First attempt at an IPA

I've been brewing for roughly a year now and am ready to try out my own recipe. I want to make an American pale ale/IPA. To come up with the recipe I am taking the grain bill from a previous IPA that I brewed but the hops will be inspired by 3 Floyds Alpha King because I just had one for the first time 2 weeks ago and loved it.

Anyway, here is the recipe I am thinking about. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Steeping Grains:
8 oz 2 row malt
4 oz special B malt
1 lb Crystal 60L malt

Malt Extract:
6 lbs light DME

Hops:
1 oz Columbus 12.2 %AA 60 min
.8 oz Warrior 30 min
1 oz Centennial 10% AA 5 min
1 oz Centennial 10% AA dry hop

Yeast:
Thinking just notty

Thanks for the help.

Well, I'm not a huge fan of bittering hops at 30 minutes, unless you "need" them to get your IBUs up. You won't get much flavor out of them at 30 minutes, but you'll get bittering from them. I'd double check the IBUs you're getting- an ounce of columbus and nearly an ounce of warrior screams BITTER to me, but I didn't do any calculations.

I like centennial, and I'm a big fan of late additions. I'd probably do an addition at 15 minutes, one at 5 minutes, and one at flame out. That will give you great flavor (from the 15 minute addition) and great aroma (the 5 minute and 0 minute additions). I LOVE 15 minute hops additions in IPAs/APAs, and think you need some flavor hops in the recipe.

I wouldn't use special B and a pound of crystal. That just is too much crystal for my liking in an IPA. A half a pound of crystal would be fine.

I echo some of what Yooper said, way too much carmel malt. From that part of the recipe I'm guessing you enjoy a maltier/more balanced IPA. So do I. Cut the crystal down to .5 lb crystal 60 or do 6 oz. crystal 60 & 4 oz. Special B. Either way since you're using extract you're going to have a 'sweeter' bier over an all-grain approach so you should have plenty of maltiness.

Also consider adding 6 oz. of victory malt for a nice toasty touch. As for the hopping, I didn't run the numbers but it looks like Yoopers suggestion is spot on (as always). I'm a big believer in 20 min additions and dry hopping. I rarely do any other late hop additions as 20 mins seems to give the most flavor (other than possibly first wort hopping which rules!!!) & dry-hopping is all about the aroma.

Schlante,
Phillip

How about the warrior at 20 mins and the centennial at 5?

jakead said:

How about the warrior at 20 mins and the centennial at 5?

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Do you like the taste of warrior? I use it in one of my IPAs, but stop at 30 minutes. I'm not a huge fan, except for bittering. If you like it, though, then definitely use it as a flavor hop.

In my mind, an American IPA is all about the hops. To have the aroma addition at 5 minutes is ok, but I'd do more. Only having one addition, and having it at 5 minutes, of centennial seems "chintzy" to me. If you're making an IPA, use some hops! (That is just my opinion, of course).

Not sure why you have the 8oz of 2 row - Crystal won't convert will it, so it's not a mini-mash? Definitely cut down the 60 and Special B, as has been said.

Have you thought of bittering with the Warrior at 60 min and then using the ounce of Columbus at 20 min or so for flavor?

I like the idea of switching the warrior and columbus. For the revised recipe I'm going with 6 oz crystal and 4 oz special B. I like what this did with an IPA recipe I had before in terms of reaching a balance. Hop additions will be warrior at 60 and columbus at 20.

Yooper I like what you are saying about the 15 and 5 minute additions. If I did .5 oz of the centennial at 15 and 5 would that work out?

Also, based on that revised recipe I calculate 68.4 IBU.

jakead said:

I like the idea of switching the warrior and columbus. For the revised recipe I'm going with 6 oz crystal and 4 oz special B. I like what this did with an IPA recipe I had before in terms of reaching a balance. Hop additions will be warrior at 60 and columbus at 20.

Yooper I like what you are saying about the 15 and 5 minute additions. If I did .5 oz of the centennial at 15 and 5 would that work out?

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Well, if you're doing the columbus at 20, then I'd do the centennial at maybe 5 and 0. Not that there is anything wrong with 15, 5, and dryhopping. That would work too. I really like late addition hops in an IPA.

I based this recipe off one I have done in the past. That recipe called for just steeping the grains for 30 minutes and then adding the malt. Should I just soak the grains and then drain or should I also sparge with 170 degree water?

Sorry for the questions, newbie here.

jakead said:

I based this recipe off one I have done in the past. That recipe called for just steeping the grains for 30 minutes and then adding the malt. Should I just soak the grains and then drain or should I also sparge with 170 degree water?

Sorry for the questions, newbie here.

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You can sparge if you'd like. It will make sure that you get all the goodness out of the grains.