Help me refine my IPA recipe...

After a 5 year hiatus I am back brewing. I decided to go with a basic IPA kit to get the swing of things again. I pieced together a brewing kit and would like some pointers on doing this IPA batch. Here is what I was thinking.. I scored a 6.2 gallon pot and kit for 100 bucks.. I bought a basic IPA kit and was wondering the best way to do this.. Since I have the room, should I do a full boil? Or maybe a 4 gallon boil and add the last bit to make 5? Any benefits to this?? I want to add more hops to the recipe since its only cascade. I also want to dry hop in the secondary fermentation, or should I split the dry hop between the first and second? We like Bold Hoppy flavor, what is a good one for the dry hop? Any other additions to make this a great comeback brew? BeerSmith says this will only be a 5.0% beer.. Anyway to raise the % to IPA level?

I just pieced together a kit...

1. 2 - 5 Gallon Carboys
2. Bottling bucket
3. hoses
4. 2 airlocks
5. 6.2 gallon SS Pot
6. racker/filler
7. sani / cleaner
8. bottles

I bought a basic IPA recipe with the following

• .5lb Caramel 30L
• 7.25 lbs Briess Golden light Liquid
• 4oz Cascade Pellet Hops
• Safale US-05 dried yeast
• 5oz primer
• Grain Bag

Welcome back! It's always good to see brewers returning to the fold.

Now, to business.

First, since I don't see a wort-chiller on your list of equipment, I'd do a partial boil, chill in the sink, and top off with cold water. Rapid chilling is crucial to excellent beer.

Second, I always dry hop in the secondary.

Third, I'd add a pound or more of Gold dry extract to raise the original gravity to around 1.065. That'll put you at ~6% ABV, which is a good area for IPA.

Fourth, I don't think you really need more hops in the recipe. If you keep the bitterness under control, you can use the rest in flavor, aroma and dry-hopping. For example, in five gallons, at 5.75%AA,for 45 IBU:

1.5oz - 60
1 oz - 10
1.5 oz - dry

That should give you a nice bitterness as well as a solid kick in the mouth of Cascade flavor and aroma.

That's the way I'd approach your situation, anyhow. Good luck!

Bob

Dryhop in the secondary with 2 oz of Amarillo hops. It will add the flavor you are looking for. I am about to start dry-hopping my second batch (IPA) that I have made using Amarillo hops. I suggest a week dry-hopping and then let it sit at least another 2 weeks carbing and conditioning.

This is the best batch of IPA I have ever made!

NQ3X said:

Welcome back! It's always good to see brewers returning to the fold.
Third, I'd add a pound or more of Gold dry extract to raise the original gravity to around 1.065. That'll put you at ~6% ABV, which is a good area for IPA.

Bob

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Thanks... I plugged adding another pound of 30L into the beersmith and it does put the estimate over 6% ABV. Do you think the dry extract is better? Or should I go grain since I have the extra volume?

Slipgate said:

Dryhop in the secondary with 2 oz of Amarillo hops. It will add the flavor you are looking for. I am about to start dry-hopping my second batch (IPA) that I have made using Amarillo hops. I suggest a week dry-hopping and then let it sit at least another 2 weeks carbing and conditioning.

This is the best batch of IPA I have ever made!

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I was thinking to use Amarillo to dry hop in the secondary. I heard 1oz is enough you think 2 is overkill? The guy at the brewshop said to use a boilbag and weight it down with marbles, sterilized of course with the hops tied off in sections. Anyone else use this tech?

I used 3 and am reducing to 2 on this batch. You should reduce to two too (sorry, I just wanted to use all forms of to together).

The three oz'er was outstanding! Very hoppy/grapefruity at first but mellowed out nicely. I just threw it in a boil bag and let it float. It hopped the beer perfectly. I made sure it was saturated before I sealed the top though.

The one I used 3 oz in is the best beer that I have ever tasted. No lie! If only I could sell it! I'm reducing to 2 just because it took a couple of weeks to mellow.

BTW: 5 gallon batch

Jeepnbrew said:

Thanks... I plugged adding another pound of 30L into the beersmith and it does put the estimate over 6% ABV. Do you think the dry extract is better? Or should I go grain since I have the extra volume?

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I'd go with the extract. The extra Crystal isn't going to be very fermentable, and will probably make the beer cloying.

I was thinking to use Amarillo to dry hop in the secondary. I heard 1oz is enough you think 2 is overkill? The guy at the brewshop said to use a boilbag and weight it down with marbles, sterilized of course with the hops tied off in sections. Anyone else use this tech?

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Depends on whether the Amarillo are whole-flower. With pellets, I just drop 'em in the carboy. With whole hops, I put 'em in a bag and weight it with marbles. You do need to be careful; those bags can be a righteous b!tch to get out of the carboy!

Bob

Jeepnbrew said:

I was thinking to use Amarillo to dry hop in the secondary. I heard 1oz is enough you think 2 is overkill? The guy at the brewshop said to use a boilbag and weight it down with marbles, sterilized of course with the hops tied off in sections. Anyone else use this tech?

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An ounce should be fine. You can just dump them in the secondary and rack on top of them(are they pellets?). If you keg, you can put them in a stainless teaball and just drop them in.


Sorry Bob, I didn't read your whole post.

BTW - I use whole flower Amarillo, they come in 2oz frozen packets.

NQ3X said:

I'd go with the extract. The extra Crystal isn't going to be very fermentable, and will probably make the beer cloying.



Depends on whether the Amarillo are whole-flower. With pellets, I just drop 'em in the carboy. With whole hops, I put 'em in a bag and weight it with marbles. You do need to be careful; those bags can be a righteous b!tch to get out of the carboy!

Bob

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Okay.. I will go with the dry extract to supplement the 7.5lbs of liquid extract.

I am thinking of going whole hops in a bag with marbles.. Should I just soak the bag and marbles in sani and air dry then add the whole flower to it before using it in the secondary?

Now the only thing I was wondering is how much water I should I start my boil with? 4 gallons in the 6.2 kettle? I am going to go out and get some copper tubing and make a chiller today. This is a Valentines brew!! LOL.. She is pretty excited I am doing this with her..

Do you gentleman think adding enough DME to make 9.0 or 10lbs total extract be ok?

Jeepnbrew said:

Okay.. I am thinking of going whole hops in a bag with marbles.. Should I just soak the bag and marbles in sani and air dry then add the whole flower to it before using it in the secondary?

She is pretty excited I am doing this with her..

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First... sanitize bag but don't dry just give it a good whip to get the main sanitizer out of the bag (what do you use for a sanitizer?)
Second... If SWMBO is excited...We want pictures!





I'm just saying.........

9 lbs. LME and 1 lb. Crystal usually gets me in the 1.066 ballpark, so if you throw in an additional 2 lbs of DME your recipe ought to be great. If you are adding more extract though, and doing a partial boil, you may want to consider adding some more bittering hops to get you back up to ~45 IBU. 2 oz at 60 and 1 oz at 10 and 1 oz dry hop. That's what I'd do. Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day.

TheDutchman said:

9 lbs. LME and 1 lb. Crystal usually gets me in the 1.066 ballpark, so if you throw in an additional 2 lbs of DME your recipe ought to be great. If you are adding more extract though, and doing a partial boil, you may want to consider adding some more bittering hops to get you back up to ~45 IBU. 2 oz at 60 and 1 oz at 10 and 1 oz dry hop. That's what I'd do. Good luck and Happy Valentine's Day.

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Okay a trip to the Brew Store and some fiddling with Beer Smith produced this recipe... I'm stoked about it... The final gravity is a bit over what Beer Smith is stating, but that is if I hit everything exactly.. I think it should come out nicely what do you guys think? OH and BTW... I'll post some pics!! LOL and Thanks for all the kind gratitude!!

WILDKAT IPA
American IPA


Type: Extract
Date: 2/14/2009
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Eric
Boil Size: 5.45 gal
Asst Brewer: Kat
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Brew Pot (6 Gallon)

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
2.50 lb Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 25.00 %
7.00 lb Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 70.00 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
1.00 oz Warrior [15.40 %] (60 min) Hops 44.3 IBU
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.90 %] (40 min) Hops 11.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.30 %] (15 min) Hops 9.0 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [6.30 %] (5 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
1.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.90 %] (Dry Hop)
1 Pkgs Safale US-05 Yeast-Ale

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.073 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.021 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.78 %
Bitterness: 68.2 IBU
Est Color: 14.2 SRM

Mash Profile

Mash Name: None Total Grain Weight: 10.00 lb

Steep grains as desired (30-60 minutes)

Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Dried Malt Extract Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 5.3 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Someone mentioned just throwing pellets in the secondary and I would warn against this if you are bottling. I did this once and it was an astounding pain in the ass. The pellets break up and clog all your bottling equipment.

Sucram said:

Someone mentioned just throwing pellets in the secondary and I would warn against this if you are bottling. I did this once and it was an astounding pain in the ass. The pellets break up and clog all your bottling equipment.

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Yeah I'm not going to do that.. I throw them in a bag and tie it off... I made a wort chiller tonight!!! Tested and working great!!!

if its not hoppy enough you can always add additional dryhopping to taste....recipe looks solid. You may want to add a bit more crystal malt just to balance out the IBU's but it looks good. I like mine a bit sweeter

So far so good... Pics as promised! The lobster was part of the Seafood Pasta I made after brewing beer for Vday!.. Great night of brewing!!

Original gravity was 1.070 and I checked it today 4 days after start of fermenting and were @ 1.020 not bad for 4 days.. I think I'll give it a few more days till the CO2 stops blowing off the top, then transfer and dryhop.

Still bubbling after 8 days... Time to go to secondary?? Only one bubble per minute.. Still at 1.020 gravity and it tastes delicious already! Can't wait to dry hop this guy and and bottle it!

Don't rely on bubbles! Instead, rely on the scientific instrument which you've already used - your hyrdrometer. I presume you took a reading today (Sunday)? If so, take another reading on Tuesday. If that reading is the same, wait until Thursday and take another reading. If that's the same, you're ready to rack.

Cheers!

Bob

Yeah I took a measurement a few days back and today again.. No change.. I hit the expected gravity and it hasn't changed.. I went ahead and moved it to the secondary and dry hopped it..