My 1st Milkshake

[brewmanchu]

So I'm really into the NEIPA style now which makes it hard to drink so many beers that I once loved. I've brewed some very good NEIPA's thus far and am now going to try the Milkshake type as I've really enjoyed some of the commercial varieties I've had. Here's the recipe:

• 12 lb Golden Promise
• 2 lb Flaked Wheat
• 2 lb Flaked Oats
• 6 oz Honey Malt
• 2 lb Corn Sugar
• 1 lb Lactose
• 2 Vanilla Beans
• FHW 1.50oz Mosaic
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Galaxy 40 min
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Citra 40 min
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Mosaic 40 min
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Galaxy 20 min
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Citra 20 min
• Steep/Whirlpool 0.50oz Mosaic 20 min
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Galaxy 7 days
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Citra 7 days
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Mosaic 7 days
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Galaxy 4 days
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Citra 4 days
• Dry Hop 1.00oz Mosaic 4 days
WYEAST 1318 London Ale

Any thoughts or experiences with this type?

[brew_cat]

Never had it what exactly is it

[brewmanchu]

One of the newer entries into the IPA family of beers is the Milkshake IPA, which is brewed with lactose for a full body. Fruit or vanilla tend to be the key flavoring ingredient. The first-ever version is attributed to Swedish brewery Omnipollo, but it has since been adapted by dozens of U.S. breweries.

I have a brewery by the name of Tired Hands fairly close to me and people go nuts over the Vanilla and Double Vanilla Milkshakes they put out

[voltron]

At first glance, I think you'll get what you're aiming for. What mash temp will you be targeting?

[brewmanchu]

I think I'm gonna shoot for 153 on this one. I usually go 150-152 as I like them a tad drier

[GoBlue59]

I have imbibed one or two commercial ones before but never brewed any.

One thing I would say, just looking at it, is that you may be short on vanilla. For reference sake, I made an oatmeal cookie stout and I used 2 vanilla beans. But I had sliced them open, scraped out the yummy insides, and then soaked that in vodka. I then dry hopped the homemade vanilla “extract”. It was great, and I wish I had done more.

You seem to be adding one bean to the grist? Obviously I could be misreading this recipe, but if you are adding it to your mash tun, I fear for the amount of flavor. Like I said, I had wished I used more, and vanilla was a very small piece of my flavor profile, it seems to be the major piece of yours.

Also, something I noticed with that stout I made... vanilla flavors fade FAST from home brews. I don’t know how commercial breweries maintain their vanilla flavors (maybe extracts?), but it seems that vanilla, especially in home brews, is a very quick-to-fade flavor. Which would leave you with a sweetened neipa I believe. Just food for thought

[brewmanchu]

@GoBlue59 I was already thinking that 1 may not be enough. I've never used vanilla bean at all so I have no clue how much flavor they may impart. From recipes that i saw online, it looks like brewers scrape the insides and then add to the fermenter 3-4 days prior to packaging.

If the beer is as good as I hope then I'm not worried about the flavor fading. It's football season and we host football sunday parties every week so it may not last long.

Thanks for your input

[sneezles61]

I don't brew with vanilla, a friend does... and I will say in his porters, its very good for a week and not much more at tops. He does use vanilla beans. The amount I don't know, but its done like DH'ing... I would think, get it into the fermenter a few days before kegging... and do have some extra tincture to "top up" when the vanilla starts to fade...
I wonder about switching out the more "flavorable" hop, Mosaic, with an earthy EKG... Lactose and vanilla being the stars of your stage here, the hops are the supporting cast... Sneezles61

[squeegeethree]

Remember to tell those you are serving that there is Lactose in the beer. I does effect those that are intolerant to lactose.
I would get rid of the honey malt personally. Your recipe will be plenty sweet with a pound of unfermentable sugar and I feel like the aftertaste of honey malt is not always complimentary to hops. I guess Citra and Mosaic could be good together but they also could muddy each others strongest qualities.

[brewmanchu]

I'm gonna up the vanilla to 2 beans and keep a tincture on hand as well @sneezles61. I read about guys using 3 in very similar recipes but I'll meet them in the middle. Not quite sure what the honey malt is going to do but it seemed common in these recipes as well so I added a touch to mine. I do get what you mean with the sweetness @squeegeethree, you think I should mash lower? Galaxy, Citra and Mosaic is the most popular combo in NEIPA's and I have plenty of these to use

[squeegeethree]

I wouldn't bother lowering the mash it will be sweet regardless because of the lactose. I'm just not a fan of honey malt anymore after using it in everything. You'll balance it with the hops. I have been going to the other side of the spectrum with Brut IPAs both of these styles focus on the hops.
I'm serious about telling people you serve about the lactose being in there. A local brewery here started adding a bit of lactose to everything for mouthfeel and hop balance and they ended up with longer lines to use the bathroom. Now the state which have it in them.

In looking at your recipe I would switch out those 7 day dry hops for 2 day dry hop. Even a 2 hour dry hop would be more effective than a 7 day dry hop IMO

[brewmanchu]

I'll be sure to let folks know about the lactose. I think they will assume it already with their familiarity with the style. Never heard of the 2 hour dryhop but I may have to give that a try. Ingredients will be here today so looking forward to brew day

[loopie_beer]

I think your recipe looks solid, even with the honey malt. Lactose doesn’t give the same “sweet” as honey malt. Why the corn sugar?

[squeegeethree]

I was exaggerating when I said 2 hours really. But not happy with my dry-hopping with my bigmouth bubbler depth charge system I have been experimenting with shorter and shorter dry hop times and agitation and getting better results( at least to my nose).
Here are some links that inspired me to abandon long dry hop times.

"Here we can see their results, which show the concentration of linalool tested at 3 different stages of the dry hop (day 1, day 4, and day 7). Interestingly, the oils were almost completely extracted on the first full day of dry hopping and even decreased after day 4!"
http://scottjanish.com/examination-of-studies-hopping-methods-and-concepts-for-achieving-maximum-hop-aroma-and-flavor/

"Overall preference, surprisingly, was split almost down the middle with 5 endorsing the short dry hop beer while 4 preferred the long dry hop beer. The last 3 reported having no particular preference for either beer, despite noticing differences between them."
http://brulosophy.com/2015/10/26/dry-hop-length-long-vs-short-exbeeriment-results/

"You won’t get a significant increase in hop aroma over the first 72 hours, but if you just can’t get to packaging in that time, it won’t hurt the beer."
https://learn.kegerator.com/dry-hopping/

[brewmanchu]

Corn sugar was just to bump up the abv and might actually be cut down to 1lb as I'm looking at a 9.5% beer as it sits. Biggest brew I've ever done.

@squeegeethree I thought you were serious man. I thought about pouring growlers and dryhopping in those for a few hours before we poured a pint. I agree on the shorter DH time yet I'm still doing a double DH so I think 7 and 4 days before packaging would be ok. I usually DH in the keg so I could always do a 4 day in fermenter and then keg hop it.

I had an Aslin Grovestand Milkshake IPA last night and it was delicious. Huge orange and vanilla flavor kind of like and Orange Julius from the mall

[sneezles61]

WOW, never thought of that!! Hop in a growler just before you serve it... Pour through some type of strainer... You just gave me a fun idea to try Brewman! Sneezles61

[squeegeethree]

Teaball strainers would be perfect for this

Amazon.com: Lyxa SR 3 Pack Stainless Steel Mesh Tea Ball 2.1 Inch Tea Infuser Strainers Tea Strainer Filters Tea Interval Diffuser for Tea: Kitchen & Dining

[brewmanchu]

So my wife just came home from grocery store with the vanilla beans I need for the brew, holy cow! 2 Madagascar beans for 20 freaking dollars!!! Does this sound right? I've never priced or purchased them before in my life and at that price I don't if I ever will again

[loopie_beer]

I think that seems a little high. IIRC I bought 2 at a Kroger grocery store for $6-$7.

[brew_cat]

Ha ha she must really love you