Author: Steve Thanos
It’s not uncommon that I’m randomly hit with an idea for a beer name during seemingly odd times, like the wee hours of the night or while driving home from work. Other times, I’ll hear a phrase that reverberates in my mind long enough to inspire me, which is precisely what happened recently.
While co-hosting an episode of The Brülosophy Podcast, Marshall and I responded to feedback from a listener who commented on his friend, Bill, whom he described as his “co-drinker.” For whatever reason, this stuck with me, and since the beer style we focused on in that episode was IPA, so I melded the two and got to designing a recipe.
Being from the Midwest, I happen to enjoy a little malt character in my IPA, which I feel Red IPA displays quite nicely. My goal for Bill’s Co-Drinker was to create something that balanced caramel and toffee sweetness with an assertive hop character, while being somewhat restrained in terms of strength, and I’m happy to say, I think I pulled it off!
| Making Bill’s Co-Drinker Session Red IPA |
Using ingredients I had on-hand, this recipe was intentionally crafted to emphasize malt character while still possessing pungent hoppiness.
Bill’s Co-Drinker Session Red IPA
Recipe Details
| Batch Size | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 60 min | 49.3 | 12.2 SRM | 1.052 | 1.022 | 3.94 % |
| Actuals | 1.052 | 1.022 | 3.94 % | |||
Fermentables
| Name | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pale Ale Malt 2-Row | 7 lbs | 81.14 |
| Vienna Malt | 1.001 lbs | 11.6 |
| Caramel Malt 60L | 8.01 oz | 5.8 |
| Carafa II | 2.01 oz | 1.46 |
Hops
| Name | Amount | Time | Use | Form | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTZ | 14 g | 60 min | Boil | Pellet | 16.5 |
| Cascade | 28 g | 15 min | Boil | Pellet | 5.5 |
| Cascade | 28 g | 5 min | Boil | Pellet | 5.5 |
| Simcoe | 28 g | 5 min | Boil | Pellet | 13 |
| Cascade | 56 g | 0 min | Boil | Pellet | 5.5 |
| Cascade | 108 g | 5 days | Dry Hop | Pellet | 5.5 |
Yeast
| Name | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagship (A07) | Imperial Yeast | 77% | 32°F - 32°F |
Notes
| Water Profile: Ca 40 | Mg 13 | Na 9 | SO4 10 | Cl 14 |
Download
| Download this recipe's BeerXML file |
After collecting the full volume of filtered water and adjusting it to my desired profile, I lit the flame under the kettle then proceeded to weigh out and mill the grain.
Once the water was adequately heated, I incorporated the grains then checked to make sure it was at my target mash temperature.
While the mash was resting, I prepared the kettle hop additions.
Once the 60 minute mash was complete, I removed the grains then boiled the wort for 60 minutes before rapidly chilling it with my JaDeD Brewing Hydra IC, after which I took a refractometer reading showed the wort was at 1.052 OG. A bit lower than planned, but nothing I was worried about.
After transferring the chilled wort to a fermenter, I placed it in my chamber for a couple hours to finish chilling to my desired fermentation temperature of 66°F/19°C, at which point I pitched a pouch of Imperial Yeast A07 Flagship.
At 4 days into fermentation, I added the dry hops then left the beer for another 5 days before taking a hydrometer measurement showing the beer was at a higher FG than expected. Given the time since yeast pitch and absence of any airlock activity, I was confident the beer was finished fermenting.
At this point, I cold crashed the beer to 36°F/2°C and left it for a few days before transferring it to a sanitized keg. The filled keg was placed on gas in my keezer and left to condition for a week before it was ready drink!
| IMPRESSIONS |
I’m a fan of IPA, and I’m not afraid to admit that I prefer more traditional versions that have a solid malt backbone. As such, it may come as a surprise that I’d never brewed a Red IPA up to this point, or at least a beer I intentionally designed to fit that style. I feel like malt-forward versions of IPA that are darker than Pilsner are sort of my wheelhouse, and that’s precisely what I was going for with Bill’s Co-Drinker Session Red IPA.
Time for some transparency – when I was designing this recipe in Brewfather, I accidentally selected pale dry malt extract instead of pale malt, paying no mind to the fact I usually require more than 7 lbs/3 kg to achieve my initial target of 1.065 OG. It was actually during the writing of this article that I realized my mistake, and honestly, I was impressed that I even hit 1.052. Also, if anyone is curious about the oddly high FG, you’re not alone. This is unusual for me, though thankfully, the beer still tasted great despite packing less of a boozy punch. So it goes.
Given the lower ABV, I decided to call this beer a Session Red IPA, and as much as I enjoyed drinking it, I’ll definitely be increasing the base malt to boost the OG in future batches. I’m also actively investigating potential culprits for the poor attenuation in this batch, though again, neither the friends I shared Bill’s Co-Drinker Session Red IPA with nor I perceive it as being overly sweet. In fact, most agreed it was quite delicious with notable caramel and toffee notes that paired beautifully with the classic citrus and pine hop characteristics. I’d say this batch was a surprising success that, at just 3.9% ABV, could be crushed without too many negative consequences!
If you have thoughts about this recipe or experience making something similar, please feel free to share in the comments section below!
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