my red IPA .. tweaks?

I've been trying to get an original recipe for all the styles I like and one that bugs me is my IPA. I want to brew it next weekend. I'll only have palisade, summit, glacier, and ahtanum available to me. Please check this out and if you have a moment comment on my hop additions. I'm kinda worried about using too much summit in dry-hop. Any other advice would be appreciated, I've never brewed an IPA.

I want this on the darkest end of the style, and with a decent malt flavor, not just a hop stage.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.50 gal
Boil Size: 7.19 gal
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG
Estimated Color: 14.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 69.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.0 %
Boil Time: 70 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
11 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 91.4 %
9.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4.6 %
5.0 oz Pale Chocolate Malt (210.0 SRM) Grain 2.5 %
3.0 oz Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 1.5 %

0.50 oz Summit [18.50%] (60 min) Hops 37.7 IBU
0.50 oz Palisade [6.90%] (60 min) Hops 14.0 IBU

0.25 oz Summit [18.50%] (20 min) Hops 6.3 IBU
0.50 oz Palisade [6.90%] (20 min) Hops 4.7 IBU

0.25 oz Summit [18.50%] (10 min) Hops 3.8 IBU
0.50 oz Palisade [6.90%] (10 min) Hops 2.8 IBU

0.50 oz Palisade [6.90%] (10 min) (Aroma Hop-StHops -

0.50 oz Summit [18.50%] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -

1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs California Ale (Or Cal Ale V) (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 12.31 lb
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temp Step Time
Step Add 16.01 qt of water at 165.7 F 152.0 F 60 min


Notes:
------
2g CaCO3
1g CaSO4
1g NaHCO3



Thank you so much in advance, Cheers!

I see you have Caramel/Crystal 60L and Special B Malt to help add the maltiness you're looking for. However, I'd suggest mashing higher than 152 just to be on the safe side.

As far as the hops, I would dry hop with more than a 1/2 ounce. I've dry hopped IPA's with as much as 4 ounces and have never been disappointed. Just make sure you don't leave them in for more than 7 - 10 days or else they'll make the beer grassy tasting.

Everything else looks good, happy brewing.

schweaty said:

As far as the hops, I would dry hop with more than a 1/2 ounce.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the review! I probably won't up the mash temp. I don't want too much body, but I do want the maltiness, which I'm trying to get from the malt choices. The dry-hop was my main area of concern. I haven't dry hopped yet, much less with an extreme alpha acid variety. I've heard its better to dry hop with stronger hops like this and it will give better flavor with less grassiness, but I really don't know how to balance it.
Would 1 ounce summit be better? Or can I really go as high as 3 or 4?
Does alpha acid content predict the amount of dry-hop flavor?

Budzu said:

I've heard its better to dry hop with stronger hops like this and it will give better flavor with less grassiness, but I really don't know how to balance it.
Would 1 ounce summit be better? Or can I really go as high as 3 or 4?
Does alpha acid content predict the amount of dry-hop flavor?

Click to expand...

Alpha acid resin does not determine the extent of dry hopping flavor. This resin is insoluable in water and can only be extracted by boiling temps. The aroma and flavor are from the oils in the hops. Noble hops (aroma hops) are known for their aroma. The amount of hop nose the beer has will depend on how much of the hops you dry hop with. I dry hopped with Zeus (13-17% Alpha Acid) and was very happy with it.