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##Oakenbranch IPA  
Recipe by: homebrewdad  
Batch Size (gallons): 6  
Efficiency: 74%  
Recipe type: All Grain  
Original Gravity: 1.075  
Final Gravity: 1.017  
ABV: 7.65%  
IBU: 38.6  
Color: 13.3 SRM  
Boil Time: 60 min  

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**Yeast**  

* White Labs WLP022 (Essex Ale Yeast)  

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**Fermentables**  

* 13 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (78.8%)  
* 1 lb Munich Malt (6.1%)  
* 12 oz Rye Malt (4.5%)  
* 12 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (4.5%)  
* 12 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 90L (4.5%)  
* 4 oz Barley, Flaked (1.5%)  

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**Hops**  

* 1.5 oz Challenger, 21.3 IBU @ 60 min (First Wort) - 7.5% AA  
* .6 oz Challenger, 3.8 IBU @ 15 min (Boil) - 7.5% AA  
* .54 oz Fuggles, 3.4 IBU @ 15 min (Boil) - 4.5% AA  
* .54 oz Goldings, East Kent, 3.6 IBU @ 15 min (Boil) - 5% AA  
* .54 oz Goldings, East Kent, 2.2 IBU @ 20 min (Steep/whirlpool) - 5% AA  
* .54 oz Fuggles, 2.1 IBU @ 20 min (Steep/whirlpool) - 4.5% AA  
* .54 oz Challenger, 2.1 IBU @ 20 min (Steep/whirlpool) - 7.5% AA  
* 1 oz Goldings, East Kent, 0 IBU @ 5 days (Dry Hop) - 5% AA  
* 1 oz Fuggles, 0 IBU @ 5 days (Dry Hop) - 4.5% AA  
* 1 oz Challenger, 0 IBU @ 5 days (Dry Hop) - 7.5% AA  
* .3 oz Challenger, 0 IBU @ 3 days (Dry Hop) - 7.5% AA  
* .8 oz Fuggles, 0 IBU @ 3 days (Dry Hop) - 4.5% AA  
* .8 oz Goldings, East Kent, 0 IBU @ 3 days (Dry Hop) - 5% AA  

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**Directions:** Mash @ 150 degrees for 60 minutes.  Note that this recipe calls for hops in first wort, at the end of the boil, at flameout, and for dry hopping.
 

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**Fermentation Notes:** Ferment @ 66 degrees F.   Leave in primary until time to bottle (for me, I did a three week primary).  One round of dry hops @ 5 days until bottling, then another round @ 3 days until bottling.  Cold crash and bottle.
 

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**Tasting Notes:** To be quite honest, this beer was everything I was hoping for.  Beer is malty with a spicy character, and has enough bitterness to balance, with some subtle caramel notes.  Big hop flavor is evident, but plays well with the malt.

This beer technically has too much hop aroma to truly fit into the English IPA style, but to me, this is simply the beauty of homebrewing - if I want to push the limits, there is no reason to not do so!  Nose is spicy hops with reserved malt sweetness.  

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**Credits:** This beer is my own creation, though I do need to thank Greg Ellis (and his Citra DIPA) for finally opening my eyes as to how an IPA could give strong hop flavor and aroma without me having to fear for the melting of my tooth enamel due to the insane bitterness that seems so prevalent among brewers. 

I decided that a beer featuring spicy hops would be really nice.  Some input from /r/homebrewing got me onto the idea of using the rye malt, and helped me pick specific hop varieties. 

I had planned to use less crystal malt, but Austin Homebrew shipped in four ounce increments, and I hated to throw anything away... so I ended up just using it.

As for the name - I was having a really tough time coming up with a fantasy themed name for an IPA. On brew day, my three younger boys were helping me as they always do. They had just added the first wort hops, and my hands were full, when the three year old picked up a stick.

I called out for him to stop, but it was too late - a split second later, my wort had a nice, lichen covered six inch stick floating in it.

I fished it out and carried on - after all, the stick was added preboil - but from this, the name "Oakenbranch IPA" was born. Not only does it fit nicely, but the implied nod to Tolkien's Thorin Oakenshield is too good to pass up.  

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