21B Specialty IPA: Red IPA
West Coast RIPA III
Grain bill
| Gladfield American Ale Malt | 4.2 kg | 63.6% |
| Gladfield Vienna Malt | 1 kg | 15.2% |
| Gladfield Aurora Malt | 0.4 kg | 6.1% |
| Gladfield Shepherds Delight Malt | 0.4 kg | 6.1% |
| Gladfield Toffee Malt | 0.3 kg | 4.5% |
| Gladfield Rye Malt | 0.2 kg | 3% |
| Gladfield Eclipse Wheat Malt | 0.1 kg | 1.5% |
Adjuncts
| Yeast nutrient | 2 g @ 10 min |
| Whirlfloc | 1 g @ 10 min |
Hop schedule
| Hop | 60 min | 30 min | 10 min | WP | DH#1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mosaic | 15g | 15g | 10g | 10g | 50g |
| Nectaron | · | 15g | 20g | 15g | 50g |
| Riwaka | · | 15g | 20g | 15g | 50g |
Yeast
| LalBrew BRY-97 West Coast Ale | 2 packets |
Water additions
| Calcium Chloride | 2 g |
| Magnesium Sulfate | 4 g |
| Calcium Sulfate | 8 g |
Tasting notes
2024-09-21
The third West Coast RIPA iteration, replacing the redback-heavy malt approach of earlier versions with Toffee Malt for a better-balanced red malt character. Mosaic, Nectaron, and Riwaka run in equal thirds across the hop schedule.
Grain Bill
A seven-malt red IPA grist: American Ale (63.6%) anchors the fermentable base; Vienna (15.2%) adds warmth; Aurora (6.1%) and Shepherds Delight (6.1%) contribute the characteristic bready-caramel complexity of NZ specialty malts; Toffee (4.5%) and Rye (3.0%) add depth and spice; Eclipse Wheat (1.5%) rounds out the body. Total: 6.6 kg.
Hops
Three varieties in equal thirds across all stages:
- Mosaic: 15 g at 60 min, 15 g at 30 min, 10 g at 10 min, 10 g whirlpool, 50 g dry hop
- Nectaron: 15 g at 30 min, 20 g at 10 min, 15 g whirlpool, 50 g dry hop
- Riwaka: 15 g at 30 min, 20 g at 10 min, 15 g whirlpool, 50 g dry hop
Dry hop total: 150 g at day 6. The combination of Mosaic’s earthy tropical, Nectaron’s pineapple-passionfruit, and Riwaka’s citrus creates a layered NZ hop character against the red malt backbone.
Fermentation
LalBrew BRY-97 at 18°C under approximately 10 psi. Day 4 gravity: 1.015; day 6: 1.013–1.014 with dry hop added and temperature raised to 20°C. Pressure built to mid-20s psi by day 12 before cooling to 3°C on day 13.
Packaging & Tasting
Mixed packaging on day 19, carbonated to 2.35 vol CO₂. Tasted four days before packaging: nice malt expression, good layered hop aroma, and improved process flow from equipment refinements. The Toffee substitution over the earlier redback-heavy grist was a positive change.