First recipe test

Hi everybody.

I am sharing my first ever recipe. I would made a 3 gal. Citra IPA and don't really know if I am correct or not.

Thank for Help.


3.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)
1.25 kg Munich Malt (9.0 SRM)
0.25 kg Caramunich III (Weyermann) (71.0 SRM)
0.25 kg Honey Malt (25.0 SRM)
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min (switch with Magnum)
1.00 oz Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 mins)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)

1) I have heard, but cannot say from experience, that Citra in the boil can give off the "cat pee" taste some people are sensitive to. Might want to just find some Nugget or Magnum for bittering.

2) why the Caramunich? Seems to be for nothing other than colour - if so, fine. Just curious.

Thanks for advice. I will switch Citra for magnum.
The Caramunich is for colour as I have some in stock. Is it strange? Should I use it in other recipe?

What is your goal? By my estimations you'll be in the 1.080 - 1.090 OG range with IBU's calculated well in excess of 100. So... If that's what you're going for, you nailed it.

I'm not a fan of IPA's and I don't brew them, so take the following with a grain of salt:

1. If you're going for a double/triple IPA, mash low.
2. I would scrap every hop addition after 60 minutes (keep the Magnum where it is). I'd add the hops you have listed at 15 and 5 minutes at whirlpool, so 2 oz. Citra and 2 oz Cascade at 0 min and steep for 20 minutes or so in the hot wort. I've found the whirlpool additions are the best way to retain hop flavor and aroma.
3. If it were me, I would back the IBU's down to a lower level, like 70-ish. But... it isn't me, so do what you like.
4. I'd add a dry hop addition.

Are you using any software to help build your recipe?

For me, too much boil, not enough whirlpool/hopstand and dry hop is missing.

That hop schedule with the high gravity will make a seriously powerful IPA.

I would drop the CaramunichIII all together ( a little Caramunich I will not be bad though.), reduce Munich to about half, lose half a pound of two row and move most of the hops to after boil (whirlpool and dryhop) 2 ounces in that boil will be plenty.

radwizard said:

Are you using any software to help build your recipe?

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Yes it was my first test with beersmith

Redlantern said:

That hop schedule with the high gravity will make a seriously powerful IPA.

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Too much?

TheFrenchDude said:

Too much?

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I would say more like the wrong place for hops than too much.


If you are using Beersmith, it makes it pretty easy. If the gravity values above are correct, it is reasonable that you will come up with a Double IPA. Probably want to have your first batch targeting 75-80 IBU.

If you have the hops already, then enter the Alpha Acid values into your recipe.

My bet is that a .75 ounce addition of Magnum at 60 min and a 2 min addition of .75 oz each of Citra and Cascade will put your numbers where you want them and the taste will be all Citra Cascade. If you want a little more IBU, move the late boil to 5 min. if this idea comes up short, a small addition at 20 min is a nice place to adjust the IBU's.

Put the rest into after boil additions (hop stand and dry hop) and the flavor will be quite nice.

My DIPA's (5 gallon batch) have about three oz of hops in the boil. I like to come in low on the IBU range, but I pile hops into the whirlpool and dry hop (5 oz whirlpool, 6 - 7 oz dryhop). Not as firmly bitter, but boy, what a flavor!

I would ditch the CaraMunich if you are gonna use that much Munich and Honey Malt. You have good color without it.
I would first wort hop .75 oz of Magnum then do 1 oz each Citra and Cacade at 5 min.
Do another oz each after your chill to 180f and steep that for a 30 minutes or so.
Also do 2 ounces of dry hops.
That'll give you 65 bus, but tons of hop flavors for a 8% beer.
Make sure you give it enough time for fermentation and give it extra time to bottle condition.

thanks guys I will do that for sure.
That's hard to build a recipe from scratch.

Thanks

TheFrenchDude said:

thanks guys I will do that for sure.
That's hard to build a recipe from scratch.

Thanks

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For IPA's, just think, 95% base malt, 5% crystal (if used). Mash low, lots of hops after the boil but get enough in the boil to meet IBU. It gets very easy. Stick with the "C" hops to start.

Redlantern said:

Mash low...

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What do you recommend?

Thanks for help.

TheFrenchDude said:

What do you recommend?

Thanks for help.

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As a rule of thumb...148F (or a bit under) finishes drier, 150F medium, 152F (or a bit above) slightly sweeter. Higher mash temps develop longer chain sugars that do not ferment fully or as easily. Short chain sugars developed at 148 ferment easily by typical sacch yeast. Sweeter beers have a thicker mouthfeel due to the higher volume of sugars left unfermented. Drier beers feel thinner as a mouthfeel since there are fewer sugars unfermented. Final gravity of a sweeter beer may be 1.015 as an example while a dry beer may come in at 1.005 as an example. More sugars float the hydrometer higher (sweeter) while dry beers with less residual sugars let the hydrometer sink lower. Kind of a quick guide.

Many thanks!!!

TheFrenchDude said:

What do you recommend?

Thanks for help.

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I am a fan of 148°F. AN IPA should not be chewy or sweet. It should be fairly dry so the hops can shine through.

Final gravity matters significantly in an IPA. I cannot speak for the New England IPA's, but the West Coast and English IPA's (to my taste) do best when your FG is in the 1.010 territory or even lower. An FG in that range requires good attenuation and fermentable sugar. You do not get as much fermentable sugar when you mash in the 156°F range.