Batch #2, the TrueBrew way (need help upping the IBUs!)

[RDubb]

Hello all,

First, I want to thank everyone on this site for the help and support with my last (and first) attempt at home brewing last summer. I managed to make about 50 bottles of delicious brown ale and the results were astonishingly delicious. I could not have done it without your help to here's to you

Moving on: I just picked up a new kit today (True Brew IPA) and have a couple of concerns. It was my original intention to try my hand at an IPA but it seems my kit of choice is somewhat lacking in the IBU department. I plugged the numbers into http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/recipe.html and it gave me a projected ABV of 4.8 and IBU of 37. I would very much like to increase both of these variables but don't really know how.

If anyone could give me some advice or suggestions, I would be most appreciative.

Cheers!

 

[avidhomebrewer]

As for increasing the ABV, add more extract. If you add dextrose (corn sugar), it will dry the beer out; something you probably don't want in an IPA. As for increasing IBU, either use a higher alpha acid hop (not sure what hop you are using now for bittering, but I'd be willing to bet it isn't something along the lines of Cluster, Magnum, Northern Brewer, etc), or boil for 90 minutes using the hops you have vs. 60 minutes.

 

[CBK]

Increasing your boil size will increase hop utilization. If I remember correctly TrueBrew kits call for a 1.5 gallon boil. As far as the ABV a little more extract will help.

 

[RDubb]

As for increasing IBU, either use a higher alpha acid hop (not sure what hop you are using now for bittering, but I'd be willing to bet it isn't something along the lines of Cluster, Magnum, Northern Brewer, etc), or boil for 90 minutes using the hops you have vs. 60 minutes.

This was another thing I found a little odd. After a 20-30 minute steep with the Crystal grains, the extract and hops go in but only for 45 minutes. 1oz of Pilgrim (7 AA) pellets at the beginning and then 1oz of First Gold (11 AA) 43 minutes later for the last two minutes of the boil. Should I go for another 30 minutes or so after adding the First Gold?