Black IPA Update
I'll start out by saying I was a little nervous about this batch. I had extremely high hopes about this recipe, but I was still unsure about a few things. For one, this was my first time "hop bursting," and after doing a bit of research all the other examples I saw were bursting with far more hops than me. I was very concerned about whether or not it would be enough to achieve the bitterness typical of an IPA.
My second concern was the use of German Magnum hops. In the recipe I listed Columbus and Nugget. I stand by this, unfortunately my LHBS was out of Columbus and suggested Magnum as a replacement. I grabbed the Magnums, but Magnums are typically used as a base bittering hops with no real distinct aroma. I forgot to mention to the shop owner that I was hop bursting, the lack of aromas in Magnums wont be able to give me the qualities I would have received from Columbus.
Well I bottled on Wednesday and let me tell you all my worries were cast aside. This beer has a rich maltiness, just as I wanted, that plays perfectly with the floral aromas of the Nugget hops. The combination of Magnum and Nugget, as well as the hop bursting technique, gives off a very clean bitterness with a very fresh flavor. I'm looking forward to tasting this one in 3 weeks, when the carbonation will enhance the aroma even more. This is everything I believe a Black IPA should be, and is sometimes lacking in the store varieties. I fully stand by this hop substitution. I will definitely brew it with Columbus next time to compare, but I may just find myself going back to the Magnums.
Never write your beer off until it is completely finished. If you still aren't happy once it's finished, a bit of bottle aging may give it the characteristics desired. Just wait it out, you may be surprised.
Cheers!