Belgian IPA, by Joelle and Dan Dewberry

Belgian IPA is slowly catching on as a variant of IPA. Two homebrewers who loved the style from the start are Joelle and Dan Dewberry of Austin, TX. Longtime fans of Belgian beers, they have visited Belgium several times to seek out their favorite Belgian brews. They have also brewed many award-winning Belgian-styled homebrews. Here is their recipe for Belgian IPA, presented both in the original all-grain form and with an extract adaptation. Both English and metric versions are provided.

 

Belgian IPA

All-grain (English units)

by Joelle and Dan Dewberry

 

DESCRIPTION

The popularity of this new beer “style” has been fascinating to us. Once we embraced quality beer in our early 20s, Belgain beers soon became our favorites. Pale ales and IPAs were simply too aggressive for us at the time, although not many were available in Texas in the early 90s. Over time, we did experience a lupulin shift. Go figure. Once we tried Houblon Chouffe and Urthel Hop-It, we knew we had to brew this unique style. Stone’s Cali-Belgique certainly has advanced the style over the past few years. One of our favorite Austin, TX brewpubs, Uncle Billy’s Brew-n-Que, started brewing something similar using Westmalle yeast. They have gone on to make several of their base styles by simply switching out American ale yeast with Westmalle yeast. We decided to take our IPA recipe with the same hop schedule, and add that same yeast. It turns out delicious.  Next time we brew it, we will use the Chouffe (Ardennes yeast) to see how that adds to the flavors. Cheers!

INGREDIENTS (for 5 gallons (*₁))

 

Water

carbon filter water (City of Austin water, pH 9.7)

add 0.071 oz. chalk (CaCO₃) and 0.03 oz. gypsum to mash

add 0.11 fl. oz. of 88% lactic acid to mash

add 0.04 fl. oz. of 88% lactic acid to sparge water

Malt (for an OG of 1.058 at 84% extract efficiency(*₁) and an SRM of 8)

10.50 lbs. Belgian pale malt (2-row)

0.50 lbs. Munich malt

0.25 lbs. crystal malt (120 °L)

(*₁) we yield 6.0 gallons in the kettle, but rack 5.0 gallons to the fermenter

Hops (for 69 IBU total)

Columbus hops (for 21 IBUs)

0.45 oz. (at 13.9% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Chinook hops (for 17 IBUs)

0.45 oz. (at 11.4% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Cascade hops (for 4.2 IBUs) .

0.30 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 7.0 IBUs)

0.30 oz. (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 9.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 5.5 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 2.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Amarillo Gold hops (for 3.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Citra hops

0.61 oz. (at 14% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

0.61 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

0.50 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), dry hop

Citra hops

0.50 oz. (at 14% alpha acids), dry hop

(*₂) we use the Zythos hop blend when Amarillo is unavailable)

Yeast (for an FG of 1.009 and ABV of 6.5%)

White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast

(made 1 qt. starter about 30 hours in advance)

 

PROCEDURE

Mash at 146 °F for 60 minutes. Use 1.25 qts. of water per pound of grain. Mash out to 168 °F and hold for 5 minutes. Sparge with 168 °F water. Boil for 60 minutes. We brew 6.0 gallons, but leave 1.0 gallon of “schlunk” behind in the kettle for a net of 5.0 gallons. Ferment at 66 °F. (Fermentation lasted 13 days.) Condition in secondary for 30 days. Dry hop with Amarillo for 6 days, then remove bag and dry hop with Citra for another 6 days.

 

—

 

Belgian IPA

Extract adaptation (English units)

by Joelle and Dan Dewberry

 

DESCRIPTION

The popularity of this new beer “style” has been fascinating to us. Once we embraced quality beer in our early 20s, Belgain beers soon became our favorites. Pale ales and IPAs were simply too aggressive for us at the time, although not many were available in Texas in the early 90s. Over time, we did experience a lupulin shift. Go figure. Once we tried Houblon Chouffe and Urthel Hop-It, we knew we had to brew this unique style. Stone’s Cali-Belgique certainly has advanced the style over the past few years. One of our favorite Austin, TX brewpubs, Uncle Billy’s Brew-n-Que, started brewing something similar using Westmalle yeast. They have gone on to make several of their base styles by simply switching out American ale yeast with Westmalle yeast. We decided to take our IPA recipe with the same hop schedule, and add that same yeast. It turns out delicious.  Next time we brew it, we will use the Chouffe (Ardennes yeast) to see how that adds to the flavors. Cheers!

 

INGREDIENTS (for 5 gallons)

 

Water

carbon filter water (City of Austin water, pH 9.7)

add 0.071 oz. chalk (CaCO₃) and 0.75 g gypsum to mash

add 0.11 fl. oz. of 88% lactic acid to mash

add 0.04 fl. oz. of 88% lactic acid to sparge water

Malt (for an OG of 1.058 and an SRM of 8)

2.25 lbs. Belgian pale malt (2-row)

6.0 lbs. light dried malt extract

0.50 lbs. Munich malt

0.25 lbs. crystal malt (120 °L)

Hops (for 69 IBU total)

Columbus hops (for 21 IBUs)

0.45 oz. (at 13.9% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Chinook hops (for 17 IBUs)

0.45 oz. (at 11.4% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Cascade hops (for 4.2 IBUs) .

0.30 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 7.0 IBUs)

0.30 oz. (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 9.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 5.5 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 2.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Amarillo Gold hops (for 3.2 IBUs)

0.61 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Citra hops

0.61 oz. (at 14% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

0.61 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

0.50 oz. (at 8.0% alpha acids), dry hop

Citra hops

0.50 oz. (at 14% alpha acids), dry hop

(*) we use the Zythos hop blend when Amarillo is unavailable)

Yeast (for an FG of 1.009 and ABV of 6.5%)

White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast

(made 1 qt. starter about 30 hours in advance)

 

PROCEDURE

You will need to be able to at least 4.0 gallons of wort to brew an extract version of this beer as approximately 1 gallon gets left behind in the kettle from the hop debris. Fill your brewpot with at least 3.0 gallons of water and begin heating it to a boil. (Very soft, RO or distilled water will work best.) While heating, place the crushed grains in a steeping bag and steep them in 4.1 qts. of brewing liquor (see water section, or use tap water and half a teaspoon of gypsum) in a separate pot. Steep at 146 °F for 60 minutes. This is really a small partial mash, so follow volume and temperature as closely as you can manage. Remove steeping bag and place in colander over brewpot. Pour “grain tea” (wort) through bag (to strain out solid bits), then rinse bag with 2.0 qts. of 170 °F water. Boil wort for 60 minutes. Stir in malt extract in final 10 minutes of the boil. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter, leaving hop debris and hot break behind. Add water to make 5.0 gallons, if needed, and aerate. Pitch yeast. Ferment at 66 °F. (Fermentation lasted 13 days.) Condition in secondary for 30 days. Dry hop with Amarillo for 6 days, then remove bag and dry hop with Citra for another 6 days.

 

—

 

Belgian IPA

All-grain (metric units)

by Joelle and Dan Dewberry

 

DESCRIPTION

The popularity of this new beer “style” has been fascinating to us. Once we embraced quality beer in our early 20s, Belgain beers soon became our favorites. Pale ales and IPAs were simply too aggressive for us at the time, although not many were available in Texas in the early 90s. Over time, we did experience a lupulin shift. Go figure. Once we tried Houblon Chouffe and Urthel Hop-It, we knew we had to brew this unique style. Stone’s Cali-Belgique certainly has advanced the style over the past few years. One of our favorite local brewpubs, Uncle Billy’s Brew-n-Que, started brewing something similar using Westmalle yeast. They have gone on to make several of their base styles by simply switching out American ale yeast with Westmalle yeast. We decided to take our IPA recipe with the same hop schedule, and add that same yeast. It turns out delicious.  Next time we brew it, we will use the Chouffe (Ardennes yeast) to see how that adds to the flavors. Cheers!

 

INGREDIENTS (for 19 L(*₁))

 

Water

carbon filter water (City of Austin water, pH 9.7)

add 2 g chalk (CaCO₃) and 0.75 g gypsum to mash

add 3.2 mL of 88% lactic acid to mash

add 1.3 mL of 88% lactic acid to sparge water

Malt (for an OG of 1.058 at 84% extract efficiency (*₁) and an SRM of 8)

4.8 kg Belgian pale malt (2-row)

230 g Munich malt

110 g crystal malt (120 °L)

 (*₁) we yield 23 L in the kettle, but rack 19 L to the fermenter

Hops (for 69 IBU total)

Columbus hops (for 21 IBUs)

12.7 g (at 13.9% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Chinook hops (for 17 IBUs)

12.7 g (at 11.4% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Cascade hops (for 4.2 IBUs) .

8.5 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 7.0 IBUs)

8.5 g (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 9.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 5.5 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 2.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Amarillo Gold hops (for 3.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Citra hops

17.3 g (at 14% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

17.3 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

14.2 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), dry hop

Citra hops

14.2 g (at 14% alpha acids), dry hop

(*) we use the Zythos hop blend when Amarillo is unavailable)

Yeast (for an FG of 1.009 and ABV of 6.5%)

White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast

(made 1 L starter about 30 hours in advance)

 

PROCEDURE

Mash at 63 °C for 60 minutes. Use 2.6 L of water per kilogram of grain. Mash out to 76 °C and hold for 5 minutes. Sparge with 76 °C water. Boil for 60 minutes. We brew 23 L, but leave 3.8 L of “schlunk” behind for a net of 19 L. Ferment at 19 °C. (Fermentation lasted 13 days.) Condition in secondary for 30 days. Dry hop with Amarillo for 6 days, then remove bag and dry hop with Citra for another 6 days.

 

—

 

Belgian IPA

Extract adaptation (metric units)

by Joelle and Dan Dewberry

 

DESCRIPTION

The popularity of this new beer “style” has been fascinating to us. Once we embraced quality beer in our early 20s, Belgain beers soon became our favorites. Pale ales and IPAs were simply too aggressive for us at the time, although not many were available in Texas in the early 90s. Over time, we did experience a lupulin shift. Go figure. Once we tried Houblon Chouffe and Urthel Hop-It, we knew we had to brew this unique style. Stone’s Cali-Belgique certainly has advanced the style over the past few years. One of our favorite local brewpubs, Uncle Billy’s Brew-n-Que, started brewing something similar using Westmalle yeast. They have gone on to make several of their base styles by simply switching out American ale yeast with Westmalle yeast. We decided to take our IPA recipe with the same hop schedule, and add that same yeast. It turns out delicious.  Next time we brew it, we will use the Chouffe (Ardennes yeast) to see how that adds to the flavors. Cheers!

 

INGREDIENTS (for 19 L)

 

Water

carbon filter water (City of Austin water, pH 9.7)

add 2 g chalk (CaCO₃) and 0.75 g gypsum to mash

add 3.2 mL of 88% lactic acid to mash

add 1.3 mL of 88% lactic acid to sparge water

Malt (for an OG of 1.058 and an SRM of 8)

1.0 kg Belgian pale malt (2-row)

2.7 kg light dried malt extract

230 g Munich malt

110 g crystal malt (120 °L)

Hops (for 69 IBU total)

Columbus hops (for 21 IBUs)

12.7 g (at 13.9% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Chinook hops (for 17 IBUs)

12.7 g (at 11.4% alpha acids), boiled for 60 min.

Cascade hops (for 4.2 IBUs) .

8.5 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 7.0 IBUs)

8.5 g (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 30 min.

Centennial hops (for 9.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 9.1% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 5.5 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 15 min.

Cascade hops (for 2.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 5.4% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Amarillo Gold hops (for 3.2 IBUs)

17.3 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), boiled for 5 min.

Citra hops

17.3 g (at 14% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

17.3 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), added at knockout

Amarillo Gold hops

14.2 g (at 8.0% alpha acids), dry hop

Citra hops

14.2 g (at 14% alpha acids), dry hop

(*) we use the Zythos hop blend when Amarillo is unavailable)

Yeast (for an FG of 1.009 and ABV of 6.5%)

White Labs WLP530 (Abbey Ale) yeast

(made 1 L starter about 30 hours in advance)

 

PROCEDURE

You will need to be able to at least 15 L of wort to brew an extract version of this beer as approximately 4 L gets left behind in the kettle from the hop debris. Fill your brewpot with at least 11 L of water and begin heating it to a boil. (Very soft, RO or distilled water will work best.) While heating, place the crushed grains in a steeping bag and steep them in 3.9 L of brewing liquor (see water section, or use tap water and half a teaspoon of gypsum) in a separate pot. Steep at 63 °C for 60 minutes. This is really a small partial mash, so follow volume and temperature as closely as you can manage. Remove steeping bag and place in colander over brewpot. Pour “grain tea” (wort) through bag (to strain out solid bits), then rinse bag with 1.9 L of 77 °C water. Boil wort for 60 minutes. Stir in malt extract in final 10 minutes of the boil. Cool wort and transfer to fermenter, leaving hop debris and hot break behind. Add water, if needed, to make 19 L and aerate. Pitch yeast. Ferment at 19 °C. (Fermentation lasted 13 days.) Condition in secondary for 30 days. Dry hop with Amarillo for 6 days, then remove bag and dry hop with Citra for another 6 days.