First Recipe, West Coast IPA

I read the threads about Sculpin IPA's recipes according to everyone and their momma. I decided I don't need a clone, but rather something similar to it but tailored to what I already have or what I have easy access to.
Here's what I'm planning to brew this weekend. Let me know what you think.

5 GAL Extract
6lbs muntons Light DME
1lb Corn Sugar
1lb 2-row (steep)

Hops:
60min:
.75oz Columbus
.75oz Magnum

30min:
.5oz Cascade
.5oz Centennial
.5oz Crystal

Flameout:
.5oz Cascade
.5oz Crystal

Dry Hop (5-7 days):
1oz Amarillo
2oz Cascade

Yeast: Safale US-05 (I will rehydrate it prior to pitching)

I changed the hops and yeast in this recipe because my LHBS doesn't carry Warrior or Simcoe and I enjoy the aroma of Cascade hops (plus they are cheap!) I changed the yeast because 1) I'm new and yeast starters are still intimidating and 2) I've used Safale twice and had bubbling within 12-18hours.

Here are what Hopville is showing for OG/FG/ABV/IBU
OG: 1.065
FG:1.017
ABV:6.4%
IBU:76

Sculpin is slightly different but again, I'm not looking to clone it, just get in the ballpark. (70 IBU and 7% ABV)
This is the first time I'll brew without a kit and instructions. Anyone see anything fundamentally wrong with my recipe or something I should reconsider?

At about 13% 2-row in the recipe, you're not gaining much from it's inclusion, especially if you are just steeping it. This malt is supposed to be mashed. If it were me, I would use at least 25% 2-row, and mash it at 147 F for an hour to offset some of the troubles associated with the fermentability of DME. Add 2-3 lbs. of DME at boil start, and the rest at flameout. Add the corn sugar at flameout too. This will give you a paler beer with better hop utilization. I see no issue with this finishing at about 1.014-1.015 FG if all of these steps are followed. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. How about changing the 2-row for something like crystal 20? I'm thinking it's mainly for color? And, is 1lb way more than I need for steeping? For some reason 1/2lb seems to stick out through searching...

Crystal malts add a toasty caramel sweetness, a fullness, head retention, and color deepening... none of which are needed for an extract version of a very pale, dry, crisp, hop-focused West Coast IPA like Sculpin.

What you need for West Coast IPA is a simple malt bill consisting primarily of American 2-row base malt (or Extra Light DME) along with lots of late hops and dryhops, a smooth but high level of bitterness, and a dryness more like 1.010 FG.

Something you may want to look into is Ithaca Flower Power... http://ithacabeer.com/flower-power/

There are clones for it all over the place and it's quite similar to Sculpin in my opinion. But Sculpin also lacks the piney Chinook. It's also very simple in terms of fermentables... It has a bit of added honey malt, but not much. Though some inclusion of Simcoe, and to a lesser extent, Amarillo, defines Sculpin if you really want it to taste simliar.

bobbrews said:

Though some inclusion of Simcoe, and to a lesser extent, Amarillo, defines Sculpin if you really want it to taste simliar.

Click to expand...

That's what I was afraid of. Simcoe is not available at my LHBS and I was hoping to brew this weekend.

Combine Amarillo with Centennial, Cascade, and Chinook.

You should have a good West Coast IPA with that combo... I just wouldn't call it Sculpin-inspired.

Appreciate it. I'll update the thread with my final recipe and how it turns out.

(delete)

Ok...new attempt at no longer sculpin inspired IPA:

5 GAL Extract
6lbs muntons Light DME
1lb Extra light DME

Hops:
60min:
.5 oz Cascade
.5 oz Amarillo

30min:
.5oz Cascade
.5oz Centennial

15min:
.5 oz Amarillo
.5 oz Chinook

Flameout:
.5oz Cascade
.5oz Crystal

Dry Hop (5-7 days):
1oz Amarillo
1oz Cascade

Yeast: Safale US-05 (I will rehydrate it prior to pitching)

OG: 1.060
FG: 1.015
6% ABV
66.9 IBU
Color: 6 Yellow to Gold

Seem OK now?

You went from 7 oz. to 6 oz. hops, dropped the OG, and lost the corn sugar... I don't think those changes are wise.

Is this a full volume boil with no top off water? 6 gallon boiled, 5 gallon batch? I recommend a full volume boil.

For an intensely aromatic IPA at 5 gallons batch size, I'd use 8-9 oz. hops.

30-40 IBUs early
No mid charge at 30 unless you want to turn it into an IIPA
2.5 to 3.5 oz. at 15-10-5 of your choice. Save 2-3 oz. for flameout, and save another 3 to 3.5 oz. for DH.

Ok...so I brewed today. I looked up a bunch of West Coast IPA recipes and I based this off others...

5.5gallon batch, 4 gal boil

6.5lbs Extra Light DME
1lb Crystal 60L (stepped 30min)
1lb Light DME (added w/ 20min left in boil)
1/2lb Corn Sugar (added w/7min left in boil)

1oz Chinook (60min)
1oz Centennial (15min)
1oz Chinook (10min)
1oz Cascade (5min)
1oz Amarillo (Flame out)
1oz Centennial (Dry Hop 6 days)
1oz Cascade (Dry Hop 6 days)

Pitched with two 11g packs of Safale US-05 (needed 15g based on calculations) I installed a blow off tube due to higher yeast count and higher OG....and piece of mind!

BrewsFriend recipe builder estimates 6.6% ABV and 59 IBU

I'll update with FG and eventually taste!

Here's the recipe link to Brewer's Friend: http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/30855/dave-s-west-coast-ipa

This brew is coming along nicely. It's been in primate for 2 weeks and I'm going to give it another week before dry-hopping for 6 days. Looking forward to another taste!

Dry-hopped yesterday!
OG was 1.068
FG was 1.017
ABV ~ 6.69%
Color is looking pretty good and the taste was nice and bitter. It should age nicely even though the temp got out of control during fermentation.