Critique my First Recipe (Belgian IPA)

[MrBlackrock]

So, i have been brewing a little over 2 months now (already 9 batchs...rabbit holed myself badly with this hoby)

This is the first recipe I created. I want advice/tips on it! Feel free to critique !

5.00 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 84.0 %
0.50 kg Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.4 %
0.45 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 3 7.6 %
14.00 g Bravo [15.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 22.9 IBUs
28.30 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 14.8 IBUs
28.30 g Galaxy [14.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 7 8.3 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
1.0 pkg Belgian Ardennes (Wyeast Labs #3522) [124.21 ml] Yeast

Im prety sure on Centennial, not so sure on the Bravo for bittering and the Galaxy. Might change Galaxy for Nelson Sauvin (never tried both, curious about the popularity)

 

[StoutHouse213]

I'll first start by saying Belgian IPA is a hard style to nail. Balancing phenolic Belgian yeast character and bitter hops isn't an easy game.

As far as yeast selection goes, Ardennes is a great strain that's easy to work with and attenuates well. Its been quite some time since using it, but I recall it leaning towards some banana-type esters.

I haven't used Bravo before, but due to its high alpha acid content and average co-humulone level, I'm sure it will work just fine.

Your hop quantities (around 2 oz.'s finishing) seem appropriate if you're leaning for more Belgian, less IPA. If you want it the other way around, couldn't hurt to add ~2 more oz.'s finishing, potentially even directly at flame out for aroma.

Finally, if it were me, I'd focus on the fruitier hop varieties for finish hops. Galaxy is a great choice. Centennial is a bit more herbal/spicy than most people give it credit for. Nelson is fun to play with in moderate quantities, but can be quite dank if you over-do it. Citra would be a cool one to pair with Galaxy late in the boil.

 

[skibb]

I would double your finishing hops - Centennial and Galaxy play well together, but Nelson could be neat with Belgian yeast. Both Galaxy and Nelson have a lot of character, I would likely do a ratio closer to 2/1 centennial/nelson.

Ardennes is a good strain though it can get a bit spicy - like StoutHouse213 said, Belgian IPAs are a balancing act. I personally don't like phenols as they go against hop character - I would rather have more esters and fruity notes to pair with my fruity hops. My preference is 3787 and fermenting in the mid 80's because of this.

I would dry hop with at least 4oz of hops. You want this beer to be an IPA first, cuz if you don't drink it quick it will just turn into a hoppy'ish Belgian... which you can just make in the first place.

 

[MrBlackrock]

I'll first start by saying Belgian IPA is a hard style to nail. Balancing phenolic Belgian yeast character and bitter hops isn't an easy game.

As far as yeast selection goes, Ardennes is a great strain that's easy to work with and attenuates well. Its been quite some time since using it, but I recall it leaning towards some banana-type esters.

I haven't used Bravo before, but due to its high alpha acid content and average co-humulone level, I'm sure it will work just fine.

Your hop quantities (around 2 oz.'s finishing) seem appropriate if you're leaning for more Belgian, less IPA. If you want it the other way around, couldn't hurt to add ~2 more oz.'s finishing, potentially even directly at flame out for aroma.

Finally, if it were me, I'd focus on the fruitier hop varieties for finish hops. Galaxy is a great choice. Centennial is a bit more herbal/spicy than most people give it credit for. Nelson is fun to play with in moderate quantities, but can be quite dank if you over-do it. Citra would be a cool one to pair with Galaxy late in the boil.

So maybe Add Citra Flame out ?

 

[MrBlackrock]

5.00 kg Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 84.0 %
0.50 kg Caravienne Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.4 %
0.45 kg Candi Sugar, Clear (0.5 SRM) Sugar 3 7.6 %
14.00 g Bravo [15.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 22.9 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 5 -
14.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 8.8 IBUs
28.30 g Galaxy [14.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 7 8.3 IBUs
14.00 g Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Trappist High Gravity (Wyeast Labs #3787) [124.21 ml] Yeast 9 -
28.00 g Galaxy [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 10 0.0 IBUs


Tweaked a bit after the comments ? Is Galaxy a waste in dry hoping ? Dont have much around here so 4oz is not possible. Maybe switch for Citra Dry Hop ?

 

[derekcw83]

I think galaxy would do well on a dry hop with Belgian yeast. Love that hop, very tropical, would go well with ardennes banana aroma

 

[derekcw83]

I think galaxy would do well on a dry hop with Belgian yeast. Love that hop, very tropical, would go well with ardennes banana aroma