Beer Style: 21B Specialty IPA - Black IPA

Raven’s Flock

Raven’s Flock

This excellent beer that won Best of Show in the 2025 Anglian Craft Brewers “Don’t be Afraid of the Dark” national homebrew competition.

For a full rundown of the results: https://competition.angliancraftbrewers.org.uk/

Recipe Details

Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV
23 L 60 min 52.7 28.4 SRM 1.06 1.013 6.17 %
Actuals 1.06 1.013 6.17 %

Style Details

Name Cat. OG Range FG Range IBU SRM Carb ABV
Black IPA 21 B 1.05 - 1.085 1.01 - 1.018 50 - 90 25 - 40 0 - 0 0 - 0 %

Fermentables

Name Amount %
Finest Maris Otter® Ale Malt 5.32 kg 86.29
Pale Wheat Malt 290 g 4.7
Crystal Dark 175 g 2.84
Carafa Special I 190 g 3.08
Chocolate Malt 190 g 3.08

Hops

Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha %
Hallertau Magnum 28 g 60 min Boil Pellet 13.6
Cascade 30 g 5 min Boil Pellet 6.1
Cascade 70 g 30 min Aroma Pellet 6.1
Krush 60 g 3 days Dry Hop Pellet 13.8
Strata 60 g 3 days Dry Hop Pellet 12.8

Miscs

Name Amount Time Use Type
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) 4.25 g 0 min Mash Water Agent
Gypsum (CaSO4) 1.23 g 0 min Mash Water Agent
Lactic Acid 2 ml 0 min Mash Water Agent
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) 3.07 g 0 min Sparge Water Agent
Gypsum (CaSO4) 0.89 g 0 min Sparge Water Agent
Lactic Acid 0.66 ml 0 min Sparge Water Agent
Protafloc 0.5 items 15 min Boil Fining
Yeast Nutrients 1.15 g 15 min Boil Other
ALDC 1 items 0 min Primary Other
Brausol 1 items 0 min Primary Fining
Brewers Clarity 1 items 0 min Primary Fining
ALDC 1 items 0 min Secondary Other

Yeast

Name Lab Attenuation Temperature
Clean West Coast IPA (LAX) WHC Lab 80% 18°C - 22°C

Mash

Step Temperature Time
Temperature 67°C 60 min
Mash Out 75°C 10 min

Fermentation

Step Time Temperature
Primary 5 days 19°C
Secondary 5 days 21°C
Aging 2 days 4°C

Notes

Cap the mash after mash out with the roasted malts and sparge at 75°C

Dry hop at 14°C for 24hrs then cold crash to 4°C for 48hrs.

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Black Magic

Black Magic

Black Magic was voted “Beer of the Festival” at the 2024 Shed Brewers Festival held at the Victoria Inn in Colchester.

Get ready to be spellbound by Black Magic, the beer that’s darker than a midnight incantation and tastier than a potion brewed by a tipsy wizard! With six malts and 5 hops, including a hefty dry hop of Sabro and Cashmere, it’s like a tropical holiday in a glass, complete with a hint of coconut and a decent amount of bitterness to keep you guessing. So, grab your wand—or just a glass—and prepare to be magically deliciously delighted.

Recipe Details

Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV
23 L 60 min 60.5 29 SRM 1.06 1.016 5.78 %
Actuals 1.06 1.016 5.78 %

Style Details

Name Cat. OG Range FG Range IBU SRM Carb ABV
Black IPA 21 B 1.05 - 1.085 1.01 - 1.018 50 - 90 25 - 40 0 - 0 0 - 0 %

Fermentables

Name Amount %
Extra Pale Malt 5.5 kg 78.13
Chocolate 550 g 7.81
Munich Malt 400 g 5.68
Pale Wheat 310 g 4.4
Light Crystal 150 140 g 1.99
Rolled Barley 140 g 1.99

Hops

Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha %
Nugget 40.6 g 60 min Boil Pellet 13
Most 55 g 20 min Aroma Pellet 10.3
Citra 40 g 20 min Aroma Pellet 12.8
Cashmere 80 g 5 days Dry Hop Pellet 8.5
Sabro 70 g 5 days Dry Hop Pellet 13.6

Yeast

Name Lab Attenuation Temperature
Verdant IPA Lallemand (LalBrew) 77% 18°C - 23°C

Mash

Step Temperature Time
Temperature 65°C 60 min
Mash Out 75°C 10 min

Fermentation

Step Time Temperature
Primary 2 days 18°C
Secondary 7 days 22°C
Aging 0 days 0°C

Notes

Brewed Monday 25/03/24
Finished 1.060
Dry hopped after 5 days
Too roasty, only had chocolate, should have used higher ebc.
Not enough aroma, bigger whirlpool needed

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Nights Watch (Black IPA)

Nights Watch (Black IPA)

To achieve the dark colour without too much roast flavour this brew required a slightly more complex mash. For the first 30 mins only the lighter malts were used (Pale, Wheat + Crystal) at the 30 mins mark I added the roasted wheat and Carafa and gave it a good stir. This was then left […]