Belgian IPA Advice

Sterling or saaz would probably be nice, but you're talking to a guy that isn't huge on Belgian beers. I like your ideas too.

I'd add a pinch of crystal, but typically you want the yeast and the hops to do the talking. That said orange peel is out and orange slices are encouraged, but hey, it's your beer.

 

Depends what you want... do you want an IPA with Belgian Yeast and American hops or an IPA with Belgian Yeast and noble/noble-esque Hops?

For the Belgian IPA with non-American hops, Styrian Goldings, Sterling or Saaz are all excellent choices. Orange peel seems like a reasonable addition. You could go the white IPA route (which is what your recipe looks like), 50-60% Belgian Pilsner, 30-40% Unmalted Wheat, +/- Flaked oats, sweet, bitter orange peel, hops of your liking (Sorachi, Citra, Amarillo, Cascade (late boil) all work well in white IPAs, in addition to noble/noble esque varieties like Saaz, Stryrian, etc.)

For the Belgian IPA with American hops, you'll get spicy phenolics from the yeast, so you can go more earthy or fruity, or a combo, depending on what you want. I've never really liked any Belgian IPAs with American hops, so can't really suggest a good combo here, but your roughly suggested schedule sounds tasty.

Please excuse my post if its hazy, I just drank 3/4 bottle of Black Tuesday in celebration, so the post might be slightly less than coherent.

 

The hop forward Euro beers that I like the most are either very close to am American FW beer or a hoppy triple. The Citra type hops seem to work the best. So I'd keep the malt simple. I think that wheat could work if you're going towards a Saison style (without the peppery yeast).Not sure if Lagunitas Lil Sumpin Wild uses crystal, but I'd wait to add in crystal.

There is an IPA thread in the Netherlands-Belgium-Lux thing. Not sure if anything posted yet will help but but there are people that could help you with flavors.

Understood completely. I'll let you decide what I understood .

 

I've made two hop-forward beers using Belgian yeast, one a saison using american hops, the other a DIPA using saison yeast. I vastly preferred the former. I think that the key to the style is getting the yeast and hop aromatics to meld.

In the Saison, the orange/tropical fruitiness of a 2:1: blend of Amarillo, Pacifica, and Citra went well with the bubblegum esters and earthy pepper phenols of 3726. One of my favorite beers that I've made.

In the DIPA, the Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial used at DIPA levels completely dominated the yeast (3726 again), which I didn't like, but the old lady loved. Finished dry, but tasted like candy in a bad way.

I've never used 3522 before, and there are tons of hops I haven't used before, but remember that balance is key. Think about the elements that both bring, and how they would work together. I'd say that the malt bill should be something that shouldn't be noticed at all, either as lacking or prominent.

 

I do a low gravity Belgian Pale every year. Usually use Centennial or CTZ. Have used Amarillo as well. Good results with all

My yeast preference goes to 3725, but its not year round. So any strain compatible with style would be nice I assume

 

I made an IPA last summer with Cascade and Simcoe pitched 5 gal with WLP007 and 5 with WLP530. My malt bill was a little goofy and I did not care for the 007 but the 530 turned out very good.

 

That hop bill looks like it will make a nice Belg IPA to me. I like to use mainly Amarillo and Saaz in mine with a Belgian Wit yeast. I try to get the zestiness of the Saaz up front. But that's my taste. I don't use any wheat or oats though, just 2-row and some light caramel or munich. Personally I'd skip the orange peels and spice as well. The hops will bring that to the table, no need to complicate things. I've tried the Sorachi in these styles as well. I'd keep it to the bittering addition, that hop bring way too much lemon flavor with it.

 

I went with falconer's flight, Amarillo, and Centennial for my dry hop and a Belgian style malt bill. I think the fruity hops went perfect with the fruity/ spicy yeast strain.

http://fermentologist.blogspot.com/2012/11/humulus-belgica.html

 

I think the recipe you have posted looks absolutely fantastic.

Enjoy that shit!

 

Question to the OP: Have you ever tasted Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA? That beer tastes like a Belgian IPA (vs. a Wit IPA) to me and I think it is an outstanding beer!

As barfdiggs made mention of, I am of the opinion that there are two sub-styles of Belgian IPA:

There is an American style Belgian IPA where American hops are used. Examples of this sub-style are Flying Dog Raging Bitch, Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Wild, Stone Cali-Belgique, Green Flash Le Freak, etc.

The Belgian brewed Belgian IPAs utilize European hops which result in a beer of a different character. Examples of this sub-style are De Ranke XX Bitter, Poperings Hommel Bier, Piraat, etc.

My personal preference is the American style Belgian IPA with my favorite being Flying Dog Raging Bitch. I also really like the Flying Dog’s new beer: Wildeman Farmhouse IPA. And of course the tasty Deschutes Chainbreaker White IPA.

So it appears that the OP wants to brew an American style Belgian IPA.

The OP mentioned using the 3522 strain which I think is an OK Belgian strain. I would highly recommend that you use 3787 (and ferment warm like 72°F) since this is a more expressive yeast strain. You really want an expressive strain to complement the potent American hops.

Below is a clone recipe for Deschutes Chainbreaker IPA which provides some ‘baseline’ for a hopping schedule to make an American style Belgian IPA:

6.5 lb pilsner
2.25 lb wheat malt
23 oz white unmalted wheat flak, uh I mean flakes
5 ml lactic acid (water-dependent, prob.)
0.75 oz Bravo 15%, 60 min.
5 oz dextrose, 30 min.
0.12 oz fresh ground coriander, 5 min
0.34 oz fresh ground bitter orange peel, 5 min.
1 oz Citra, knockout
1 oz Centennial, knockout
0.5 oz Cascade, knockout
yeast nutrient
WY 3787 Trappist High Gravity
OG 1.057
IBUs 55
SRM 4-6
ABv 5.75%

Step mash 125 for 15 min, 145-15 min, 163-20 min, 172-5 min. Ferment at 66 for 2 days, allow to rise to 74 until complete. Drop to 42, rack and condition 5-7 days.

Cheers!

 

That clone looks pretty damn tasty, and is pretty much along the lines of the white IPA I brewed, although I did dry hop mine with some Galaxy and Sorachi, and used just flaked wheat. I used the 3787 as well, more expressive.

Your recipe looks tasty. I threw some numbers into beersmith with your grain bill, and targeted 55 IBU (Same as Chainbreaker). I tend to tone down the Citra in my beers otherwise it'll take over. Chainbreaker uses some malted wheat, most likely to smooth out the graininess of using flaked wheat, although its more a personal preference (My white IPA was pretty much the same grainbill as yours).

 

Made this earlier this year with 3711. Everyone has really enjoyed it. I think the hops played really well with the yeast fermented at about 72deg F. Very light color, good hop character and low FG.

Grains & Adjuncts Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
3.00 lbs 39.74 % Light Dry Extract 60 mins 1.044
3.30 lbs 43.71 % Briess Pilsen Light LME 0 mins 1.038
0.25 lbs 3.31 % Biscuit Malt 60 mins 1.036
1.00 lbs 13.25 % Palm sugar 10 mins 1.046

Hops Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
0.50 ozs 20.42 Magnum 60 mins 13.10
0.50 ozs 17.77 Falconer Flight 60 mins 11.4
0.50 ozs 6.71 Glacier 30 mins 5.60
0.25 ozs 2.63 Cascade 15 mins 6.80
0.50 ozs 4.33 Glacier 15 mins 5.60
0.50 ozs 1.74 Glacier 5 mins 5.60
0.50 ozs 2.11 Cascade 5 mins 6.80
0.50 ozs 0.00 Glacier 0 mins 5.60
0.25 ozs 0.00 Cascade 0 mins 6.80

Yeasts Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg French Saison