my Chinook/Citra IPA recipe...

What's up everyone?!

I am planning this brew on 3/14... I am wondering if anyone has any input on this recipe...

specifications-

Batch Size (fermenter): 10.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.069 SG
Estimated Color: 7.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 67.4 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

24 lbs 6.9 oz Pale Malt(2 Row)
1 lbs 1.8 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine
7.9 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt-30L(30.0 SRM)
7.9 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt-80L 80.0 SRM)
2.49 oz Chinook [13.00 %]-Boil 60.0 min
1.25 oz Citra [12.00 %]-Boil 20.0 min
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %]-Dry Hop 14.0 Days
0.50 ozChinook [12.00 %]-Dry Hop 14.0 Days

...I was thinking about dryhopping with Simcoe instead... thoughts?

thanks!

Before others say the same, more hops. I add twice as much to a 5 gal batch.

did you get this recipe from someone or design it yourself?
did you scale it up or down?
if i were you i would just round the numbers to make it easier on yourself.

also your IBUs are pretty low compared to how high your OG is. if you're going for a traditional tasting IPA, you may want to up the IBUs.

why a hop addition at 20 minutes and then nothing after that?

if you're going for more bitterness than flavor and aroma, the recipe's ok as far as the hops go. i personally would do a lot more than that. i've used about this many hops in a 5 gallon IPA before.

here are my suggestions for the hop schedule:
2.75 oz chinook - 60 min
1.5 oz citra - 5 min
1.25 oz citra - flameout/steep/whirlpool (let it sit for 20 mins before chilling)
0.5 oz chinook - flameout
1.25 oz citra - dry hop - 5-7 days
0.5 oz chinook - dry hop - 5-7 days

your dry hop additions shouldn't be in there any longer than 7 days. you can start getting off flavors after that. you could dry hop it with simcoe to see how it turns out, but citra is a pretty great dry hop.

The criteria for an American IPA includes an OG of 1.056 - 1.075, bitterness of 40 - 70 IBUs, and color 6-15.
By these measures, you are making an American IPA. After that, the balance of the bitterness/hoppiness to malty flavors, depends on your individual tastes.
Anybody who says they use TWICE the hops you've shown here for HALF the batch size ISN'T making an American IPA. (Unless they are using a great deal of the extra hops as very late additions, or dry hopping.) They are making an abomination of a hop bomb. Which is cool. I, personally, enjoy some hop bombs. But it isn't an American IPA.
If your goal is to make beers to style, follow the style. As you have done.
That said: I, too, would lean to some later aroma hops. Otherwise, looks like an American IPA that I'd enjoy!

I would ad an ounce or two of centennial or chinook or both at flame out or 10-5 min left in boil and NOT dry hop more than 7 days.. I have only used simcoe in a single hop brew. I love the aroma and flavors but having never mixed with other hops not sure how they would effect taste.

Horseshoot said:

The criteria for an American IPA includes an OG of 1.056 - 1.075, bitterness of 40 - 70 IBUs, and color 6-15.
By these measures, you are making an American IPA. After that, the balance of the bitterness/hoppiness to malty flavors, depends on your individual tastes.
Anybody who says they use TWICE the hops you've shown here for HALF the batch size ISN'T making an American IPA. (Unless they are using a great deal of the extra hops as very late additions, or dry hopping.) They are making an abomination of a hop bomb. Which is cool. I, personally, enjoy some hop bombs. But it isn't an American IPA.
If your goal is to make beers to style, follow the style. As you have done.
That said: I, too, would lean to some later aroma hops. Otherwise, looks like an American IPA that I'd enjoy!

Click to expand...

I'm sure you're referring to the other commenter in your backhanded, passive aggressive comment, but I've use the same amount of hops as he is using in half the batch size he's brewing and still had it fall under the guidelines of an IPA. So, yes his falls under an IPA, but I'm guessing it's going to have a lot lower of a perceived bitterness than most IPAs that he's probably used to, unless he can get it to dry out pretty well.
Also it's pretty weak on the late hop additions, which gives it a one dimensional hop profile, though he does have some dry hops, I usually have that same amount in five gallons, so again it's not gonna really be an IPA with a whole lot of character to it.
Though I will agree with you that if mr. Bigdong is using double this amount in a five gallon batch that it's likely better to just eat the hops, the op could get close to doubling this amount with late additions and still stay inside the guidelines for the style, and only bring up his ibus a little.

I didn't intend my comment to be backhanded, nor passive aggressive. I'm sorry you took it that way. If I offended anybody, I certainly apologize. I come here to learn and share what I've learned. I never want to fight.
And I didn't say one couldn't use twice the amount of hops he was planning and stay to style. But, I still maintain it unlikely that one could use 4X that amount of hops, and stay to style. I could be wrong. Your "eat the hops" comment was spot on.
I'm very fond of hoppy beers. But, if someone is asking for help with his or her IPA, I feel it perfectly acceptable for me to give them advice on IPA.
And, as I said in my comment, I am in agreement with you about later hop additions.

thanks for all the input! I am not offended whatsoever, I come here for honest feedback!

I designed the recipe with BeerSmith... It does categorize it as an American Pale. Sorry for the confusion in the op. My buddy that I am brewing with is not a huge hophead, so I was trying to tone down the hops... I will definitely add some more late additions. I was thinking it was low... but the IBU's in the recipe were right where I wanted them....

one last questions... I was talking with some guys at the local homebrew store about water. A few guys said that they like spring water... others distilled... I typically use my tap water and adjust the pH....Any input on this subject???

Thanks!!!

yeah, honestly i was thinking it was more like a pale ale from reading the addition times and amounts of the hops. but then the BJCP style of an american pale ale is up to 1.060 OG and 45 IBUs. so you're not really a pale ale. just a low end IPA.

when you say your friend doesn't like it overly hoppy, which aspect of the hops doesn't he like? i personally am not a fan of overly bitter beers. but i love the flavor and aroma. so i focus most of my hops toward late additions. i honestly don't care for most commercial IPAs i've had. i will drink them, but i prefer a beer that allows the malt flavors to really come out, with a smooth bitterness, and a lot of aroma and flavor from the hops.

so if i were you, i would go with something like this:
20.4 lb pale malt
1.1 lb carapils/dextrine
.5 lb caramel/chrystal 30L
.5 lb caramel/chrystal 80L
1.25 oz chinook - 60 min
1.25 oz citra - 5 min
1.25 oz citra - steep/whirlpool - 20 min
.5 oz chinook - steep/whirlpool - 20 min
1.25 oz citra - dry hop - 5 days
.5 oz chinook - dry hop - 5 days

i heard from some hop specialists on a podcast that they always try to do the same amount in steep/whirlpool as dry hop.

with that recipe you end up at:
OG 1.058
IBU 45.2 (.2 over technically to style, but considering the IBU:OG ratio, not gonna be too much on the perceived bitterness)
6.9 SRM
6.2% abv

that actually looks like a pretty good pale ale. i think i might even brew it soon!

Edited to get rid of an accidental triple post. Not sure why my iPhone does that.

joshesmusica said:

i personally am not a fan of overly bitter beers. but i love the flavor and aroma. so i focus most of my hops toward late additions. i honestly don't care for most commercial IPAs i've had. i will drink them, but i prefer a beer that allows the malt flavors to really come out, with a smooth bitterness, and a lot of aroma and flavor from the hops.

Click to expand...

I agree. I love sticking my nose in and smelling a strong rush of hops aroma. And I enjoy quite a bit of hops flavour. But, if the bitterness totally overwhelms any maltyness, I am not really enjoying the beer. So, many commercial IPAs don't do it for me, either.
To combat this in my own IPA, I mash a bit higher than the norm. I end up with a higher FG, less dry. Gives a malty sweetness that balances the bitterness. My IPA comes in right at the top end 70 IBUs, but you wouldn't think it.
Hoppy APAs and less hoppy American IPAs really do overlap a lot.

I would bitter with 1-2 oz Chinook and 1 oz of Citra at 20, 5 and 0. Simcoe would be a great choice for dry hoping.

Edited to get rid of an accidental triple post. Not sure why my iPhone does that.

Horseshoot said:

Edited to get rid of an accidental triple post. Not sure why my iPhone does that.

Click to expand...

Mine does it too. I've found if you get the message about posting twice closely together, I just always assume that it actually did post, and hit cancel.

Thanks! I'll try that. It drives me crazy. Good excuse to RDWHAHB. ;-)