IPA hops question...

Hello All-
I am brewing a Stone IPA Clone tomorrow with the following recipe:

Grain Bill

13 lbs. - 2 Row Pale Malt
1/2 lb. - Crystal Malt (10L)
1/2 lb. - Crystal Malt (20L)
Hop Schedule

1 oz - Magnum (75 Min.)
1 oz - Centennial - at Flameout
2 oz - Centennial - Dry Hop in secondary
Yeast

White Labs California Ale Yeast (WLP001) - 1800 ml starter
Mash/Sparge/Boil

Mash at 150° to 152° for 60 min.
Sparge as usual
Boil for 75 minutes (remember to compensate your water if you normally do 60 min boils)
Cool and ferment at 66° to 68°

My question is this...I've got an ounce of Challenger hops in the freezer from another batch that I never made...

Would these be a good addition at 60 minutes to boost the IBUs? Beersmith says that it'll get me up to 66 IBUs, but I've never just added something that wasn't in a recipe before, so I'm asking the good people of HBT.

JR

There is a reason they also make the RUINATION

That would be to the good brother!

Fire away.

I love adding things to recipes - only way to improve is to experiment throw em in. I would use some as later maybe 10 or 15 minutes to increase aroma complexity

Berkbeer said:

I love adding things to recipes - only way to improve is to experiment throw em in. I would use some as later maybe 10 or 15 minutes to increase aroma complexity

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Agreed on the later part. But I like aroma...

Looks like it's a good idea, and damn if I don't like Ruination!

So...perhaps 3/4 oz out 60 minutes, then 1/4 oz at 15 minutes?

JR

I think you should add as much hop to that recipe as possible.

4 ounces total just doesnt match up in my mind with how hoppy that beer tastes.

alexdagrate said:

I think you should add as much hop to that recipe as possible.

4 ounces total just doesnt match up in my mind with how hoppy that beer tastes.

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4oz in an IPA is pretty average, but I dont like the timing of the OP's recipe. I like lots of late addition hops, but the recipe listed is pretty far tipped to the late addition. I would do something like this:

1 oz - Magnum (75 Min.)
1 oz - Centennial - 20 min
1 oz - Centennial - 5 min
1 oz - Centennial - Dry Hop in secondary

If you still want to use your Challenger, I am afraid I cant really advise when I would use them, as I never have. I don't even know if it is a bittering or aroma hop, read up and let adventure be your guide.

Challenger is a great flavor / aroma hop that gives a very spicy aroma. I'd use it as a 10 minute addition to spice things up.

I love dry hopping my IPA with Amarillo.

thisjrp4 said:

Challenger is a great flavor / aroma hop that gives a very spicy aroma. I'd use it as a 10 minute addition to spice things up.

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Sorry, I have to disagree. I made an all-challenger IPA as my first SMASH and it's barely drinkable. Everyone that has tried has made the same face.

Maybe add it as a bittering, but do not try to get any flavor/aroma from it, especially in a West-Coast ale.

If you want to add some flavor/aroma, I would use Amarillo. I've seen it listed in several Stone clones.

I'm brewing now...

I decided to go with the following hop schedule:
75 min - 1 oz Magnum/1 oz Challenger
20 min - 1 oz Centennial
0 min - 1 oz Centennial
dry hop for 14 days - 1 oz Centennial

Beersmith says I should hit about 67 IBU. Not bad!

JR

My thoughts are that I usually brew a recipe for a clone beer as written. Next time I brew it I would make changes and then be able to compare. It's good to pick one beer that you frequently brew for this purpose.

Good luck I hope it works out - Where did you get that recipe? Seem a bit different than BYO's Stone Clones.

The recipe was found on Beer365's website...http://www.brew365.com/beer_stone_ipa.php

JR

I have never brewed a recipe and NOT changed it ALOT.

But that's me.

I brewed the ruination but upped it to 2 lbs of crystal40L.

It is so much better than the real deal.

Ahtanum is another great late addition for IPAs. I'm a big advocate of hop bursting and generally FWH then burst the last 10-15 minutes with multiple additions. Works pretty well for me.

Here is one I got from someone on here. Sorry I can't remember who it was. It was from an article released by Stone Brewery. Hope this helps.


12.75 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 94.10 %
0.80 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5.90 %
0.64 oz Pearle [8.00 %] (90 min) Hops 16.6 IBU
0.43 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (90 min) Hops 19.5 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
0.50 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
2.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (15 min) Hops 30.0 IBU
1.00 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs English Ale (White Labs #WLP002


Est Original Gravity: 1.074 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.024 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.55 %
Bitterness: 66.1 IBU
Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 5.5 SRM