How to Brew Black IPA

Our Black IPA recipe uses a Dark dry malt extract base for deep, dark color and the base fermentable sugars. We also use a carefully curated blend of specialty grains to achieve dark color without typical stout flavors. Blackprinz is a dehusked malt that adds intense color without adding astringency. It imparts subtle roasted flavor, just like lighter malts used in lighter IPAs.  

Generous doses of pIney, resinous hops are a hallmark of this unique beer style. Unlike fruity or juicy hops used in hazy New England IPAs, a brewer’s goal is to achieve a dank, forrest-like flavor in a Black IPA. The idea is to establish this beer as a true IPA against its unusually dark color palette. Dank hops like potent, piney Chinook and aromatic, piney & citrusy Centennial get the job done.

Our Black IPA making kit uses SafAle US-05 dry ale yeast. This strain is excellent for making american ales and IPAs because of its neutral, clean finish. It helps promote a foamy head in your glass and provides a crisp, clean palate. Dry yeasts are excellent choices for homebrewing NEIPAs because they’re shelf stable and don’t require refrigeration like liquid yeasts.

If you want to take your Black IPA to the next level, consider these IPA ingredients:

• Brewers Crystals: Give your Black IPA and ABV boost. Brewers Crystals add 0.5% to the final alcohol content without altering the flavor or thinning or drying the beer’s mouthfeel.
• Calcium Sulfate: Minerals present in tap water and spring water are important for fermentation. This ingredient helps add minerals back to Reverse Osmosis water or soft water. It also enhances hop character in a beer!
• Edible Glitter: Silver “luster dust” creates a milky way galaxy effect in dark beers. Dose 1 or more bottles, or sprinkle some into your glass when serving. 

You’ll need a stock pot that can fit as close to a full gallon of liquid as possible. You’ll need a few inches of room to prevent boil overs. Don’t use too large a pot - this can increase evaporation rates and result in volume loss. Your pot should have a lid, which is used when chilling the beer before pitching the yeast.

It’s important to closely monitor and maintain temperatures at different points in the brewing process. Our BlackIPA making kit includes a glass lab thermometer, but you can use any food-safe thermometer, like a digital thermometer! Key temperatures your thermometer must reach are 155ºF and 75ºF.

A funnel helps you transfer the wort (unfermented beer) from your stock pot into the carboy. A 4” funnel is included in our Black PA making kit.

A 1 gallon carboy is where yeast turns the wort (unfermented beer) into a Black IPA. A rubber stopper plugs the neck to maintain a proper seal. A carboy  is included in our basic Black IPA making kit.

A racking cane is a rigid plastic tube that is submerged into your beer to start a siphon transfer. Siphons reduce oxidation and help lift your fermented beer up off of sediment and into bottles. A racking cane is included in our basic Black IPA making kit.

After fermentation, you’ll need to carbonate your beer in bottles. You can use flip top bottles, like Grolsch style bottles, or you can use pry-off beer bottles, caps and a capper tool. You’ll need roughly ten 12oz bottles per gallon of beer. That’s about eight 16oz bottles per gallon or four 32oz bottles per gallon.

Step 1: Sanitize Everything

Before you begin brewing, proper sanitation is critical. Any bacteria or wild yeast can ruin your beer. Mix half of the included sanitizer packet with 1 gallon of water in a bucket or pitcher. Submerge all equipment that will touch the beer after boiling (fermenter, funnel, airlock, tubing, thermometer). Let everything soak for at least 60 seconds. No need to rinse—just let the sanitized equipment air dry on clean paper towels.

Step 2: Heating the Water & Steeping the Grains

Pour as close to a gallon of water as possible into your brew pot while leaving a few inches of space to prevent boil-overs.

Heat the water on high heat until it reaches 155°F (68°C).

Place the specialty grains (BlackPrinz & Midnight Wheat) into the grain steeping bag, tie it off, and steep in the water for 20 minutes.

Remove the grain bag and discard—do NOT squeeze it, as this can release tannins and create unwanted bitterness.

Step 3: Boiling & Adding Malt Extract

Increase the heat and bring the wort (unfermented beer) to a boil.

Once the first bubbles appear, remove the pot from heat and slowly stir in the dry malt extract to prevent clumping.

Return the pot to medium-high heat to maintain a gentle rolling boil. Set a 60 minute timer. After 60 minutes, turn off the burner and remove the pot from heat.

Step 4: Adding Hops

Hops add bitterness, aroma, and flavor to your beer. Your Black IPA Kit includes a carefully balanced blend of Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe hops to create its juicy profile.

• At the start of the 60-minute boil, add Bittering Hops.
• At 10 minutes left, add Flavor Hops.
• At 2 minutes left, add Aroma Hops.

Pro Tip: Watch for boil-overs! If your wort foams up, turn off the heat and stir to prevent spills.

Step 5: Cooling the Wort

After boiling, the wort must be cooled to a yeast-friendly temperature before fermentation can begin.

Create an ice bath in your sink using ice and cold water.

Place the pot in the ice bath and cover it with a lid to avoid contamination.

Stir the surrounding ice water occasionally to speed up the cooling process.

Use a sanitized thermometer to check that the wort is below 75°F (23°C).

Step 6: Transferring to the Fermenter & Pitching Yeast

Using a sanitized funnel, transfer the cooled wort into the sanitized fermenter, leaving any thick sediment (trub) behind.

If needed, add cool water to reach the "one-gallon" fill line.

Cut open the yeast packet and pitch the yeast (sprinkle the entire contents into the fermenter).

Aerate the wort by sealing the fermenter and shaking it vigorously for one minute. This helps the yeast thrive.

Step 7: Setting Up the Blow-Off Tube & Monitoring Fermentation

Insert a sanitized blow-off tube into the fermenter’s rubber stopper. Place the other end in a half-full glass of water. This prevents foam overflow.

Place the fermenter in a dark, temperature-stable location (ideally 60-75°F).

Within 24-48 hours, you should see bubbling activity as fermentation begins.

Step 8: Swapping the Blow-Off Tube for an Airlock

After 4-5 days, once bubbling slows down, swap the blow-off tube for an airlock filled with water.

Fermentation will continue for about 10-14 days.

Step 9: Adding Dry Hops for Maximum Juiciness

After 10 days of fermentation, add the first packet of dry hops directly into the fermenter. No need to stir or mix - the hops will add flavor & aroma on their own.

Step 10: Preparing Bottling Equipment & Priming Sugar

Sanitize bottles, caps, siphon tubing, and the bottling wand.

In a stockpot, heat 1.5 cups of water with 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Stir until dissolved and boil for 5 minutes.

Allow the sugar water (priming sugar) to completely cool before using.

Step 11: Siphoning Beer into Bottles

Place the fermenter on a high surface and the pot of priming sugar on the floor.

Siphon the beer into the pot, carefully leaving sediment behind.

Gently stir the beer to evenly mix in the priming sugar.

Using sanitized tubing, siphon the beer into bottles, filling just to the neck. Cap the bottles.

Step 12: Carbonation & Aging

Store bottles in a dark, temperature-controlled area (68-75°F) for two weeks to allow carbonation to develop.

After 14 days, refrigerate and enjoy your homebrewed Black IPA!

Pro Tip: If your beer is under-carbonated, let it sit at room temperature for an additional 3-5 days before chilling.

✅ How to Avoid It: When transferring beer, use always use a siphon to minimize splashing. Whenever adding hops to your fermenter, work quickly to reduce oxygen exposure time.

✅ How to Avoid It:  Use a nylon hop straining bag or a fine-mesh strainer to filter out hops before transferring the wort to the fermenter. If dry hopping, use a sanitized nylon hop straining bag to contain the hop matter while still extracting flavor and aroma. The more sediment and hop debris you can keep out of the finished product, the better the hop flavors will be! Too much hop sediment in bottles can lead to harsh & unpleasant hop flavors.

✅ How to Avoid It: Stick with dehusked or debittered dark malts, such as BlackPrinz and Midnight Wheat.

•  Fermentation temperature has a significant impact on the final flavor of your Black IPA. Too warm, and the yeast can create harsh, boozy off-flavors; too cold, and fermentation may stall. Maintain a stable fermentation range between 65–70°F (18–21°C) for optimal yeast health and a balanced hop-malt profile. Temperature swings can lead to unwanted esters or phenols that clash with the beer’s smooth roast character.

• Avoid splashing while transferring wort or bottling. 
• Use a siphon or racking cane to minimize air exposure.
• Limit oxygen exposure when dry hopping—add hops quickly and reseal your fermenter.

• Use a hop bag or mesh strainer to contain hop matter during the boil.
• When transferring to the fermenter, leave behind as much hop sediment as possible.
• For dry hopping, use a sanitized hop sack to prevent excessive hop particles in the final beer.

• Sanitize all brewing equipment—fermenters, airlocks, siphons, bottles, and tubing.
• Use a no-rinse sanitizer (like the one included in our Black IPA Kit) for efficiency.
• Immediately rinse out your siphon and tubing after use to prevent buildup.

• Use filtered or spring water to avoid unwanted chlorine or metallic flavors. 
• If using Reverse Osmosis (RO) water, add brewing salts like Calcium Chloride or Gypsum to adjust pH and enhance hop character.
• Proper water chemistry ensures your hops shine without overpowering the smooth malt base.

• Record your ingredients, hop schedules, and fermentation temperatures.
• Take tasting notes over time—flavors will change as your Black IPA matures.
• Track carbonation levels and conditioning times for future reference.

For the best flavor and yeast performance, ferment your Black IPA at 65–70°F (18–21°C). A stable fermentation temp allows the yeast to produce fruity esters that complement the hops. Too cold = stalled fermentation, muted flavors. Too warm = harsh, boozy off-flavors.

Highly hopped beers, like a Black IPA, are best enjoyed young and fresh (within 1 - 6 months of brewing). Keep bottles cold (35–40°F) to slow hop degradation. Store away from light and oxygen to prevent off-flavors.

Don’t worry - it can be improved! Low carbonation usually just means that the yeast needs some more time to create CO2. If you’ve moved all bottles from your batch into the fridge, bring them out and let them stand at room temperature for another 3-5 days before chilling a bottle & testing again. Low carbonation can also be caused by: too much headspace in bottles, carbonating in too cold an environment, not using enough priming sugar or having an improperly sealed cap.

For future brews, try our pre-measured Priming Sugar packs or Carbonation Drops.