Belgium IPA input

[kesslerr1]

Hi yall I'm looking for some input on a Belgium hybrid IPA I’m making. I want the IPA to be light colored, light bodied, fruity/estery (banana citrusy). This is a beer that I plan to for my next few batches before moving on to something new. I made the first batch last night from a receipt I threw together while standing in the home brew shop. The first batch is made from extract as I figured it would be easier than all grain for my first go at it. The next batches will be all grain. The guy at the home brew shop helped me pick out the hops: galaxy and Pacifica for their citrus fruity characteristics. I’m using wyeast 3638 Bavarian wheat yeast for its complex ester profile. My starting gravity was 1.055 and seems to be fermenting well. Any comments on a what I should expect out of this beer, future grain bill, ways I can improve this beer would be greatly appreciated.

3.5 pounds of Light LME
3.5 pounds of Pilsner LME
1 pound of crystal 20
0.5 oz Galaxy 14% AA 60 min
0.66 oz NZ pacifica 4.8% AA 60min
0.66 oz NZ pacifica 4.8% AA 20min
0.33 oz NZ pacifica 4.8% AA 15min
0.25 oz Galaxy 14% AA 15 min
Orange zest from one orange (added on a whim) and Irish moss at 15
0.66 oz NZ pacifica 4.8% AA flame out
0.25 oz Galaxy 14% AA flame out

wyeast 3638 Bavarian wheat yeast fermenting at 69F

 

[h-bar]

You could replace the extract with Belgian pale malt and/or Belgian pilsener malt. I also like throw in a little Carapils and sometimes a pound of white wheat for mouthfeel and head retention.

Also, I've never heard of galaxy hops! Is this something new, or does my LHBS simply not carry them?

 

[kesslerr1]

Thanks for the input h-bar. I will have have to try the Carapils and pound of wheat in my next batch. I skipped the wheat on this one because I didn't know how much to use, but I like the idea of using just a pound.

Here is a link to the galaxy hops http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/australian-galaxy-hop-pellets-1-oz.html