help with extract IPA recipe

I've never brewed an IPA before so wanted to get some thoughts suggestions out there. Also, the original recipe called for crystal rye but I couldn't get any so I subbed with some crystal 80. Not sure if that is a wise decision or not. Any thoughts on the bitterness ratio as well? I'm not a huge hop head but obviously it's an IPA. Here is the recipe:

TYPE: Extract

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.062 SG
Estimated Color: 12.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 64.1 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (2.0 SRM) Dry Extract 66.67 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (10.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
1.00 lb Rye Malt (4.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %

1.00 oz Magnum [12.20 %] (60 min) Hops 40.1 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [5.00 %] (30 min) Hops 12.6 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.20 %] (20 min) Hops 7.2 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.20 %] (10 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
2.00 oz Citra [13.90 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
1 Pkgs US05

C-80 will give you a lot of the same flavor and color as crystal rye, but with more burnt/roasty flavors. With a lb of it, I think your beer will be too dark, sweet and roasty to be an IPA. It still might be good.

cincybrewer said:

I've never brewed an IPA before so wanted to get some thoughts suggestions out there. Also, the original recipe called for crystal rye but I couldn't get any so I subbed with some crystal 80. Not sure if that is a wise decision or not. Any thoughts on the bitterness ratio as well? I'm not a huge hop head but obviously it's an IPA. Here is the recipe:

TYPE: Extract

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Size: 6.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.062 SG
Estimated Color: 12.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 64.1 IBU
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (2.0 SRM) Dry Extract 66.67 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (10.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
1.00 lb Rye Malt (4.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
0.50 lb Victory Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.76 %

1.00 oz Magnum [12.20 %] (60 min) Hops 40.1 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [5.00 %] (30 min) Hops 12.6 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.20 %] (20 min) Hops 7.2 IBU
0.50 oz Challenger [7.20 %] (10 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
1.00 oz Fuggles [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
2.00 oz Citra [13.90 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
1 Pkgs US05

Click to expand...

This is a neat rye IPA recipe, but I don't get the citra hops. Magnum, fuggles, challenger all share spicy/earthy European character -- the citra is tropical fruit and citrus. It seems out of place. IBU/OG ratio looks appropriate for what you want. Whatever hops you choose, I personally like to dry hop for 5-7 days. Good luck.

@kingwood - what would you suggest replacing the c80 with? Another lighter crystal or is there something else out there that would be good? I do like the reddish hue that some IPA's have and without it the beer seems too light.

@bigbeer - the recipe came from someone else and I tried the original recipe and it was fantastic, so I was just following the same hop schedule. I could really pick out the citra hops and loved it. But I don't know much about the different types of hops and what goes good with one another. Thanks for the input.

What you should do depends entirely on what you want. If you want an official, BJCP-approved IPA, you'd have to sub a lighter crystal for the c-80. If you're unconcerned with style guidelines, then I would maybe dial it back a little, somewhere around .75lb. I brewed an IPA with .6lb Special B and it came out great. Just not pale. If you've had beer made from this recipe before, then I see no problem with brewing as written. It's a bit of a mishmash of styles, but it does look interesting.

One again, thanks for the suggestion/help. I couldn't care less about the BJCP guidelines, but I don't really like the sound of burnt/roasty flavors in an IPA. Does crystal rye give off this flavor? If I went to a lower crystal, say like crystal 40, would that add roast flavors? I think what I'm looking for is something to give a little color and maybe some body.

A lot of the roasty flavors in dark grains come from burnt husks. Rye and wheat don't have husks, so they'll give you color with fewer roasty flavors, which is why a lot of black IPAs use Midnight Wheat for coloring. With rye, munich and crystal, you'll have no shortage of body. The roastiness of C-80 is pretty subdued when compared to something like black patent or roasted barley. You'll probably get more raisin than roast. Subbing some of the C-80 with C-40 would give you more generic sweetness and less toast and dark fruit, if that's what you want. If you want tasteless color, you can use an ounce or so of Dehusked Carafa or Midnight Wheat. But if you've already purchased everything, I would go ahead and brew the beer. If you've had it before and loved it, then what the hell do I know?

Great information! Did not know that re: the husks. I have all the ingredients with the exception of the crystal malt. The original recipe which I liked called for crystal rye but I couldn't get a hold of any which is why I'm looking to replace it. Maybe I'll go with c40 or maybe even just a tad of c80, like a 1/2 lb.

So as this is the first time I have ever dry hopped, does anyone have any advise? I have two oz. of hops in the pellet form (not sure if that was the right choice). I was thinking about usings pantyhose tied to dental floss and sticking that in my keg. I'd rather not secondary.

Should I dry hop in a keg at room temp or at colder temps? And I saw 5-7 days, is that the normal length? What happens if you leave it in longer. I've read it gets a veggie taste but seems like a lot of people dismissed that as a myth.

I could dry hop in a keg, remove hops, then transfer to another keg.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dry hop loose pellet hops in the primary at room temp for 5-7 days, then rack to a keg via racking cane with pantyhose loosely rubber-banded (all sanitized) over the end of the racking cane. Or hang them in your keg as you described. Dry hopping at room temperature gives me better results, personally. Experiment with both and see what you prefer.

This is not an Extract IPA. It's a Partial Mash IPA. Those last three grains, totaling 24% of the recipe, will need to be mashed for proper conversion. They all have somewhat low diastatic power, too. So it would be wise to incorporate some 2-row in the mash if you want full conversion in 60 minutes.

It was extract for me. I'm not too versed in the science behind the different grains and their conversion and diastiatic powers, but I've bought kits that have and crystal, rye, and munich malts used for steeping and they've turned out great. Not sure if I've used victory before.

Thanks for the info bigbeergeek. I'll probably just hang them from my keg at room temp for about 5-7 days.