Brewing a big DIPA with Apollo, Ahtanum, and Chinook, critique me please
 

Getting ready to brew my first double IPA and I'm looking for a critique on my recipe.

Recipe Type: Partial Mash
Yeast: US-05
Yeast Starter: 11.5gm packet rehydrated, no starter
Batch Size (Gallons): 3.0
Est. Original Gravity: 1.093
Est. Final Gravity: Hoping for around 1.010 - 1.013
IBU: Calculated 247 (Tinseth)
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 28 days @ 68F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): none

Recipe: Imperial IPA
Boil Size: 4 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70%

Grains and Sugars
5.00 lb Pale Malt, American 2-row 53 %
3.00 lb Pale Malt Extract (Muntons) 32 % (Late boil addition)
10 oz Corn Sugar (Dextrose) 7 % (Late boil addition)
8 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L Grain 5 %
6 oz Carapils 4 %

Hops
FWH: 0.50 oz Apollo [19.70 %] Hops
30: 0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] Hops
25: 0.50 oz Ahtanum [6.00 %] Hops
20: 0.50 oz Apollo [19.70 %] Hops
15: 0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] Hops
10: 0.50 oz Ahtanum [6.00 %] Hops
5: 1.00 oz Apollo [19.70 %] Hops
5: 1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] Hops
5: 1.00 oz Ahtanum [6.00 %] Hops

--Dry Hop--
1.00 oz Apollo [19.70 %] Hops
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] Hops
1.00 oz Ahtanum [6.00 %] Hops

Mash and Sparge
1. Mash in with 2.93 gallons (2qt/lb) of 163F water for a target of 152F
2. Hold mash for 90 minutes at 152F
3. Mash out at 170
4. Sparge at 170

Boil
1. Add extract, corn sugar, whirlfloc, and nutrient at 10

Sounds awesome! I don't have too much experience brewing big beers, is US-05 going to be able to bring you all the way down?

I'm projecting over 1.100 OG / 1.021 ++ FG... even with 80% attenuation. If you kept the grain bill the way it is, then I would mash at 146 F and use a huge starter of San Diego Super.

Are you sure the efficiency will only be 70% when 48% of your recipe is comprised of highly fermentable extract/sugars and already converted grains?

What is your goal with the hop combo? Flavor/Aroma -wise. I'd skip the FWH for a big beer like this, add more hops at 30, nix the rest of the additions, and focus on 15-10-5-0-DH as 95% of your concern, using a total of 7-8 oz. hops for a 3 gallon batch of this beast.

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for. I figured I might have to change the yeast, I was just picking something relatively neutral that I was familiar with.

What would you suggest for a partial mash grain bill to get me to around OG 1.090 that will ferment relatively dry?

As far as the hop combo, I have 10oz of Apollo and my reasoning is that it would balance well with the citrus/floral of Ahtanum and the piney/earthy of Chinook. Or is that completely wrong and I'm just making a total mess of hop flavors?

I don't recommend 1.090 OG for a PM IIPA reaching <1.018 FG.

Here's a simple recipe for your boil/batch size:

1.079 OG
1.013 FG
77% Mash Efficiency

3# 2-row
3# pale LME
10 oz. Sugar
8 oz. C20

WLP090 Starter

-------

Chinook is grapefruity with subtle pine notes and some earthiness to it.
Apollo is a dank, resiny, marijuana-like monster.
Ahtanum is very orangey. It has some mild spiciness to it as well.

The dryhop selections will dominate your beer's character.
The whirlpool addition will provide some alternate character to compliment the dryhop.

Use Apollo at 60/30 or 20 in very small amounts. I'm talking 20-30 IBUs for the first addition. Then load up at 15-10-5-0 on whatever you see fit. ~ 1.00 to 2.00 oz. per spot is good.

DH at the rate of 0.75 to 1.00 oz. per gallon of beer.

Solid advice. I changed up the hop schedule and it brought the IBUs way down to 115. How does this look?

60 mins 0.25 Apollo pellet 19.7
30 mins 0.25 Apollo pellet 19.7
15 mins 1.0 Ahtanum pellet 6.0
5 mins 1.0 Chinook pellet 13.0

flameout 1.0 Ahtanum pellet 6.0
flameout 0.5 Apollo pellet 19.7
flameout 1.0 Chinook pellet 13.0

dry hop 7 days 1.0 Ahtanum pellet 6.0
dry hop 7 days 1.0 Chinook pellet 13.0

A few minor tweaks for my tastes...

60 mins 0.25 oz Apollo pellet 19.7
20 mins 0.25 oz Apollo pellet 19.7
10 mins 1.0 oz Ahtanum pellet 6.0
10 mins 0.5 oz your choice
5 mins 1.0 oz Chinook pellet 13.0
5 mins 0.5 oz your choice
30 mins, warm whirlpool steep 1.0 oz Ahtanum pellet 6.0
30 mins, warm whirlpool steep 0.5 oz Apollo pellet 19.7
30 mins, warm whirlpool steep 1.0 oz Chinook pellet 13.0

dry hop 7 days 1.0 Ahtanum pellet 6.0
dry hop 7 days 1.0 Chinook pellet 13.0
...can add another 1/2 to 1 oz. if desired