For Critique - First IIPA Recipe (Suit N Tie PA)

Well, after a ton of research, I have finally attempted my first recipe. I am going for a 9.0% (ish) IIPA using BierMuncher's Tits-Up IIPA grain bill (scaled down to 9.0% after the initial bill gave me 10.2%) and all New Zealand (with some Galaxy) hops. I am familiar with the Green Bullet and Nelson but the rest are all new to me. Based on the descriptions and on some threads on HBT, the other hops sound damn good!

I am going for a IIPA with a ton of hop flavor/aroma with a nice malt body and a touch of sweetness to balance the bitterness. I plan on throwing two handfuls of rice hulls in for the mash. I only have one all-grain batch under my belt so the recipe is based on my equipment with the results from that brew. I built in a ton of loss due to the 13.5 oz of hops. I am considering using a 5 gallon paint strainer for all but the flame out and dry hop additions.

Questions: (1) How is the mash temp? I do want some sweetness to come through the dryness but not taste like candy; (2) Should I pitch two packets of yeast to cover fermentation and bottling or one for fermentation and additional yeast for bottling.

Thanks in advance for any help.


Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Safale US-05 (2 packs)
Yeast Starter: no
Additional Yeast or Yeast Starter: no
Boil Size (Gallons): 8.28
End of Boil Volume (Gallons): 7.28
Batch Size (Gallons): 6.0 (into fermenter)
Est. Original Gravity: 1.082
Est. Final Gravity: 1.014
Est. IBU: 136.0
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Est. Color: 6.9 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 21-28 days @ 66* F (or whatever my basement allows)
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 10 days
Tasting Notes: TBD

Ingredients:
------------

16.17 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter
0.90 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine
0.90 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L
0.25 lb Honey Malt
0.90 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (added at boil)

0.75 oz Green Bullet (FWH)
0.75 oz Pacific Gem (FWH)
0.75 oz Green Bullet (60 min)
0.75 oz Pacific Gem (60 min)
1.5 oz (.25oz each of Galaxy, Kohatu, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, Rakau) (15 min)
1.5 oz (.25oz each of Galaxy, Kohatu, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, Rakau) (10 min)
1.5 oz (.25oz each of Galaxy, Kohatu, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, Rakau) (5 min)
1.5 oz (.25oz each of Galaxy, Kohatu, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, Rakau) (0 min)

4.5 oz (.75oz each of Galaxy, Kohatu, Motueka, Nelson Sauvin, Pacifica, Rakau) (Dry Hop 10 days)

1/2 tsp Irish Moss (15 min)

Mash at 152* F for 90 minutes

You seem to have a good hold on things. If I would give any advice, it would be just to simplify things up a bit, i.e. 1.00 lb. instead of 0.90 lb. and to ditch the 4 ounces of honey malt which won't do much in the grand scheme of things. Sweetness vs. bitterness won't be that much of an issue. Your 136 IBU beer won't taste like 136 IBUs if mashed at 152 F with 1 lb. of Crystal and a FWH hop focus. I don't have any experience with these hops aside from Galaxy and Nelson. Let us know how it turns out.

Thanks bobbrews. I originally copied the grain bill at 18lbs, 1lb, 1lb, and .25lb respectively but, based on my system, the estimated OG at 1.094. I was looking to back off of that a bit, although, with the total IBU's, the 10+% may not matter all that much.

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but fishkingesq - I'm really curious - where did you source Kohatu hops? I'd like to get some.

craftbrewer out of AUS. Shipping cost sucks but you get over 3 ounces of pellets. Really, really like the aroma of this hop.

Thanks!