Recipe

Widmer Brewing’s W-10 Pitch Black IPA clone

Widmer Brewing Co.’s W-10 Pitch Black

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.064   FG = 1.014
IBU = 65   SRM = 26   ABV = 6.8%

Ingredients
10.5 lbs. (4.8 kg) 2-row pale malt
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) caramel malt (10 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Weyermann Carafa® Special II (dehusked) malt (450 °L)
10 oz. (0.28 kg) Briess special roast malt (50 °L)
16 AAU Warrior hops (75 mins) (1.0 oz./28 g of 16% alpha acid)
1.4 AAU Cascade hops (2 mins) (0.25 oz./7.1 g of 5.8% alpha acid)
12 AAU Warrior hops (2 mins) (0.75 oz./21 g of 16 % alpha acid)
0.25 oz. (7.1 g) Warrior hops (dry hops)
0.50 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hops)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 mins)
½ tsp. Irish moss (30 mins)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
0.75 cup (150 g) corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

This is a single step infusion mash. Mix the crushed grains with 4 gallons (15 L) of 161 °F (72 °C) water to stabilize at 150 °F (66 °C) for 60 minutes. Sparge slowly with 170 °F (77 °C) water. Collect approximately 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort runoff to boil for 75 minutes. While boiling, add the hops, Irish moss and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. Cool the wort to 75 °F (24 °C). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Allow the beer to cool to 68 °F (20 °C).

Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer and add the Warrior® and Cascade dry hops for seven days. Allow the beer to condition for one week and then bottle or keg. Allow the beer to carbonate and age for two weeks and enjoy.

Widmer Brewing Co.’s W-10 Pitch Black IPA clone

(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.064   FG = 1.014
IBU = 65   SRM = 26   ABV = 6.8%

Ingredients
7.75 lbs. (3.5 kg) Briess light, unhopped, liquid malt extract
1.5 lbs. (0.68 kg) caramel malt (10 °L)
12 oz. (0.34 kg) Weyermann dehusked Carafa® II malt (450 °L)
10 oz. (0.28 kg) Briess special roast malt (50 °L)
16 AAU Warrior hops (75 mins) (1.0 oz./28 g of 16% alpha acid)
1.4 AAU Cascade hops (2 mins) (0.25 oz./7.1 g of 5.8% alpha acid)
12 AAU Warrior hops (2 mins) (0.75 oz./21 g of 16 % alpha acid)
0.25 oz. (7.1 g) Warrior hops (dry hops)
0.50 oz. (14 g) Cascade hops (dry hops)
½ tsp. yeast nutrient (15 mins)
½ tsp. Irish moss (30 mins)
White Labs WLP001 (California Ale), Wyeast 1056 (American Ale) or Fermentis US-05 yeast
0.75 cup (150 g) corn sugar (for priming)

Step by Step

Steep the crushed grain in 2 gallons (7.6 L) of water at 150 °F (66 °C) for 30 minutes. Remove grains from the wort and rinse with 2 quarts (1.8 L) of hot water. Add the liquid malt extract and boil for 75 minutes. While boiling, add the hops, Irish moss and yeast nutrient as per the schedule. During the boil, use this time to thoroughly sanitize a fermenter. Now add the wort to 2 gallons (7.6 L) of cold water in the sanitized fermenter and top off with cold water up to 5 gallons (19 L). Cool the wort to 75 °F (24 °C). Pitch your yeast and aerate the wort heavily. Allow the beer to cool to 68 °F (20 °C). Hold at that temperature until fermentation is complete. Transfer to a carboy, avoiding any splashing to prevent aerating the beer and add the dry hops. Allow the beer condition for one week and then bottle or keg. Allow the beer to carbonate and age for two weeks.

Issue: July-August 2010

A black IPA?! Originally released in 2010 as W-10, Widmer now simply calls this beer Pitch Black IPA.