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Recipe: Deschutes Winemaker’s IPA
No grapes were harmed in the making of this experimental beer from the Deschutes pilot brewery. Instead, the beer’s wine-like character comes from grape-like hops and a winemakers’ acid blend.
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Courtesy of Deschutes pilot brewer Jeff “Vern” Johnson, this recipe is based on a one-off experiment brewed for their taproom in Bend, Oregon. It calls for a blend of acids of the type often used in winemaking, in conjunction with aroma hops chosen for their grape-like attributes.
For more on ways to get balanced tartness into your fruit beers and other styles, check out Gordon Schuck’s Brewer’s Perspective: Explorations in Acidification.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.054
FG: 1.007
IBUs: 25
ABV: 6.2%
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Courtesy of Deschutes pilot brewer Jeff “Vern” Johnson, this recipe is based on a one-off experiment brewed for their taproom in Bend, Oregon. It calls for a blend of acids of the type often used in winemaking, in conjunction with aroma hops chosen for their grape-like attributes.
For more on ways to get balanced tartness into your fruit beers and other styles, check out Gordon Schuck’s Brewer’s Perspective: Explorations in Acidification.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.054
FG: 1.007
IBUs: 25
ABV: 6.2%
[PAYWALL]
MALT/GRAIN BILL
7.2 lb (3.3 kg) pilsner malt
2 lb (907 g) flaked oats
1 lb (454 g) flaked rice
HOPS & ADDITIONS SCHEDULE
0.35 oz (10 g) Nugget at 60 minutes [15 IBUs]
1.2 oz (34 g) winemakers’ acid blend at 5 minutes (see Brewer’s Notes)
2.6 oz (74 g) Cascade at whirlpool [5 IBUs]
2.6 oz (74 g) Mandarina Bavaria at whirlpool [7 IBUs]
2.6 oz (74 g) Hallertauer Blanc at dry hop
1.8 oz (51 g) Mosaic at dry hop
0.8 oz (23 g) Nelson Sauvin at dry hop
YEAST
White Labs WLP001 California Ale or similar Chico strain
DIRECTIONS
Mill the grains and mash at 148°F (64°C) for 60 minutes. Recirculate the wort until the runnings are clear, then run off into the kettle. Sparge and top up as necessary to get about 6.5 gallons (25 liters) of wort, depending on your evaporation rate. Boil for 60 minutes, adding hops and acid according to the schedule. After the boil, conduct a whirlpool step: Stir to create a vortex, add the whirlpool hops when the wort has cooled to about 175°F (79°C), and steep for 10 minutes. Chill to about 66°F (19°C), aerate the wort, and pitch the yeast. Ferment at 68°F (20°C). When fermentation is complete, add the dry hops for 2 days, then crash, package, and carbonate to 2.7 volumes of CO2.
BREWER’S NOTES
For the water profile, we targeted 100 ppm calcium chloride. Look for a winemakers’ acid blend (often available from homebrew shops) with a relatively even mix of citric, malic, and tartaric acids, or buy them separately and blend your own. Shoot for a wort pH of 4.1.v
