IPA Thoughts

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cnest

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I just opened the first IPA I brewed. Not bad, but it tastes like something is missing. I was hoping it would be a bit more hoppy and I'm not sure if the beer needs more time conditioning in the bottle or fermenters (next time) or if I need to tweak the recipe. So, your thoughts would be appreciated!

Here's the recipe:

Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
0.50 lbs 5.88 % Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L 30 mins 1.035
0.50 lbs 5.88 % Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 30 mins 1.034
0.50 lbs 5.88 % Victory Malt 30 mins 1.034
7.00 lbs 82.35 % Light Dry Extract 60 mins 1.044

Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.50 ozs 47.80 Centennial 60 mins 10.00
1.00 ozs 8.70 Cascade 15 mins 5.50
1.00 ozs Cascade 5 days 5.50

Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg English Ale White Labs 0002

With respect to fermentation, the IPA was in primary for seven days. On day five, I did the dry hop. Bottled on day eight using a little over 2/3 cup of table sugar.

So, did I bottle too quickly? Drink too quickly? What tweaks to the schedule or recipe could I make to have a crisper, more hoppy IPA?

Thanks for your responses. Take two of this brew will be my next batch in a few weeks!
 
You could use significantly more late hops. I just brewed one with 6 oz in the last 15 min. Also blending two or three hops at the end of the boil help me get more flavor. Maybe try 1.5oz at 15 min, 1.5 oz at 5 min and dry hop with 1-2 oz to get big hop flavor.
I think you were too fast in primary. I typically run three weeks to give my yeast enough time to do all their business.
 
you could try cutting your 60 minute hops down and adding more from 20 minutes to flame out to get your ibu's up.the upside is more flavor and aroma,the downside is you have to use more hops.also try dry hopping with at least 3 ounces of hops for 3 to 7 days.Lastly you might want to use a more neutral yeast like wlp 001.
 
Yeah, I'd say also reduce your crystal by a good bit. A pound seems like a lot to me. Cut it in half maybe? Try drying out the finish by replacing some of the base malt extract with sugar (sucrose), maybe like 8 oz-1 lb. you will definitely need more hops. Try 2 oz at flameout and steep it for 10-20 minutes before cooling. Then, as above post said, dry hop with at least 2-3 oz.
 
Use half the amount of crystal, increase your late hop additions(4 oz plus in the last 15 min), increase your dry hops(3oz plus) and be more patient with your fermenting.

IMO an IPA ferm schedule should look like this. 30 days in primary add dry hops at day 20 for 10 days total of dry hopping. Then bottle or keg. Dry hopping for 2 days will not do much. Also, I dont bottle but many on here do not think of table sugar as a good priming option.
 
Thanks for the ideas!

Xpertskir, the table sugar was a last ditch option. My son knocked over by corn sugar and I had no access to the store to get more. Had to use what I had on hand and table sugar was it!
 
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