First IPA Recipe Advice

[Slowfro]

Hey everyone, I've been looking at recipes for a nice big IPA but I want to take everything I've learned so far and finally put my own recipe together. I've got a big birthday coming up this weekend so plan to brew a big beer to celebrate. Here's my starting point, so any advice/criticism is welcome...

5.5 gallon batch (6.5 gallons boil volume)
11# 2-Row Pale
1# Crystal 40L
1-1/2# Honey (boil 20 minutes)

Estimated OG of 1.070 assuming 70%efficiency.

Mash at 154°-156° until conversion is done.

I have to check what hops I already have at home, but I was thinking some Magnum, Chinook and Centennial. I'd use Magnum for 60 minutes and finish with the Chinook/Centennial on 5 minute addition and dry hop. I'll be shooting for upwards of 65-70IBU.

Pitch either S-05 or Wyeast 1056.

Thanks in advance!

 

[spanick]

I'm super new to this, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. haha

When I did the math, I came up with a OG of 1.054, but I like the grain bill for an IPA. With this recipe you could add like 4.5# honey and get up to 1.070 but I have no idea what that'd do to the flavor. I also don't know how much hops you plan on using but you'd probably get more IBUs if you threw the chinook in there longer, like 30 or 15 minutes.

 

[dirty_martini]

I like the simplicity. As for the honey, it's an expensive additive that you will get zero out of flavor/aroma wise. Especially if you add it at 20. Either just use table sugar or add the honey at the last possible moment to try and preserve some aroma.

Magnum to bitter
Chinook and centennial at the end of the boil and dry hop. Simple and should be great. Try to use at least 3oz total in each of the KO and dry hop additions, however you want to split it up

 

[BendBrewer]

I would stack those late additions at 15, 10, 5 and Knock Out.

 

[terrapinj]

what about the mash temp?

i've only done 1 PM so far but was advised to mash closer to 150° to get a drier finish/lower FG

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah, that mash temp seems a little high.

 

[Slowfro]

True, 156 is a bit high. I think I'll probably aim for 154 knowing that I'll lose a degree or 2 over the mash in my basement. I don't want it to be overly dry though since I'm looking for a higher IBU.

I will stagger the aroma hop additions to get a balance of bittering/aroma. I remember reading a thread that mentioned continually hopping the beer throughout the boil. Has anyone tried that before? I believe it said to mix all the hops together then every minute or 2 of the boil toss a few pellets in. Sounds interesting, but I don't know how you'd calculate the IBUs. Once I see what hops I have I'll contemplate the hop schedule more.

 

[Slowfro]

2# Honey (boil 5 minutes)

Wyeast 1272 - LHBS was out of 1056.

Hops Schedule (all pellets):
1/2oz Warrior, 17.2%AA, FWH
1/2oz Magnum, 13.1%AA, 60 minutes
Continuous Hop from 45min-flame out with:
.5oz Chinook (11.4%)
2.5oz Cascade (5%)
.5oz Centennial (8.5%)
1oz Centennial (9.1%)

Dry Hop with 1oz Centennial (9.1%) and .5oz Cascade (5%).

Should be a pretty big beer in all regards, which I'm excited for. Dedicate it to the golden birthday (tomorrow), I'm not sure how to estimate IBU with the continuous hop, so I did a ballpark calc and came up with about 75. Anyone have any experience with continual hopping? I mashed at 154° for 90 minutes, collected 6.25gallons wort which is now on the burner waiting for the boil to start. Can't wait! I think I'll call it 10ga IPA for how big it should end up being (IBU and ABV).

That will use most of my excess hops at home, so I'll have to pick some up for dry hopping. I'm thinking maybe a combo of Cascade and Centennial since they are prevalent in the beer already, but also thought about maybe some Chinook to round out the C's.