My first attempt at a homemade recipe!

I'm calling this beer "One Pound Johnny", which is a spin-off of a VERY high IBU kit. They're not disclosing their hop bill, so I just sorta winged it and this is what I came up with. It's going to be, obviously, and Imperial IPA.

Recipe Type: Extract
Yeast: Safale #5 Double Pitch
Yeast Starter: Yes
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.089
Final Gravity: 1.020
IBU: 157.6
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 12.6
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 1 week @ 65
Additional Fermentation: 4 weeks bottle
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 2 weeks @ 70
Tasting Notes: A VERY bitter & strong Imperial IPA. Not for the faint of heart!

Ingredients

GRAINS
1 lbs Carafoam
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
4.0 oz Carapils (Briess)
4.0 oz Carared

EXTRACTS
2 lbs 8.0 oz Extra Light Dry Extract
2 lbs Corn Sugar (ABV % Boost) (Optional 1b = 1%)
6 lbs 9.6 oz Amber Liquid Extract

HOPS
2.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
2.00 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min
2.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min
2.00 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min
2.00 oz Warrior [15.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min
2.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min
2.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min (Late Addition)

YEAST
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) - Double pitch due to high gravity of beer.

CARBONATION
Carbonation Type: Bottle
Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 5.74 oz
Carbonation Used: Bottle with 7oz Dry Malt Extract
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F Age for: 30.00 days

I'm thinking your a bit higher IBUs than you've calculated. I've never played with that many hops in a single 5 gallon batch, especially with such high AA%. I believe there is a theoretical limit on IBUs that are possible in a brewpot but something about this hop schedule screams - YIKES, too much!!!

I recently did a 1.075 IIPA with ~106 IBUs (calculated) and find it fairly balanced. I'm calculating 400+ IBUs on your hop schedule but I don't think it's possible to achieve that level of IBUs, but still I think those hops would be better served much later in the boil. I'm thinking you should move 8-10 ounces of your magnum and warrior to 20 minutes or less (a schedule something like 20, 15, 10, 5, flamout). If you put an ounce of each at each interval you'd still be super big on IBUs, but more balanced nonetheless.

Just some thoughts. I'll be interested in your final hop schedule, IBUs, and tasting notes. Again, I've never dared go that high with bittering units so I may be way off base here.

Id switch up your hop schedule a bit and focus more on late additions. Also add some dryhops, those are crucial for iipas!

stpug said:

I'm thinking your a bit higher IBUs than you've calculated. I've never played with that many hops in a single 5 gallon batch, especially with such high AA%. I believe there is a theoretical limit on IBUs that are possible in a brewpot but something about this hop schedule screams - YIKES, too much!!!

I recently did a 1.075 IIPA with ~106 IBUs (calculated) and find it fairly balanced. I'm calculating 400+ IBUs on your hop schedule but I don't think it's possible to achieve that level of IBUs, but still I think those hops would be better served much later in the boil.

Click to expand...

I must be doing something wrong in BeerSmith then, because that's what it's giving me for IBUs. :\

I'm open to suggestions for the line up changes, though!

I must have been editing my post above when some posts were made. I gave a couple suggestions on hop schedule but let's hope a more seasoned IPA brewer drops in for some suggestions. Honestly, I'm not sure how well warrior or magnum are suited to late hop additions. Usually my mind goes to Centennial, Citra, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, and other C-type hops.

How much of your fermenter volume will you be boiling? All of it (around 6+ gallons boiled down to around 5 gallons)?

IPA to me equals a sixty minute bittering addition followed by 15,10,5, and 0 minute flavor and aroma additions plus a 1-3 ounce dryhop. Play with the amounts in Beersmith to come out with your desired IBUs.

If those are the hops you want I'd go Magnum at 60 and then swap in and out cascade and chinook for the other additions. Never used Warrior.

if you want to use a lb of hops, at least 1/2 of it should be between flameout & dry hop. you have way too much bittering hops, keep 2oz at 60, move the rest 15mins or less. magnum & warrior are fairly mild, so you'll need a lot late to get a strong impact. if you want to use amber extract, i'd ditch all the rest of the crystal except the C60 and maybe the carared

I am drinking an awesome Imperial black IPA that was OG 1.075 and IBU's were 90 and it's powerful and awesome. I only used about 9 oz of hops in a 10 gallon batch! Seems like a waste of hops to me.

OK Upon considering all of these comments, I've made the following changes to the hop lineup:

60 minutes: 2oz Cascade
30 minutes: 2oz Warrior
15 minutes: 4oz Magnum
10 minutes: 2oz Chinook, 2oz Warrior
5 minutes: 2oz Warrior
Dryhop: 2oz Magnum

According to BeerSmith, this reduces IBUs to 91, which is spot-on for an Imperial IPA

That being established, how do the rest of the ingredients look?

Magnum is a lousy choice for flavor and aroma as you have it now.

Gunpowder said:

OK Upon considering all of these comments, I've made the following changes to the hop lineup:

60 minutes: 2oz Cascade
30 minutes: 2oz Warrior
15 minutes: 4oz Magnum
10 minutes: 2oz Chinook, 2oz Warrior
5 minutes: 2oz Warrior
Dryhop: 2oz Magnum

According to BeerSmith, this reduces IBUs to 91, which is spot-on for an Imperial IPA

That being established, how do the rest of the ingredients look?

Click to expand...

Better. The timing is way better with a heavier influence at the tail end of the boil. However, magnum is a terrific bittering hop which isn't great at the end of the boil so I would use that at 60. Cascade on the other hand is terrific at the end of the boil so I would use it there. If you want to bitter with cascade I would still use it at the end and just dump the magnum then.

Maybe

Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 1 7.7 %
5 lbs Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 2 38.5 %
1 lbs Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 3 7.7 %
1.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 59.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 5 18.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6 5.6 IBUs
6 lbs Amber Liquid Extract [Boil for 5 min](12.5 SRM) Extract 7 46.2 %
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 3.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 7.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.092 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.7 %
Bitterness: 122.1 IBUs
Est Color: 16.0 SRM

OK Final line-up change to the hops:

60 MINUTES
4oz Warrior
2oz Magnum

15 MINUTES
2oz Magnum

10 MINUTES
2oz Warrior

5 MINUTES
2oz Magnum
1oz Cascade
1oz Chinook

DRY HOP 5 DAYS
1oz Cascase
1oz Chinook

Est. IBU: 126.4
Est. ABV: 10.3%
Gravities: 1.089-SG, 1.012-FG

And for those unsure about some of these hops, here are the BeerSmith descriptions of them:

WARRIOR
High alpha hops from Yakima Chief Ranches. Also called YCR-5. Mild aroma and low cohumulone content - primarily for bittering.
Used for: Ales, stouts
Aroma: Neutral, clean, mild
Substitutes: Nugget, Columbus, Magnum

CHINOOK
Strong versatile bittering hop
Used for: Ales, porters, stouts
Aroma: Heavy and spicy aroma
Substitutes: Galena, Eroica, Nugget, Bullion
Examples: Sierra Nevada Stout, Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

MAGNUM
German Hallertauer hybrid, widely used in Germany
Used for: German ales and lagers
Aroma: Good aroma and stable spicy flavor
Substitutes: N/A

CASCADE
A hops with Northern Brewers Heritage
Used for: American ales and lagers
Aroma: Strong spicy, floral, grapefruit character
Substitutes: Centennial
Examples: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Anchor Liberty Ale

Go for it. I'm interested in hearing how the final beer turns out with this hop schedule. I worry that you're putting way too much super alpha bittering hops in for the whole boil, but just because I worry about it doesn't mean it won't turn out fine.

I recognize that you need to use 16 ounces of hops and that you have 6 magnum, 6 warrior, 2 cascade, and 2 chinook. It also sounds like you'll only be boiling about 3 gallons of the final wort. If I were limited by your constraints, this is how I would do the hop schedule:

60 minutes -
1 Magnum
1 Warrior

15 minutes -
1 Magnum
1 Warrior

10 minutes -
1 Magnum
1 Warrior

5 minutes -
2 Magnum

0 minutes -
1 Chinook
2 Warrior
1 Magnum

Dry Hop -
2 Cascade
1 Chinook
1 Warrior

I would also make sure to use the 2 pounds of dextrose to help dry out the beer so it's not too sweet. Keep an eye on fermentation temperatures and as the fermenting it finishing up start to bring the temp to the upper range of US05 to help promote a good full attenuation.

Most importantly, have fun and report back how the beer turns out.