Black Canyon IPA

Next week is going to see another brew underway. And it’s another IPA.

I only brewed 5 gallons of the last one, which is currently being dry hopped. I just know it’s going to be a belter and 5 gallons simply isn’t going to last, so to save disappointment, I thought I’d get another on the go. It will also give me two different beers to take to our IPA meeting in July.

As it happens, It’s my birthday on March 13th, and while it would be great to step up to the mash tun on Sunday, I have to work, so brewing will be out of the question. Friday is my nearest free day, so the 11th it will be.

I like to name my beers, so for inspiration for this one I searched for events that went down on the 11th March, sometime in history. I was gobsmacked – Hoover Dam USA - not only did work commence on March 11th (1931), but it was completed 5 years later on March 13th.

Surely no coincidence with the dates, so, I give you my Black Canyon IPA.





I’m intending to brew 52l and the malts will be made up of 96.5% Pale, 2.5% Carahell, with a little bit of flaked maize and chocolate, thrown in for good measure.

As for the hops, there will be monster additions. A total of 750g, that’s over 14g per litre. But to keep things balanced, only 50g are going in for the full boil, the remainder will be shoved in late for masses of aroma and flavour.

According to Beersmith, my recipe should yield a gravity of 1057, with 48 IBU’s, making a bitterness ratio of 0.84%, which is far from over the top. I’ll be using Challenger and East Kent Goldings.

I’ll post the full recipe on the brew day. Until then, I need to find time to give some feedback on some of my earlier beers. I’ll get some notes together and post when I can.

I'm also making Fudge Stout Brownies for the weekend. Recipe and pics for that will follow when I get a mo...