Too late, but...

Ok-- last week I brewed a big IPA. I made up the recipe based on what I had lying around. Im afraid i might be low on crystal... (?). It's still fermenting but I'd love to here your critique:

18 lbs 2-row
4 lbs Marris Otter
1 lb cara pils
1 lb crystal 10
1lb wheat
0.75 special B

Mash at 150 for 60 mins, 158 for 15.

0.5 oz bravo @ 60
1 oz bravo @ 45
2 oz centennial @ 30
1.5 oz @ 10
1 oz sorachi ace @ 5
1 oz cascade @ 2

Og: 1.075
Pitch: English Ale Yeast

What hay think?

"HEAR your critique..." Sorry -pet peeve....

Crystal goes a long way. I find a little bit good for a color addition. To much makes beer cloyingly sweet. Your recipe I think will come out nice. The carapills bring on some foamy head, the crystal a slight color. If you are looking to make a darker colored brew you're not there with that recipe. But your recipe as it is. I' m pretty sure it will make great beer.

Please post up your results. Good or bad outcome. HBT is behind you!

I think you may have actually underhopped it.

I'm too lazy to calculate the IBUs on a Friday afternoon, but based on a spot check, 1.5 oz of bittering hops in a 26lb grain bill is pretty low.

The beer's definitely going to be a beer, and those are some pretty tasty and nice-smelling flavoring/aroma hops, but I think you may have made more of a high ABV pale ale that is definitely going to have a strong alcohol bite.

Someone calculate the IBUs so I don't have to, and report back!

I'm going to take an educated guess that this one is around 30ish IBUs, where it probably should have been closer to 100-120 to balance out the ABV.

No worries, at worst, if you have too much of an alcohol bite, you could always boil some hops on your stovetop to add or blend this guy with another beer.

declanhalpin said:

Im afraid i might be low on crystal... (?).

Click to expand...

no such thing in an IPA. if anything you have too much crystal and nowhere near enough late hops.

TopherM said:

Someone calculate the IBUs so I don't have to, and report back!

I'm going to take an educated guess that this one is around 30ish IBUs, where it probably should have been closer to 100-120 to balance out the ABV.

Click to expand...

looks to be around 60ish IBUs. I agree more of an Imperial PA vs IPA