There is always a special kind of beauty in brewing a big hoppy IPA at home. It is the fun of building a recipe that pushes flavor to its limit and the satisfaction of watching it come together in the glass. Pheonix is one of those beers that reminds you why the process matters. It is bold, fragrant, and packed with character, but still crafted with intention and balance. Every step from the mash to the whirlpool to the final dry hop is another chance to refine what you love about brewing and to chase that perfect expression of hops.
For this big hazy IPA, I layered a complex mosaic of hops to create a vibrant, tropical, and juicy aroma. In the whirlpool, I added Nectaron, Riwaka, and Superdelic along with Citra and Eukanot CO₂ extracts from Incognito, allowing their flavors to bloom at 155°F and infuse the wort with bright notes of passionfruit, guava, and citrus. Later, the dry hopping added another dimension with Nectaron, Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka, and NZ Cascade, giving the beer a rich, aromatic top layer of white grape, gooseberry, and subtle piney undertones. The combination of these hops creates a beer that’s bursting with New Zealand and Pacific-inspired flavors, perfectly balancing haze, fruit, and hop-forward intensity.
Details:
Batch Size: 6.00 gal / 22.7 L
Final Volume: 5.60 gal / 21.2 L
OG: 1.090
FG (est): 1.021
ABV (est): ~9%
IBU: ~18
Fermentation Temp: 67°F / 19.5°C
Grain Bill:
10 lb (4.54 kg) MCM Pilsner 2-Row
4 lb 8 oz (2.04 kg) Flaked Oats
4 lb (1.81 kg) Chit Malt
4 lb (1.81 kg) Flaked Wheat
2 lb (0.91 kg) Maltbrewers Crystals (boil)
Water:
Total Water: 10.52 gal (39.8 L)
Mash In: 28.13 qt (26.6 L) at 168.2°F (75.7°C) → mash at 156°F (68.9°C)
Mash Out: 11.25 qt (10.6 L) at 202.4°F (94.7°C) → 168°F (75.5°C)
Fly Sparge: 0.68 gal (2.57 L) at 168°F (75.5°C)
Whirlpool Hops (155°F / 68°C):
6 oz (170 g) Nectaron – 30 min
4 oz (113 g) Riwaka – 15 min
1 oz (28 g) Superdelic – 15 min
10 mL Citra CO₂ Extract – 15 min
10 mL Eukanot CO₂ Extract – 15 min
Dry Hop (5 days before packaging, 3-day contact):
4 oz (113 g) Nectaron
4 oz (113 g) Nelson Sauvin
4 oz (113 g) Riwaka
3 oz (85 g) NZ Cascade
Yeast
WLP066 London Fog
Use “MashMag” for 5% off your homebrew pouch order at Yeastman
Fermentation:
Primary: 4 days at 67°F (19.5°C)
Secondary: 10 days at 67°F (19.5°C)
Packaging:
Keg at 12.54 PSI
Condition 30 days at 65°F (18°C)
By Christian M, Mishicott Brewing
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