Imperial IPA Critique

This is a recipe I've brewed a number of times, but I think I want to change the grain bill slightly. I'm not making any changes to the hop schedule yet, I think it's pretty stellar.

Here's the recipe:

OG: 1.078
FG: 1.012

14.00 lbs Maris Otter
1.00 lb Crystal 10L
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrin
0.50 lb Honey Malt

1 oz Amarillo - FWH
1 oz Citra - 60min
1 oz Citra - 30min
1 oz Cascade - 15min
1 oz Amarillo - 15min
1 oz Cascade - 0min
1 oz Amarillo - 0min
2 oz Cascade - Dry Hop
1 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop

Mashed at 149*
Yeast: White Labs WLP007 Dry English Ale

The problem I have is that even with such a low mash temp, there's a slightly too much body and residual sweetness. I think I'm going to increase the Maris Otter by 1 lb, but decrease the Crystal to 0.50 lb and replace the Dextrin with Wheat Malt. I also think I'm going want to use a more neutral yeast that will dry the beer out more, but I'm not sure which one.

Thoughts?

You said you were only looking critique on the grist, so here goes...

Try using both American 2-row and English 2-row. A base of pure Maris Otter can be a little detracting for a big hoppy beer like this. And with WLP007, you're going to get more accentuation of the malt vs. using a cleaner yeast like WLP001. Next, cut down the crystal and honey malt to 3 or 4% each. Ditch the carapils and add some wheat malt instead.

If you want to dry the beer out just add a bit of corn sugar. I would recommend it for an IIPA. Also if you think its ending up too sweet then maybe just omit the honey malt completely.

Since you're not interested in getting any hop critique, I'm going to make a suggestion on hops.

Citra as a dry hop....I like it. Did that with a couple of my IPAs and love it.

That said.....what about subbing the crystal 10 with melanoidin?

jtejedor said:

If you want to dry the beer out just add a bit of corn sugar. I would recommend it for an IIPA. Also if you think its ending up too sweet then maybe just omit the honey malt completely.

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This... Half a pound to a pound of corn sugar really helped dry out my DIPA

Decrease the honey and crystal. Also citra as a bitten hop has a distinctive flavor that some do not like. If you insist on using it for bittering I would make it a FWH. Otherwise use something neutral like warrior for bittering and bump an ounce of citra to flameout and one to dry hop.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I'll wait to adjust any hops until I get the malt profile where I want it, don't want to change too many variables at once. Plus, I think the only thing I'll change is adding a later citra addition and one to dry hop as well.

So I think for the next batch, I'll replace the dextrin with wheat malt, the maris otter with 2-row, cut the crystal and honey malt in half, and try using wyeast 1056 American ale yeast.

I would keep half your Maris Otter, don't want to go too far the other direction. Honestly cutting the crystal and honey and switching to 1056 will do a lot for this alone. Then if you still don't like it you can switch to 100% 2 row.

JesperX said:

I would keep half your Maris Otter, don't want to go too far the other direction. Honestly cutting the crystal and honey and switching to 1056 will do a lot for this alone. Then if you still don't like it you can switch to 100% 2 row.

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Will do. Thanks!