Help with first All Grain IPA recipe

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Brew_Meister

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Messages
102
Reaction score
0
Location
Lawton, OK
After brewing several kits and several tried and true recipes from right here on the board, it is time to work up my own recipe. I have Beersmith and have been working up some ideas. How does this look???

OG: 1.066
IBU: 58.4
SRM: 9.1
ABV: 6.6%

12 lbs Maris otter
1.25 lbs Carastan
1.5 oz Centennial (60 mins)
.5 oz Centennial (10 mins)
1 oz Centennial (0 mins)
1 oz Centennial (dry hop for 7 days)
I plan on using some washed Pacman yeast that I have. Mash at 154 for 60 mins.

I am using UK malts and American hops, hopefully this will work out. Would it be an American IPA or English IPA?

Let er rip and give me some feedback!

Cheers
 
Looks like a decent American IPA. Maybe add .5-1 pound of C40? Can't go wrong with an all centennial hop schedule, but I'd suggest a bit more hops later. Take .5 out of that 60 min addition and add it at 15 mins.
 
It would be an Anglo-American IPA. Just call it an IPA. And it looks fine. I love the fact that you have kept it simple -- two grains and 1 hop. This, to me, is the best way to learn how ingredients will taste in your beer.

I wouldn't change a thing, though you could cut the carastan back slightly -- a lb would be sufficient. But that is a quibble.
 
English IPAs are typically much less bitter, lower ABV and maltier than their American cousins. American IPAs are also typically (but not always) much drier, so mashed at a lower temperature (like 149-150 F). You might consider lowering the mash temp.
 
Take .5 out of that 60 min addition and add it at 15 mins.

Thanks, this will lower the IBUs but give more aroma and flavor right?

It would be an Anglo-American IPA.

Love it! :mug:

I love the fact that you have kept it simple -- two grains and 1 hop. This, to me, is the best way to learn how ingredients will taste in your beer.

I wouldn't change a thing, though you could cut the carastan back slightly -- a lb would be sufficient. But that is a quibble.

KISS! (Keep It Simple Stupid!), one of my favorite grains along with one of my favorite hops! Ordering 1lb carastan would be easier, so I may just go that route.

You might consider lowering the mash temp.

I was kinda shooting for an Anglo-American IPA as hercher put it. I have done 152 with most of my other brews with good results, maybe I should stick with what has been working for me.
 
Mash temp (as you know) determines the amount of body you have in the final product. Lagunitas IPA is supposedly mashed between 158-160, giving it that distinct full bodied feel. If you like the beers you've made mashing at 152 then I say stick with it.

I also love carastan (hugh bairds)! which lovibond are you using? I've only tried the 15-17L, I really want to brew with the 35L stuff.
 
I'd go with the higher mash temp. I've been mashing at 156 -158 for 15 years. All of my beers have a wonderful (to me, anyway) full mouthfeel. It is something that distinguished my beer from all others back when I was brewmaster at Jersey Jim's in NJ. It is still the thing that people talk about when I share my homebrew with them. A lower temp, such as 150-152 will indeed give you a more fermentable wort, and will finish a little drier, but it will have a thinner texture as well.
 
KraphtBier said:
I also love carastan (hugh bairds)! which lovibond are you using? I've only tried the 15-17L, I really want to brew with the 35L stuff.

The carastan I plan on using is 35L. Will be my first time using it.
 
hercher said:
I'd go with the higher mash temp. I've been mashing at 156 -158 for 15 years.

Maybe I should bump it up to 154-156. Right in the middle range between the "Anglo" and "Saxon" temps!

If i bump it up, will the 2-4 degree difference between 154-156 and my usual 152 be that noticeable?
 
For what it's worth, and yes I'm a noob, I've been mashing at 154ish for quite some time and every brew has had a darn good mouthfeel.

Mikey
 
Back
Top