Opinions on this IIPA recipe

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New_Climber

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I wanted to ask people’s opinions of an IIPA recipe I just built.

To start, I have to say I have been brewing for about 3 yrs....have been doing AG for about 1.5yrs. And I have only made one IPA that was drinkable, the rest are completely HORRIBLE. The last IPA I made was so bad that after drinking half my keg I just could not take it and dumped it so I could make something else. The one I made that turned out pretty good was a clone of one of my favorite IPA...Vortex from Ft George Brewing in Astoria Or.

With all that said, I ask for all to be brutally honest...I love IPA’s and I just can’t seem to make them the way I like. My problem is that they are always way to bitter and have to much of an alcohol taste. I now have a fermenting chamber, so I can control my temps during fermenting which is what I thought my problem was....my brown ale’s, stouts and blonds all turn out pretty good.

NOTE: I have listed 2 different types of yeast...I don’t plan on using both types, just could not decide on which I wanted to use. I also have not been making yeast starters, and to pitch the correct amount of yeast, I have been using 2 vials and paying the extra money instead.
NOTE: The reason I put the 1 lb. of DME was to up my sugars but in an attempt to keep it a little more malty and not so dry. Not sure if this a good idea or not. In the past I have added a lb. of corn sugar to my IPA’s....but like I said the taste is pretty bad for my IPA’s.

Opinions please....and thanks for the help.


Type: Partial Mash
Date: 11/21/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Green House Brewing
Boil Size: 7.00 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
1.00 lb Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM) Dry Extract 6.25 %
10.00 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 62.50 %
2.00 lb Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 %
1.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 9.38 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 9.38 %

0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 20.8 IBU
0.50 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min) Hops 24.0 IBU
0.50 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (45 min) Hops 22.0 IBU
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (30 min) Hops 16.0 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [9.40 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.50 oz Cascade [5.00 %] (0 min) Hops -

1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 4 days) Hops -

1.00 tbsp Irish Moss (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1.00 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 10.0 min) Misc


2 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale
2 Pkgs California Ale V (White Labs #WLP051) Yeast-Ale




Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.082 SG

Bitterness: 82.7 IBU
Est Color: 12.5 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 21.00 qt of water at 160.1 F Mash at 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 12.75 qt of water at 207.2 F sparge at 170.0 F
 
I forgot to mention....I am looking a beer that is hopped up, with both aroma and hippy flavor...yet balanced:)
 
Some things you can do:
1. Increase the mash temp if you want a less dry beer If you're looking for a little more maltiness/sweetness to balance out the IBUs and the hop flavor, try mashing at 155F.

2. If the pH of your mash water is too high, that can contribute to harsh bitterness. Are you treating your water correctly?

3. Maybe simply just think about reducing your IBUs. Personally I'd take that 30 minute Simcoe addition and throw it in with the 0 minute additions. You'll have less bitterness but more delicious hop taste.
 
Do you have any idea about your water? If you have highly alkaline water, that could be where that harsh bitterness and alcohol flavor is coming from in your IPAs. I'd either get a water report, or buy RO water for a batch to see if that fixes the problem.

In any case, about the recipe- I think you've got too much cara/crystal malts there and I think I'd change that up a bit. You've got about 19% crystal- that's about twice as much as I'd use. I would leave out the DME and either use corn sugar (to help balance the malty Munich malt) or leave it out completely. Make sure it's a lighter Munich, not the 20L stuff. Also, use two-row, and not 6row for your base grain!

I'd cut down the 60 minute hops, so that you get 30 IBUs from 60 minute hops, and load up the 15/5/0 additions. You have too many bittering hops and not enough flavor/aroma hops. Also, instead of using every single hop variety you have, pick three at the most. Otherwise, you can get "muddled" flavors.

This recipe is more of an IPA, due to only using 13 pounds of grain. If you bring the OG up more, then the bitterness and late hops should be increased as well.


10.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US
2.00 lb Munich Malt 9L
1.00 lb Cara-Pils or crystal 30L (or .5 pound of each)

0.75 oz Warrior [15.00 %] (60 min)
1 oz simcoe 15 minutes
1 oz amarillo 10 minutes
1 oz cascade 5 minutes
1 oz amarillo 0 minutes
.5 oz simcoe 0 minutes
.5 oz cascade 0 minutes
Dryhop with 2 ounces of simcoe or amarillo or cascade (or a combo)
 
+1 ^ That sounds good.

This is the recipe I've been using and you can see it's similar but maybe too bitter for you because of the First Wort and 60 min Hops. Cut those down and I think you would be happy.

11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
1 lbs Carafoam
1 lbs Melanoiden Malt
0.50 oz Amarillo - First Wort
0.50 oz Perle - First Wort
1.00 oz Amarillo - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Perle - Boil 60.0 min
0.50 oz Amarillo - Boil 20.0 min
0.50 oz Perle - Boil 20.0 min
1.00 oz Amarillo - Boil 10.0 min
0.50 oz Perle - Boil 10.0 min
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml] Yeast 12 -
2.00 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop

I like your brewing name. I'm brewing in my green house and labeled this brew "Green House IPA"
 
Thanks very much for the inputs...

I think I will lower down my simco addition to 10min. I was at a new local brewery and they had an IPA with a lot of Simco....man was it good....

My house gets its water from a well, so we have a softener. Since I have been brewing, I have always used bottled water, as I was told the slight addition of sodium from the softener would give me off flavors. With that said, I have never tested by PH or treated my water thinking it would be OK being it was bottled water. When I brew this beer, I will look at getting a PH tester and see where the water I use is at. I know water should be around 7 PH...when you say to high...what would be considered to high. Would an 8 even need to be treated? I have never did anything to treat my water, so this is new territorial for me...Something new to learn....
 
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