

1 x tin Muntons Bitter (C.R)
1kg x Light Malt
1/2 x tin LME
50 gm Goldings
50 gm Williamette

Have a muslin bag with some Carapils, Caramalt and Chocolate Malt which Im going to steep in about 3 litres of water.

Any thoughts?

Zuma was an excellent album!

What sort of boil times are you going to do with those hops?

Zuma · Post by **Zuma** » Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 11:08 am

Yeah Cortez probably my fave!

Boiled the goldings for 10 minutes and half the williamette for 1 minute.

Going to put the rest of the williamette in the secondary..

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 3:45 pm

IPA? fuggles fuggles fuggles for me

SpillsMostOfIt · Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 5:47 pm

OldBugman wrote:IPA? fuggles fuggles fuggles for me

I've no skin in this game, but as I understand it, Willamette is derived from a Fuggles cutting, so should be similarish - or at least subtley different enough to give it a 'twist'?

derfly · Post by **derfly** » Wednesday Jan 10, 2007 8:55 pm

I can vouch for the Blackrock IPA. Now drinking at 2 months plus and it's a cracker. See my previous post "India Pale Ale" for details.