How's this for an American IPA?

Buford · 11-14-2007, 06:06 AM

I'm planning on getting the grain tomorrow, with this recipe unless I get any good suggestions. I have a load of hops in the freezer so I thought I'd go a little nuts with my next batch.

Supposedly you get the most out of hop flavor and aroma additions at 20 and 7 minutes left on the boil, so that's why the late additions are only at those times.

Code:

Recipe: Stinky Pete
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal      
Boil Size: 7.05 gal
Estimated OG: 1.068 SG
Estimated Color: 9.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 93.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
10 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        73.21 %       
2 lbs         Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)                     Grain        14.29 %       
12.0 oz       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)     Grain        5.36 %        
8.0 oz        Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM)              Grain        3.57 %        
8.0 oz        Melanoiden Malt (20.0 SRM)                Grain        3.57 %        

1.00 oz       Ahtanum (leaf) [6.00 %] (90 min) (Mash Hop)           3.8 IBU 
1.00 oz       Cascade (leaf) 6.9% [6.90 %] (90 min) (Mash Hop)      4.3 IBU 
0.75 oz       Cascade [4.10 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)            11.8 IBU 
0.75 oz       Amarillo [7.00 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)           20.2 IBU 
0.25 oz       Amarillo [7.00 %] (60 min)                            5.7 IBU 
1.50 oz       Amarillo [7.00 %] (20 min)                            20.8 IBU 
1.50 oz       Cascade [4.10 %] (20 min)                             12.2 IBU 
1.50 oz       Cascade [4.10 %] (7 min)                              5.4 IBU 
1.50 oz       Amarillo [7.00 %] (7 min)                             9.2 IBU 
1.00 oz       Cascade (leaf) 6.9% [6.90 %] (Dry Hop 7 days)  
1.00 oz       Ahtanum (leaf) [6.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days)  

1.00 items    Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 min)           Misc                       
1 Pkgs        SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05)    Yeast-Ale                  


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 14.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time     Name               Description                         Step Temp     
60 min        Mash In            Add 14.00 qt of water at 167.8 F    153.0 F

**TexLaw** · 11-14-2007, 01:22 PM

I prefer my late hop additions with less time in the boil, and often do them at 15 minutes, 5, 3, and flameout.

That's an awful lot of IBUs for that OG. Consider cutting back to the low 60s or so and save your hops.

I don't know if I've ever had an AIPA with half a pound of melanoiden malt in it. It actually sounds interesting, but I'm trying to imagine a decocted IPA.

TL

Evan! · 11-14-2007, 01:46 PM

I can't speak to the qualities of Ahtanum because I've never used it, but the recipe looks pretty good. I'm not sure about the gap between the 20 minute and the 7 minute additions, though, and like TexLaw, I'd also say that you need more late additions, perhaps something at flameout. Spread your 3 oz. of cascade & ahtanum out a little bit, and maybe just continually add small portions throughout the final 10 minutes.

**the_bird** · 11-14-2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexLaw

I prefer my late hop additions with less time in the boil, and often do them at 15 minutes, 5, 3, and flameout.

That's an awful lot of IBUs for that OG. Consider cutting back to the low 60s or so and save your hops.

I don't know if I've ever had an AIPA with half a pound of melanoiden malt in it. It actually sounds interesting, but I'm trying to imagine a decocted IPA.

TL

Glibbidy just brewed an APA that he decocted, and initial results seem to be very positive. I did an amber ale with a pound of melanoidin that was one of my best batches ever (received VERY well by both snobs and non-snobs alike). It also had a lot of these "fresh"-tasting Cascade and Amarillo flavors (it's my "Tempation" recipe).

**the_bird** · 11-14-2007, 01:51 PM

Oh, and I prefer my IPAs on the dry side (which I think is more in keeping with the style), so I'd be inclined to kick out the carapils. That's a personal preference thing; some people like thier IPAs thicker, but remember that they were historically brewed to have few residual sugars (lesser chance of spoilage).

Buford · 11-14-2007, 02:19 PM

I added the melanoidin for a malty (not sweet) quality to somewhat offset the high IBUs. The BU:GU ratio is pretty high but I've had IPAs that were in the 90 IBU range that were around 6.5% ABV so it's not unheard of.

I may use the "remove the Carapils" suggestion - my last APA had Carapils in it and the head retention is almost TOO good. It just doesn't want to get out of the way of your nose.

I may try mashing a little lower, maybe 150, considering the mention of dryness. The melanoidin should kick the malty flavor up a notch to compensate.

Ahtanum hops smell really nice, very "American" but not really like Cascade. Maybe closer to Amarillo. I think Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale uses them. I've never actually used them in a beer, though, just got the shipment in the other day. I couldn't find Amarillo leaf so I went with that.

I have a bittering/flavor/aroma utilization vs. time graph somewhere on my home PC I'll check out - there may be several sweet spots in late additions. I just went simple and used the two peak values in the proposed recipe.

EDIT: Found the chart. No idea how accurate it is.