PM imperial IPA recipe- suggestions welcome.

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Qhrumphf

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A revamped version of the first batch I ever made. My first batch was pure extract, I've made this a bigger and hoppier partial mash. I'm curious what people think of my ingredient choices before I compile them and brew it up. The extracts chosen are what I've always seen readily available at the LHBS nearby but I can substitute for something else if folks think it worthwhile. Suggestions for ingredients (and process) welcome!

5 gallon batch, 4 gallon boil for 60 minutes

Malt/fermentables:

4 lbs Alexander's Pale LME
4 lbs US 2-row pale
4 lbs Briess Sparkling Amber DME
1 lb Crystal 20L
1/2 lb Carapils
1/2 lb Victory
1 lb clear candi sugar (for ABV boost)

Hops:

1 oz Chinook and 1 oz Tomahawk 60 mins
1 oz Amarillo, 1 oz Tomahawk 15 mins
2 oz Cascade, 1 oz Columbia at flame-out (aka off the stove)
Dry hop in secondary with 1 oz Cascade and 1 oz Chinook

Yeast:

Wyeast American Ale (1056) with a 1L starter


(BIAB in my insulated BK) Single infusion mash 60 minutes at 152 at approx 1.35 qt/lb (with a pretty fine crush)

I sparge through a colander back into my kettle at 168 with just enough to top off at 4 gallons, then proceed with boil/extract/hops. I top off the primary 5 gallons with distilled water.

I've used this process for all my PM's so far and it usually nets me about 65% efficiency. 4 gallons is about the max I can get away with for a passable boil on my electric stove.
 
I'd get rid of the amber DME, and use light or extra light for sure. Amber has crystal in it, which you have in your recipe so you may be doubling up on the crystal. I'd make sure to use no more than 1 pound total (and ideally less) of crystal, so I'd lower the carapils or just lose it entirely as it's not needed.

Otherwise, I like it! I'd probably replace the candi sugar with corn sugar, as it's cheaper and actually just about the same thing. I'd also split up the late addition hops, and add some at 5 minutes, instead of just 15 minutes and then flame out. With two ounces of high AAU hops at 60 minutes, it might be pretty bitter, but I didn't run it through any software to check the IBUs.
 
Good to know about the amber. I ran it through at about 90 IBUs which is right where I was aiming. Is that going to be too unbalanced? I'm aiming for hoppy and bitter, perhaps describable as a slight hop bomb, but nothing TOO crazy.
 
So I went ahead and brewed this with Yooper's suggestions, replaced the amber DME with extra light DME, the candi sugar with corn sugar, scaled back to 12 ozs of C20, and 4 oz carapils. Replaced the Columbia with Willamette, split up the late additions (added in some whole leaf Simcoe as well to keep the IBUs up, as the hops I got had a lot lower AA than expected). Had an OG of 1.080, and just took a hydro reading today after a week in primary, at 1.015. Sample tasted fantastic. Definitely bitter and a potent pine and floral hop aroma, but still a good balance with the malt. I'll take a few more samples over the next few days, and then dry hop and secondary. Can't wait to taste the final product. Cheers! :mug:
 
After 3 weeks carbonation and a few days in the fridge, I pulled out a 22oz bomber, and...WOW. FG ended up at 1.012, and it's hoppy as hell. The bitterness is well balanced, pine aroma dominates, but there's a hint of grapefruit. I will definitely be brewing this again.:mug:
 
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