I thought that I would post my thoughts on my next evolution of this style in hopes that, like the old recipe exchange, I can get some feedback. This year’s version will try to incorporate some of the new German varieties to achieve the fruitiness that mosaic/galaxy did the year prior and prior to that orange peel and coriander.
So, looking at the grain piece of yer thoughts, you are loaded up with wheat and Im not sure what raw wheat does. I am guessing yer using acid malt fer some pH help, and then sugar to dry out the flavor. I am not for IPA getting too dry, I feel it doesn’t let the hops and barley mingle together, just me. And yer hops, I haven’t heard of them, where do I find the write up on them to understand them? You must of liked mosaic, I didn’t give them a high rating. I think you should brew yer brew and see ifn it compares to yer thinking… Sneezles61
The grain bill seems a bit light, but at that gravity, it has plenty of body. The raw wheat makes it a little cloudy, like a wit. In fact, the base is just a Belgian wit, kicked up a notch. I originally did this with centennial, cascade and citra with orange peel and coriander, fairly traditional. The next step was to get those flavors with mosaic and galaxy which was a wonderful, a light, refreshing (but potent) tropical beer to enjoy by the pool. It does overwhelm the character of the yeast though. So this year, I’m going with the new fruity German varieties.
I actually love the idea of that grist. I’ve been really simplifying my IPA malt bills, just base malt and maybe some sugar, and fermenting them as dry as possible, like 1.005 and lower. Starting to despise crystal in them, too. The pils/wheat sounds really interesting!
But… My experience with huell melon and hallertau blanc is that they are very subtle. Even with 4oz at flameout, I don’t think it’s going to say IPA. I think that would make a killer hoppy saison, though!
Final impressions:
Nice, light, dry mandarins IPA. The melon and blanc get lost in the finish.
I probably would go back to finish with Mosaic and/or Galaxy.
