English IPA

Rebel Brewer has Sovereign, but I would use East Kent Goldings for a real English Character. Also make sure you use English Crystal Malt, its quite a bit different than American. I think Fawcett's is the best if you can find it.

 

I have never tried Lefthand 400 lb. Monkey but after reading about it I will try it next chance I get.

I am guessing that the Magnum is being used for bittering and the Boadicea and Sovereign are used for flavor/aroma. I am unfamiliar with Boadicea and Sovereign and clueless on good substitutions.

My favorite English style IPA is Meantime IPA. Meantime IPA is a more ‘traditional’ English style IPA in that they use the traditional English hops of Fuggles and Goldings. If you are unsuccessful in finding Boadicea and Sovereign (or suitable substitutions) maybe you might consider brewing a more traditional IPA using English hops.

If I was to make an English IPA I would use a higher AA% English hops like Challenger or Target (or Magnum would be OK too) for bittering and East Kent Goldings for flavor and aroma. Just to set your expectations, East Kent Goldings is not a potent hop like American C hops. Even if you use a lot of East Kent Goldings for late hop additions it will not be ‘in your face’ like American hops. But that is what distinguishes an English style IPA from an American style IPA. Below is the overall impression for English style IPAs from the BJCP guidelines.

“Overall Impression: A hoppy, moderately strong pale ale that features characteristics consistent with the use of English malt, hops and yeast. Has less hop character and a more pronounced malt flavor than American versions.”

Below is a description of Meantime IPA:

“INDIA PALE ALE 7.4% ABV

The Original Bitter Beer

A Glass Full of Hops

India Pale Ales are commonly associated with Burton-on-Trent as the town rose to international fame on the back of these pale beers because the gypsum-rich local water was ideally suited to making hoppy, pale beers. In fact the style originated in London, and between the 1780s and 1823 the East London firm of Hodgson had a jealously guarded virtual monopoly of supply to the growing India market. These beers were characterised by pale malts, long maturation, massive hopping levels and respectably high alcoholic strength. Meantime's IPA is generally regarded (by all those whose opinion matters) as being the best available recreation of a nineteenth century IPA.

Our India Pale Ale may best be described as hop wine. Jam packed with English Fuggles and Goldings, the beer is brewed with as many hops as we can physically get into the copper. We even add more hops using our own unique circulation process to ensure maximum contact between the hops and the body of the beer. All this gives us a final hopping rate of well over 2lbs of hops per barrel, resulting in a beer which throws out ginger notes and flavours of, marzipan which soften into a rich Seville orange marmalade.

Excellent drunk now, even better drunk tomorrow; this is one for laying down - both you and the beer will benefit from it.

If you want to learn more about India Pale Ale visit http://www.india-pale-ale.com

http://www.meantimebrewing.com/our-beers/meantime-india-pale-ale

 

I've had a couple of beers that used very large amounts of East Kent Goldings. The effect is very different from what you get with the same IBUs from high-alpha hops. The first Pretty Things Once Upon a Time beer, 1832 XXXX, is a good example. Huge quantities of Goldings leaf hops - absolutely wonderful. It's hard to describe exactly. A very persistent bitterness and a whole load of other flavours.

I recommend giving it a try.

 

Ron,

Thanks for the ‘tip’ on Pretty Things Once Upon a Time beer, 1832 XXXX.

Based upon the below verbiage on the Pretty Things web site I suspect that I am SOL with respect to trying this beer:

“The beer was available rather briefly in 22oz bottles and on draft. We’re not sure if you can still find it anywhere, but if you do, have fun drinking it!”

Cheers!

Jack

P.S. I do really enjoy Meantime IPA though. It is a ‘subdued’ beer by American style IPA standards but I very much like it.

 

Jack, I saw two bottles of XXXX last week. Didn't get to drink any of them, unfortunately. I think they may have been the last.

 

Ron,

Just out of curiosity, were you able to drink any XXXX with a bit of age on them? If so, how did they taste?

I am always hesitant to purchase hop forward beers that aren’t fresh.

Cheers!

Jack

 

I believe soverign is a dwarf (Hedge grown) variety. I've never used it but I have used First Gold, another dwarf variety and it is my go to hop with a mix of Whitbred Goldings and East Kent Goldings in my Bitters and IPA's. Lovely hop really and that combination is outstanding. Gives you some earthy flavor but is really a brighter hop with more noticable apricot and orange, brighter apricot than EKG really. I've had a beer made with it! Summit Soverign Gold (Special Release) and it was excellent! I'd say the hops in it were similar to fuggles, EKG and the First Gold I am used it, but not as earthy, I even thought the beer had some noble hop quality to it. Good luck

 

Ron,

How close would something like this: http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/EastInidaPaleAle get you to XXXX?

 

Well it's a lot weaker. XXXX was over 1100. The hopping is similar.

 

It's perhaps not generally realised over the pond that for many years the names IPA, Pale Ale and Bitter have been used interchangeably (there were no style police until recently) and to this day the overwhelming volume of IPA brewed in the UK is basically a bitter.Such as Greene King IPA which is 3.6% ABV and just 26 IBUs.

 

11# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 55 British
1 oz Northern Brewer 60 min
1 oz Fuggles 20 min
1 oz Kent Goldings Dry Hop
English Ale Yeast
Never had the 400# Monkey either, but I am currently drinking the above recipe and I was happy with it as an English IPA. The ABV was a out 5.9%. The next time I brew it I will probably try adding an oz of fuggles for 10 min.
But this is a good basic English IPA recipe imo.