My First IPA: Please Critique

Thoughts? I've been making all grains for over a year now and I can't stop. The SWMBO doesn't really like IPA's but loves Stouts, wheats, Belgians. I now have a chocolate stout (her V-day present), a classic lager, and a 3 day weekend coming up. With 2 empty carboys that says its brewing time in my head . She has plenty to last her a while so now I get to make my first IPA:rockin:. I have 2 recipes I made I'll save the imperial for later. Right now I am more concerned with the Hops during boil and dry hopping. Since I have never really done much of it just want to see what everyone thinks.



Type: All Grain
Date: 8/4/2010
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Bill
Boil Size: 6.72 gal
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Bill's Keg Rig
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.0
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
11.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 84.6 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 7.7 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 7.7 %
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (60 min) Hops 47.3 IBU
1.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (60 min) Hops 27.9 IBU

1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -
1.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -

0.25 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs London Ale III (Wyeast Labs #1318) [Starter 2125 ml] Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.070 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.8 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.6 %
Bitterness: 75.2 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 9.3 SRM


I like to keep things simple never really a lot of different grains and hops. Always worked great up until now. Please critique to your hearts content

This is completely a personal preference but I like to have additions at 15 5 and 0 for IPA's to impart some aroma thats not all from dry hopping.

I would definitely break up the same weight of hops on the recipe over time frames that start at 20 minutes and work towards zero. If you can spare the attention during the boil I find it best to continuously add throughout the final 20 minutes.

Ok makes sense. I have no problem throwin hops in at different times. Especially since its now getting warmer out

How does this look?


0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (60 min) Hops 23.7 IBU
0.50 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (20 min) Hops 14.3 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (60 min) Hops 9.3 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (20 min) Hops 5.6 IBU
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50%] (15 min) Hops 2.3 IBU
0.25 oz Cascade [5.50%] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -
1.50 oz Cascade [5.50%] (Dry Hop 14 days) Hops -

I was going to comment that maybe you should back off on the IBUs, if you have never made an IPA before. Where I live now, if I go 0.90 BU:GU, it comes out pretty bitter. Whereas, the water at my previous address, I needed to go 1.2 or higher to get to too bitter. Unless you have brewed with your water and high IBUs before, I would stay under 1.00 BU:GU. But, with your changed hop schedule, you are now under 1.00. So, never mind LOL

I would add that you could probably get as much flavor with 1/3 of the dry hops you are planning to use and half the time. In fact, you might go from a hop flavor to a mown grass flavor with 2.5 oz for 14 days. I'd cut both in half at least, unless you like that vegetable flavor.

Thanks for the info. So should I cut both the columbus and cascade to 1/2oz and 7 days dry hopping? I based the hopping off of what I have seen in other recipes on here. But if I can get it in the keg quicker thats even better!!

What are you looking for in your IPA? Do you like a bitter IPA or are you more of a flavor/aroma guy?

I would go with something like this...
- 1 oz Columbus 60 min
- .5 oz Columbus 20 min
- .5 oz Cascade 15 min
- .5 oz Cascade 10 min
- .5 oz Cascade 5 min
- .5 oz Cascade flameout

- Dry-hop with 2-5 oz of whatever hops you want for 7 days...my IPAs have turned out great with a bunch of dry-hops for less time. Cascade is a great aroma hop.

Thanks for the info. So should I cut both the columbus and cascade to 1/2oz and 7 days dry hopping? I based the hopping off of what I have seen in other recipes on here. But if I can get it in the keg quicker thats even better!!

Click to expand...

I'd go with 1 oz cascade and 1/2 oz columbus. But you could just do 1 1/2 cascade. I've never dry hopped with columbus, but since you aren't extracting alpha acids, it should be ok if it smells good. 7 days is a decent rule of thumb. You can get the job done much sooner if the beer is warmer (68+ maybe), you might want to go longer if the beer is cold (<55). There is no real science to dry hopping; it is all opinion and what works for people. You could add all the hops you originally planned, then taste the beer every couple of days until you feel it is enough.

CTown I am usually more of a bitter guy. I do like how your hops timings look I will prob go with that.

Pkeeler thanks for the info on dry hopping. It will probably be in the warmer end if not I have a heater I put in the fermentation chamber (when it gets too cold for an ale) that has an adjustable heat setting which is usually within +/- a degree or two.

Thanks everyone else for helping as well. I'll keep all of you posted on how things turn out.