Imperial IPA Recipe

This Imperial IPA recipe is perfect for beer enthusiasts who enjoy a strong, hoppy beer with a balanced bitterness and sweet malt flavors. With a deceptively high alcohol content and a fresh citrus aroma, this beer is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Follow the steps below to create your own batch of this delicious Imperial IPA.

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Imperial IPA

This beer is deceptively strong as the high levels of alcohol are balanced by a hop bitterness, sweet malt flavours, and a fresh, citrus aroma.

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

TO FERMENT84 days d

Total Time84 days d 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Beer

Cuisine: Larger

Keyword: IMPERIAL IPA

Servings: 40 pints

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Dan Smullen

Equipment

• 1 Brew kettle (at least 10 gallons)
• 1 Mash tun (insulated cooler or a kettle with a false bottom)
• 1 Hot liquor tank (kettle or cooler to hold hot water)
• 1 Immersion or counterflow wort chiller
• 1 Fermenting vessel (glass carboy or plastic bucket)
• 1 Airlock and stopper
• 1 Hydrometer and test jar
• 1 Racking cane and tubing
• 1 Bottling bucket or kegging equipment
• 1 Bottles or kegs
• 1 Thermometer
• 1 Scale
• 1 Measuring cups and spoons
• 1 Long-handled stirring spoon
• 1 Cleaner and sanitizer (such as PBW and Star San)
• 1 Gas burner (if brewing outdoors)

Ingredients

For the Mash – Liquor 21 Litres (37 Pints) – Mash Time 1 hr – Temperature 65°C (149°F)

• 17 lb Pale malt Quantity 8.1 kg
• 3 1/2 oz Light crystal malt (60L) Quantity 100 g
• 2 3/4 oz Chocolate malt Quantity 80 g

For the Boil – 27 Litres (47 1/2 Pints) – Boil Time 1 hr – 10 mins

• 2 oz (Hops ) Chinook 13.3% When to add – At start of boil (IBU 64.0)
• 1 oz (Hops ) Simcoe 13% When to add – For last 10 mins of boil (IBU 11.0)
• 1 3/4 oz (Hops ) Simcoe 13% When to add – At turn off (IBU 0.0 )
• 1 3/4 oz (Hops ) Willamette 6.3% When to add – At turn off (IBU 0.0 )
• 1 tsp Protofloc Other – When to add – For last 15 mins of boil

To Ferment – 20°C (68°F) – Conditioning 12 weeks at 12°C (54°F)

• 1 White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast
• 1 3/4 oz (Hops ) Willamette 6.3% When to add – Dry hop after 4 days

Instructions

• Heat 21 liters (37 pints) of water to 65°C (149°F) in your mash tun or large stockpot.
• Add the Pale malt, Light crystal malt, and Chocolate malt to the water and stir well to combine. Allow the mixture to rest for one hour at 65°C (149°F).
• While the mash is resting, bring 27 liters (47 1/2 pints) of water to a boil in a large pot or kettle. Once boiling, add the Chinook hops and start the one-hour boil.
• At the end of the boil, add the Protofloc and stir well. Then add the Simcoe and Willamette hops and stir again.
• Use a mesh strainer or colander to remove the spent hops from the wort. Cool the wort to 20°C (68°F).
• Transfer the cooled wort to a fermenting bucket or carboy. Add the White Labs WLP001 California Ale Yeast and stir well.
• Seal the fermenting bucket or carboy with an airlock and bung and let the beer ferment at 20°C (68°F) for about four days.
• After four days, add the remaining 1 3/4 oz of Willamette hops to the fermenter to dry hop the beer. Let the beer condition for 12 weeks at 12°C (54°F).
• Once the beer has conditioned for 12 weeks, transfer it to a bottling bucket or keg. If using bottles, prime with sugar and bottle. If using kegs, carbonate and serve.
• Enjoy your homemade Imperial IPA beer!

Strong and Balanced Flavor

This Imperial IPA recipe is perfect for those who crave a beer with a strong and bold flavor. The high alcohol content is balanced by the bitterness of the hops, sweet malt flavors, and a refreshing citrus aroma. It’s a great beer for sipping and enjoying the complex flavors.

Fun and Challenging

Brewing an Imperial IPA can be a fun and challenging experience for beer enthusiasts. The recipe requires attention to detail and patience throughout the brewing process, from the mash to the conditioning. However, the reward of a delicious and satisfying beer makes it worth the effort.

Impress Your Friends

If you’re looking to impress your beer-loving friends, this Imperial IPA recipe is sure to do the trick. Not only is it a strong and flavorful beer, but it also takes skill and knowledge to brew. Share your batch with your friends and let them marvel at your brewing abilities.

Customizable

One of the great things about brewing your own beer is that you can customize it to your own taste. With this Imperial IPA recipe, you can adjust the hop bitterness or add different hops to create your own unique flavor profile. Make it your own and experiment with different ingredients to create a beer that you’ll love.

FAQ on Making this Imperial IPA Recipe