Would You Drink This IPA?

I was hoping for some critique of an IPA I plan to brew soon.

12lbs 2-row
1lb Crystal 20
1lb Munich
.5 Carapils

1oz Columbus @ 60
1oz Centennial @ 15
1oz Simcoe @ 15
1oz Centennial @ 1
1oz Simcoe @ 1
1oz Centennial Dry Hop
1oz Columbus Dry Hop

OG: 1.072
IBU: 78
SRM: 6
ABV: 7.1%

People seem to freak out if there is more than 10-15% of a less fermentable specialty grain in an ipa recipe but I like a bit of malt to back up the hops. I don't mean balance the hops, just support them...

As long as it's fully attenuated... it looks tasty

Do you plan on dry hopping each separate OR together? I was reading somewhere that doing one say for 3-5 days remove than the next same amount of time can help get the aroma nicely from both.

Rambleon said:

I was hoping for some critique of an IPA I plan to brew soon.

12lbs 2-row
1lb Crystal 20
1lb Munich
.5 Carapils

1oz Columbus @ 60
1oz Centennial @ 15
1oz Simcoe @ 15
1oz Centennial @ 1
1oz Simcoe @ 1
1oz Centennial Dry Hop
1oz Columbus Dry Hop

OG: 1.072
IBU: 78
SRM: 6
ABV: 7.1%

People seem to freak out if there is more than 10-15% of a less fermentable specialty grain in an ipa recipe but I like a bit of malt to back up the hops.

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Well, the carapils is really doing nothing for the recipe since you already have a pound of crystal.

I don't mean balance the hops, just support them...

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I don't know what this means...

Make it and adjust it as you go along. if you like that all that really matters. I've been remaking the same 7 or so ales for the last year and tweeking them a little until i get it the way i want it

Glynn said:

Make it and adjust it as you go along. if you like that all that really matters. I've been remaking the same 7 or so ales for the last year and tweeking them a little until i get it the way i want it

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i agree. it's your beer and make it how ever you want!!

Russian River is probably the main advocate for keeping the crystal malt percentage low in IIPAs. Being that their Pliny the Elder seems to be rated #1 for IIPAs at BeerAdvocate and other sites, this philosophy works well for IIPA fans. It certainly works for me, but then, I'm a hophead.

An IIPA is all about highlighting hop complexity, and having cloying sweetness works against that. Your recipe is high in crystal and other unfermentables, but it's really more of an IPA. I'd reduce the crystal if I was making it for me, but like others have stated, "brew what you like". That's one of the big advantages to homebrewing over buying local microbrews - getting a beer that matches your desires.

RichBenn said:

Russian River is probably the main advocate for keeping the crystal malt percentage low in IIPAs. Being that their Pliny the Elder seems to be rated #1 for IIPAs at BeerAdvocate and other sites, this philosophy works well for IIPA fans. It certainly works for me, but then, I'm a hophead.

An IIPA is all about highlighting hop complexity, and having cloying sweetness works against that. Your recipe is high in crystal and other unfermentables, but it's really more of an IPA. I'd reduce the crystal if I was making it for me, but like others have stated, "brew what you like". That's one of the big advantages to homebrewing over buying local microbrews - getting a beer that matches your desires.

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This guy is considering it an IPA. I agree with you that it is more of an IIPA, and I would say as an IIPA it has way too much kilned malt in it: (crystal carapils, and munich) in it....this is almost APA territory.

I think there is a tendency these days to make IPA over the top with regard to IBUs. I prefer to keep my IPAs and IIPAs more separate. IPA should be pretty sessionable...more in the 1.060 and 50-60 IBU range. IIPAs in the 1.070-1.080 range 70-80 IBUs (and up!). Just my 0.02.

That being said, its your beer....brew it and call it what you want!

I would drink any IPA. The only one I didn't like was maharaja

People do lose their minds about crystal in beers. I think folks forget that a AG and extract batch are going to attenuate differently.

I would drink your beer and like it, but it'd be a little too sweet for my tastes. I don't mind specialty grains; my IPAs always have some toasted malt in them and I've liked the results of adding a little wheat. I might move the 15 minute adds to 5 to rein in the IBUs a little, or just add all the late hops as a hopstand. What mash temp and yeast strain are you planning on using?

Ultimately, it doesn't matter if I would drink your IPA, as Snohomish is over 2300 miles from my house.

Hell yes I would! But I have never dry hopped with Columbus.

Well, first, that beer isn't going to be sweet at all. I would actually lower the IBUs to 65-70. Second, minus the Munich, that's pretty much the standard IPA grain bill, a bit higher gravity but definitely closer to an IPA than a double IPA. Many, many IPAs have a pound of crystal 10 or 20. Third, crystal doesn't create sweetness. You could double the crystal in that recipe and it wouldn't be sweet. It's mainly the IBUs or lack of that create a sweeter beer.

You can use lots of crystal, I don't know why or where homebrewers became obsessed with avoiding crystal (prob something Jamil or John Palmer said that is now scripture). Biermuncher's Octoberfast uses a pound and a half. I do a pumpkin ale with a pound and a half. Nothing wrong with a generous amount of crystal.

The main thing you need to do is add more hops. 3-4 ounces for flavoring and 3-4 ounces dry hop are a good amount for an IPA.

Yeast selection and mash temp have as much to do with attenuation as the grain bill.

Malticulous said:

Yeast selection and mash temp have as much to do with attenuation as the grain bill.

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Yes.

Perceived sweetness, body, etc are very dependent on mash temp and yeast.

Grain bill and hops are only half of the equation.

Cheers!

Nix the carapils and you've pretty much got my house IPA recipe. Jumble the hops around too, I usually do 1oz at 15, 10, 5, 0. 1oz of some high Alpha hop at FWH/60 (I've currently got a lot of Magnum 13% that i'm using). Not always the same hop, maybe .5 of one and .5 of another. My last three batches have been that recipe with different hops just playing around.

If i'm looking for a little more malt character i'll do .25 Crystal 20 and .75 Crystal 60.

Mash low, 150-152, oxygenate well and pitch plenty of yeast and you'll finish 1.010-1.012. Not super dry, i'm in the group of people that like some malt backbone to their IPAs.

It's $$$$, everyone loves 'em over here. Can't brew enough of the stuff.