Recipe Type: Partial Mash
Yeast: WLP-01
Batch Size (Gallons): 12
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.01
IBU: 46.8
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 7.5srm
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 7 to 14 days at 68deg
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): none
Tasting Notes: Very aromatic hop flavorful session IPA you can have more than one without remorse

So early last year I started out on a quest to brew a lower alcohol IPA (highly hopped pale ale or whatever you want to call it). One that I could have a few of while working around the house and still be able to take the family to dinner later in the day. I am a huge IPA fan but I prefer IPAs that are big on hop flavor and aroma, not so much on bitterness. I searched everywhere scouring all the information I could find on how to brew this elusive version of an IPA. I say elusive because I read and discovered it is not as easy to pull off this beer as one may think. Well after around twenty 5 gallon batches and one 2nd place finish out of 23 entries in the 2012 Palmetto State Brewers Open (check it out http://www.palmettostatebrewers.com/psbopen/, Category 23A), I think I have my version ready to share:

Batch Size: 12 gallons
Original Gravity: 1.044
Final Gravity: 1.010
Color: 7.5 SRM
IBU: 46.8
Boil Time: 60min
Partial Mash

12 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 64.0 %
2 lbs Munich I (Weyermann) (7.1 SRM) Grain 2 10.7 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 8.0 %
1 lbs 4.0 oz Caramunich I (Weyermann) (51.0 SRM) Grain 4 6.7 %
2 lbs Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 5 10.7 %

0.50 oz Chinook [11.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min - 9.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min - 2.5 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [8.70 %] - Boil 20.0 min - 4.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Boil 20.0 min - 6.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min -2.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Boil 15.0 min - 5.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min - 2.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Boil 10.0 min - 7.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min - 1.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Boil 5.0 min - 4.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [8.70 %] - Boil 5.0 min - 1.4 IBUs
2.00 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Boil 0.0 min - 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min - 9 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [8.70 %] - Boil 0.0 min - 0.0 IBUs
3.00 oz Citra [13.70 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days - 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Cascade [5.00 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days - 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [8.70 %] - Dry Hop 14.0 Days - 0.0 IBUs

2 Whirlfloc tabs at 15 min.
I have used WLP-01 or S-01, I haven't been making starters because the OG is low.

I brew this recipe BIAB and my mash temps vary from 154 to 158 deg (still working on that).

Notice most all of my hop additions are from 20 minutes and under. I have brewed this with different hop varieties like Simcoe and Amarillo and they all turned out great. I think I started trying other hop varieties because of the Simcoe and Amarillo shortages actually. I will say that some variation with Citra has been my favorite. The dry hop additions are to be split up in each secondary or keg (I skip the secondary and dry hop in the keg).

I will say this is a consistently great beer. It is a year round resident in my far left tap. I even have to have at least 1 keg in reserve or people start getting twitchy. Let me know what you think.