BB2IPA(Hop Bomb IPA)

[6470zzy]

+1 on the label design..........is that a stock image of a barquentine or is she named?

[pantsmachine]

Stock image found using google image search(sorry) wish i could say it's mine!

[pantsmachine]

Ah well, how things change(including this IPA), got back home yesterday after a mere 2 week trip. As stated before in this post i am weak so after only a fortnight in the bottle i cracked open a 330ml bottle of this ipa(i feel guilty even typing this)!

Anyway, colour is great, very light. In fact 'light' covers a lot of this beer, mouthfeel is light as well. No way would you think its 7.3%. Same for the carboanation, If flat cask ale is zero and eurolager is 100. This one comes in about 40 for carboanation. The bitterness is already way less than i expected(considerably less bitter that my most recent sampling of(trashy blonde, punk iPA) Brewdogs beers). Citrus aroma/flavour levels are very large and there is some residual sweetness hiding behind the bitterness, i am sure it will come forward as it matures.

There was a nice compact sediment layer in the bottle which did not move and the beer is clear as a bell when the condensation is wiped off the glass. Hope it continues to shape up over the next few months. I am in many ways surprised by this beer. I didn't expect it to be drinkable so early, i thought the estimated 200IBU's would make that impossible, ah well at least i am surprised in a good way. I think i'll take a couple of bottles of this with me on my trip to Belguim to try side by side with some of the American Microbrew beers. Appartently there's a bar called the hop loft which has plenty of American choice in Brussels. I will also work on my will power as this should be killer in 6 months and i wnat there to be a lot of it left when that date rolls round.

[coatesg]

Good man. I had about 75ml of my IPA the other day to try and pull a bit of the sediment out of the corny it is in. Still undrinkably bitter! Coming on nicely and it's starting to clear up in the keg, but the bitterness still makes your face screw up completely in the finish! The spare bottle's worth of beer I capped up is completely clear now, and even the three hop seeds that made it over have settled out into the base of the bottle

The estimated 200IBU is probably well above the actual value - it's pretty hard for a homebrewer to get anywhere near that utilisation in a beer like this, plus anything over about 100IBU all tastes the same level of bitterness anyhow.

[pantsmachine]

Back from Belguim so decided to see if my beers still hit the mark after trying their high hurdles. Pretty happy with the progress of this one. The Bramling X knocks the hard citrus edge of the cascade off nicely but its still too early to tell. Fair amount of fizz so reckon 2nd carbonation is not only from the honey but also from residual sugars not consumed during 1st stage. A couple of shots below.

As an aside. This evening i read about an IPA from Brewdog which claims to be the dogs bollocks and UK leading at 150IBU. I won't paraphrase, here it is in all its glory.

'This explicit ale has more hops and bitterness that any other beer brewed in the UK. This is an extreme beer rollercoaster for freaks, gypsies and international chess superstars'.

Very nice boys but spare us the hype and just up your game(beer quality not PR), eh? If i was paranoid(which i increasingly am as i grow older) i would suspect that Brewdog blag ideas off this and other sites and give nothing in return.Feel free to rubbish me in any way you see fit if you see things differently

OK bile vented and i'm going back in my box till next time.

[WishboneBrewery]

it certainly looks the part...
I dare say brewers copy recipes from anywhere they can.

[jubby]

Looking good pants

How would you describe the level of bitterness at the moment?

I will be openning a bottle of mine on Feb 14th for a tasting session of my 2009 beers. I will post the results from my trusted tasters

[pantsmachine]

It's not too bad. My damn the expense IPA stayed bitter for much longer than this one. If anything i would say the hops still feel rough, not bitter. Not sure how to describe the difference. Basically the beer still tastes a bit green(partly the youth of the beer and also the oak chips during the later stages of primary i think) but the hop bitterness is now in the upper levels of acceptability. Going to do another IPA(10 to 12 gallon) as my next brew in March. Will keep the IBU's at a sensible level and will dry hop like mad. Was thinking about using a small amount of oats in the brew to smooth it off. Will oats give me haze? If so i will cheat and darken the next batch with a bit of crystal since i know i can do a nice clear batch.

[jubby]

My early taster was very bitter, but i wouldn't describe it as harsh. I think the harshness maybe down to the type of hop. Goldings seem to work well, but having said that, it's not conditioned yet. Lots of dry hop worked well. it gives a nice texture to the beer which is probably the hop oils

Not sure about the oats. I've only used them once in a dark beer and they give a nice silky mouthfeel, but it's too dark to tell if it's hazy.

My next one will be with loads of Aurora full boil and lots of Styrian dry hop.

[pantsmachine]

I look forward to seeing the brewday. There's just something about IPA's that hook my mind.

[jubby]

There's just something about IPA's that hook my mind.

You're right there pants. I've just brought three more cornies with the blue tops. I am going to keep these aside for the big IPA's that need the long maturation periods and stagger the brews so that i will have one ready throughout the year. Bit sad really, but as you said, they hook your mind! That's the plan anyway, but when they're ready to drink, i will probably just quaff the lot and have to wait for the next one to mature

[pantsmachine]

There's just something about IPA's that hook my mind.

You're right there pants. I've just brought three more cornies with the blue tops. I am going to keep these aside for the big IPA's that need the long maturation periods and stagger the brews so that i will have one ready throughout the year. Bit sad really, but as you said, they hook your mind! That's the plan anyway, but when they're ready to drink, i will probably just quaff the lot and have to wait for the next one to mature

Jubby,

I get home from italy on Monday, fancy an IPA bottle swap? Or indeed anyone else with an IPA somewhere in their collection.

[jubby]

Jubby,

I get home from italy on Monday, fancy an IPA bottle swap? Or indeed anyone else with an IPA somewhere in their collection.

I'm up for that pants. pm me your details when you get back.

[Bobba]

Bumped into it looking for a good brew with bramling, northdown and styrians and noticed this is about ready for tasting......so.........how is it?!! Any cheaky bottles opened or waiting a few more weeks?

[pantsmachine]

Its my wifes favourite beer. There's only 13 bottles left! Huge citrus explosions, bramling cross is lost in it. Bodies good, still very bitter but acceptable. One to make again. Speed wobble beer at 7.3% though, hops and body hides the 7.3% no problem.