Recipe Feedback Imperial IPA

Hey all, I'm new here and fairly new to brewing. I've been brewing with a dude that has 15+ years experience. He's challenged me to come up with a recipe to use next week. I'd love some feedback.

Imperial IPA
10 Gallon

20 lbs Maris Otter 69%
3 lbs Vienna 10.3%
2 lbs Crystal – 60L 6.9%
2 lbs Wheat, Torrified 6.9%
2 lbs Sugar, Turbinado 6.9%

2 oz Cascade 60 min 19.4 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe 60 min 37.8 IBUs
1 oz Centennial 30 min 10.1 IBUs
1 oz Amarillo 15 min 6.8 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe 10 min 13.7 IBUs
2 oz Amarillo 5 min 5.5 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe FO
2 oz Amarillo DH – 7 days
2 oz Centennial DH – 7 days
2 oz Simcoe DH – 7 days

Yeast:WLP001
Est OG: 1.081
Est FG: 1.013
Bitterness: 93.3 IBUs

What do you think?

Welcome to HBT! This looks like quite a beer to tackle while being still new to homebrewing! Let us know how it turns out. My only comments...

The hop bill looks pretty awesome. Almost Pliny-like (according to the recipes I've seen). For the grains- I might replace the maris otter with domestic 2-row. MO is awesome when you want a really biscuity, bready malty profile- but in your IIPA you want the hops to shine without anything that would make the body feel "heavy" at all. I could be wrong, though. Some excellent hoppy beers use English style base malts. Either way, good luck!

I did a pliny a while back and am brewing with a dude who is quite talented. I'm not worried about it being a big beer, he does a Little Sumpin Sumpin clone that is fantastic.

I am going for a little bit darker of an IPA, and would like to try the MO. However, maybe I'll do half MO and half 2-row. Thoughts on that?

Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

+1 on the 2-row

I like 2-row, and you can keep the Vienna which will provide a ton of malty flavor. I think you've got too much crystal malt, though. With the Vienna malt, you only need about half that much crystal in there. The Crystal and plain sugar are sort of cross-purposes- the crystal will provide body and fullness, while the sugar will thin and dry the beer out.

I'd prefer a simpler grain bill, but you could use 2-row, the Vienna malt, less crystal, and still keep the torrified wheat (if you must) and the sugar.

Are you guys able to find Simcoe? ahs I out and said there is a nationwide shortage. Had to make some adjustments on my west coast clone....

I haven't been able to find any Simcoe. Needed 4 oz this weekend but looks like I'll have to live with the 1 oz I had in my freezer. My two local shops both said it was out until harvest.

Looks like a yummy recipe, especially with all those hops. They all go well together and I'm salivating just thinking about the recipe. Please post with tasting notes and also let me know if you can get simcoe cause I really want some.

hazzards said:

I haven't been able to find any Simcoe. Needed 4 oz this weekend but looks like I'll have to live with the 1 oz I had in my freezer. My two local shops both said it was out until harvest.

Looks like a yummy recipe, especially with all those hops. They all go well together and I'm salivating just thinking about the recipe. Please post with tasting notes and also let me know if you can get simcoe cause I really want some.

Click to expand...

I substituted some Sticklebract and Chinook for the Simcoe in my west coast. Won't be the same, but we'll see...

Just picked up a pound of Simcoe leaf from LHBS Friday. They usually have some in stock, but never know when they will run out. Simcoe is the perfect dryhop for my IPA's.

Thanks so much, I will make some adjustments tonight. Note taken on the Crystal & Vienna. I'm glad I posted this here.

I lucked out and my LHBS still had Simcoe. One of the few advantages of living in a small city, I guess! I bought up almost all of what they had.

To re-enforce the crystal use notes, Vinny (Russian River Brewing) says never exceed 5% crystal in an IIPA. IIPAs are all about highlighting the hops, so keep the malt flavors subdued(in the background). If you want a balanced beer, there are plenty of other styles for that.

Great hops schedule, BTW....

I made some adjustments based on your advice. After thinking about how much the Simcoe is costing me, I figured it be best to not gamble with the MO. Better play it safe with the 2-row. I kept the wheat in there just to mix it up and for head retention, I guess.

I'll be brewing this Labor Day weekend and will let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!


Imperial IPA
10 Gallon

23 lbs 2-row 79.3%
1 lbs Vienna 3.4%
1 lbs Crystal – 60L 3.4%
2 lbs Wheat, Torrified 6.9%
2 lbs Sugar, Turbinado 6.9%

2 oz Cascade 60 min 19.4 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe 60 min 37.8 IBUs
1 oz Centennial 30 min 10.1 IBUs
1 oz Amarillo 15 min 6.8 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe 10 min 13.7 IBUs
2 oz Amarillo 5 min 5.5 IBUs
2 oz Simcoe FO
2 oz Amarillo DH – 7 days
2 oz Centennial DH – 7 days
2 oz Simcoe DH – 7 days

Yeast:WLP001
Est OG: 1.079
Est FG: 1.012
Bitterness: 94.8 IBUs

I swap out the 60min adds for something else. kinda a waste to use simcoe & cascade there since the flavor impact is so minimal. id go with something cheaper like columbus, magnum, warrior, summit, etc instead

I don't think that Vienna will do much of anything in that amount with the crystal in there. I'd do 6% Vienna instead and drop the wheat altogether.