Hoppy IPA Recipe Suggestions?

I've never brewed an IPA before. I have actually just recently began to enjoy drinking IPAs. I prefer the really hoppy sweeter IPAs. I'm looking to brew one and I am curious as to whether there are any suggestions for me on recipes. I'm have mostly stuck with brewing porters, ambers and only have done a couple ales. Looking for something simple.

There's nothing hard about making IPA's. Gotta be generous with your hop schedules but depending on how hoppy you like them, I do a 60, 45, 30, 15 and 0 plus normally a dry hop. But, much depends on your tastes. Maybe the most recipes you'll see online are IPA's.

Thanks! I have a recipe that calls for Pale LME and I was thinking of replacing it with an Amber LME? Which from what I've read would give me a red IPA...? I just have a bunch of Amber I'd like to use up and my supplier was out of Pale. And I like red IPAs. Like I've said never brewed an IPA so I don't know how experimental I should get on my first one.

buckets4 said:

Thanks! I have a recipe that calls for Pale LME and I was thinking of replacing it with an Amber LME? Which from what I've read would give me a red IPA...? I just have a bunch of Amber I'd like to use up and my supplier was out of Pale. And I like red IPAs. Like I've said never brewed an IPA so I don't know how experimental I should get on my first one.

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Sure. Cut back on the crystal malt when using amber extract since the extract has some in it already. For hopping, I like to shoot for ~50 IBU from one or two shots early in the boil, like 60 and 45 min. Then go big on the hops late, using pleasant, aromatic hops. An oz at 15, 10, 5 and 0 mins with a steep of the 0 min addition for ~20 mins before cooling followed by a generous dry hop after fermentation works very well. There's great article in the current issue of Zymurgy magazine about designing IPA recipes.

Generic full bodied american IPA extract recipe

9 lbs light LME
1 lb crystal malt
1oz high AA hop at 60 min
2-4oz flavoring hops from 15 to 0 min
3oz dry hop
Clean american ale yeast fermented in the 60's.

I wouldn't use amber malt since it is just light malt + crystal. You may as well use crystal and get the "fresh" taste from it. It also lets you adjust to your level of sweetness and color eg I prefer a drier version and cut that down to 1/2 lb. I like it lighter, so I go with a crystal 20 or so, but you might want a 60.