Sprucing up an IPA.

I brewed a great extract IPA. Finally got one to finish below 1.020. Really clean fermentation no off flavors. Finished at 1.010. But it's kinda bland and unbalanced. Really just taste bitter right now.

Wondering if I could add some unfernmentables in 2 cups of water then rack to secondary on top of that and dry hop.

Anyone ever done something like this. If I bottled today I would be happy in 3 weeks but I just feel like it's just a few steps away to being a great beer.

What flavor do you want to add? I dry hop with cascade to give a nice citrus flavor.

What was your recipe? Knowing what flavors you have in there already might help us.

It needs a little malt flavor and just a touch of sweetness.

As far dry hops. Cascade sounds great I've always loved them

boydster said:

What was your recipe? Knowing what flavors you have in there already might help us.

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LME spilled all over my recipe card and I didn't transfer it. I'll call up there to find out what special grains and hops.

New Years brewing resolution: no more devil may care brewing.

adamdillabo said:

It needs a little malt flavor and just a touch of sweetness.

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Some crystal malt can help increase both of those things, so maybe consider adding some C20 (or C40, or whatever works for the color and depth of flavor you are going for) next time you brew this.

adamdillabo said:

As far dry hops. Cascade sounds great I've always loved them

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Definitely dry hop an IPA. For an American IPA, the "C" hops are always a good choice, and I also like Amarillo and Simcoe a lot.

Sounds like you're tasting out of the primary? If so, don't lose hope yet. Green, warm, uncarbonated beer tastes very different from the finished version. Especially an IPA that hasn't been dry hopped yet!

My advice is to proceed as planned. Add your dry hops and package it in 3-5 days. Let it carb, chill and then taste. Write down what you think of it. THEN make some decisions on what you like/don't and how you can change it the next time you rebrew it.

In my experience, making changes on the fly, mid-production, is a good way to screw up a perfectly good beer.

Called yesterday and they were rocking with people so I called back today.

Recipe was

1/2 crystal 60
1/4 carapills

9 lbs light LME

60 min millennium 2oz
30 min Willamette 1/2 oz
5 min millennium 1/4 oz

The recipe doesn't call for dry hops. But I feel it needs them. Think your right, doc, it's alittle late to ruin a perfectly drinkable beer. Even in its uncarbed two week old state. It's one of the cleanest tasting/smelling brews I've made. The brown ale I bottled last right was up there too. Didn't check the FG but it was a lot drier than the first time I brewed it for my first beer ever.

Thanks for the comments everyone. Hope every ones brew wishes come true this Christmas.

I think that dry hoping should be enough to spruce this IPA up.
I have been using an ounce of Amarillo for dry hopping and it has been getting rave reviews from my friends.

Thats a pretty light hop bill for an IPA. I'd add a few oz of dry hops. Something like Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe, or another citrusy or piney hop would liven up the beer I think. The hop bill you have is mostly herbal and earthy.

An IPA that is not. My IPAs typically have 5 oz of late additions and 3 oz of dry hops. Also, while willamette is a fine addition to an IPA bill, but it can't be the only or even the main hop.


Where did you get the recipe? I'd be hesitant to get any recipe from someone(or somewhere) that calls that an IPA

It was the cheapest "IPA" they had. Only reason they call it an ipa cause it clock in around 110 IBU's. But really it's just bitter water at this point. I'll dry hop Weekend when I get around to the store. Really should have done it last weekend when I thought it needed it.

Recipe was from homebrewusa

Millenium is a powerful hop! 2 oz at 60 minutes will mean that this hop sets the tone for the recipe.
With 9 lbs of LME your beer will be a strong beer.
You put the IBUs and the alcohol strength together = long aging period to maturity. Patience will be the best strategy for this one.

Looks like a great recipe for a great dipa, except for the lack of dry hops. The carapills will add mouthfeel and the caramel will add a touch of mouthfeel and sweetness. These nuances will present better once matured, but they belong in the backseat for a DIPA. I would let it clear in the primary before transferring to a secondary. Leave it in the secondary long enough to let the visible yeast settle out. A beer this big needs to age and that will happen faster in a carboy than in the bottle. Hop with 1oz, followed by another oz seven days thereafter. Bottle ten to 14 days after the second DH.

I picked up an oz of centennial and and oz of cascade. Should I add both at once?

uh oh

I would have mixed them and used the above hopping schedule. With what you have there you will need a blow off tube or a loose cover. I would go with a tube. You don't want to pressurize the fermentation vessel by clogging the vent. It will cause a big mess.

I was worried about leaving the hops in the frige after i broke the seal. I didn't think they would expand that much and for that long. Ended up turkey basting some out.

Is the stocking method the best way to not get hop partials? Should I transfer to a second carboy before I bottle ?

You can keep them in an airtight container in refrigerator, buy them a pound at a time it's cheaper!
Also a bag is the way I dry hop

If I was boiling the hops I would have. But I would hate to ruin a batch that far in. As far as buying in bulk. Not going to happen till I get out of an apartment. Already have enough trouble convincing the closet full of brew gear, the empties The frozen tubs to lower temps and the jars of yeast, are all completely necessary . Yeah not until my electrical system isn't 80 years old and I don't have to carry a deep freeze up 4 flights if stairs. But it would be nice.

I am definitely going to buy a hop bag next time.