First IPA Recipe - looking for input/advice

[Spicemon1972]

I'd consult the pitch rate calc on MrMalty to see how much dry you need. If that leaves you with say, a half pack of yeast leftover, use the leftovers as nutrient in the boil. If I were you, since you want to learn about starter, go for it. Make one for this batch. It's really, really easy. And kinda fun. Nothing wrong with dry yeast at all, but if you plan on using liquid sometime, why not start now.

+1
Agreed.
On a side note, where else can you get such great info, like I get here every day, from friendly and knowledgable fellow brewers just by asking? Nowhere, that's where.
Best money I have spent on brewing so far has been my HBT membership.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Made a 1L yeast starter tonight with the Wyeast 1056 and I am getting a kick out of walking past and giving it a swirl. I'm going to brew my IPA on Sunday and the starter should be in the zone by then. I made it with the LME that I am using for my IPA figuring I would pitch the whole of it into my wort. I wound up with an OG of 1.035 which should do those yeasties just fine.
You all were right, it's pretty easy to do once you go ahead and do it.
Time to drink a home brew and be happy with this latest development.
Cheers friends!

 

[Spicemon1972]

Double post.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

Awesome! It's amazing to see for yourself what pitching a starter will do, huh. Sounds like you're on your way to a tasty IPA.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Ok, here it is - the final recipe - I brewed this on Sunday.

This is a 5 gallon extract recipe and goes as follows:
End Of The World AIPA

Measured OG: 1.070
Target FG: 1.015

Projected ABV: 7.0%
71.1 IBU

Steeping Grains:
1.0lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L (Crushed)

Place grains in grain bag and steep in 1.5 gal water for 25 minutes at 155 degrees.
Remove grains and allow to drip over kettle until dripping stops then discard.
Add approx 2 gal water to get to 3-3.5 gal in kettle, bring to boil.

Add 3lb Pale LME with the kettle off the heat and stir until completely dissolved.
Return to the heat and bring to a rolling boil.

Additions:
1.0oz Summit pellets at 60 min
4.0oz Table Sugar at 20min
0.5oz Cascade pellets at 15min
1 tsp. Irish moss at 15min
0.5oz Cascade pellets at 10min
1.0oz Progress pellets at 5min

Cool wort to 80 degrees in ice bath.
Add 1.5 gal of cool tap water to sanitized fermenter then pour in cooled wort and top off to 5 gallons. Aerate wort by vigorously rocking the carboy.

Pitch the following yeast:
1L starter in 1/2gal sanitized glass growler (consisting of 5oz of Pale LME added to 2 cups of 170 degree water and boiled for 10 min and cooled in an ice bath to 70 degrees then pitch 1 smack pack of Wyeast 1056 Ale Yeast and top off with tap water to fill to 800mL) that has been going for 48 hours with regular swirling of the growler.

Allow to ferment for 14 days or until FG stabilizes near 1.015.
Dry hop with 1.0 oz Willamette pellets and allow to clear in primary for another 14 days.

Rack to bottling bucket and prime with 3.8oz corn sugar and bottle.
Allow to condition for 3 weeks, chill crack and enjoy!

Thanks to all for all the input and advice - I will post again when I finally get to crack one open. I can say that the gravity sample tastes wonderful and that the krausen started to form in 3 hours and that it has been chugging away at a nice 66 degrees ever since.

Cheers!

 

[planetscott]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

By utilizing the starter, you reduce lag time. Further, the healthy yeast you pitched will make better beer. I'm certain you will notice a difference. Just make sure it ferments out, then rests to absorb diacytel. Don't rush this one.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Just out of curiosity, and knowing that IPA's are at their best young (before the hop flavor starts to mellow), do you think 4 weeks in the fermenter then 3 weeks in the bottle will be enough time given that the FG stabilizes and fermentation finishes in 14 days or would you let the beer sit on the cake longer or perhaps a longer bottle conditioning? I know that is a very open ended question with lots of variables, but I'm just trying to get a feel for the aging of an IPA since this is my first attempt. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[bobbrews]

Fermentation usually finishes in only 3-7 days, but conditioning and re-absorption of off-flavors by the yeast will occur shortly afterward for a number of weeks. That is why some people recommend leaving the beer in the carboy for 3-4 weeks minimum. But again, everyone doesn't experience the same results... I've had great beers that sat in the primary for 8-10 days, then racked and dryhopped for 5 days. I've also had great beers that sat in the primary for 4 weeks, including a 12 day dryhop in the primary. So really it depends on how well you regulate fermentation temperatures, the strain of chosen yeast, and the overall health of that yeast.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Thanks Bob - you are right of course.
By the way, the aroma coming up from my blowoff water vessel is heavenly - I feel like a kid at Christmas and just can't wait to dig in.
I should remember that patience is rewarded.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Update on my AIPA - two weeks in primary and took a gravity reading, hit my estimated FG on the nose at 1.015. Took a taste and it is smooth with a nice late bitterness that isn't a pucker. Smooth. Also, the beer is very clear. I went ahead and added 1oz Willamette as a dry hop and will let it sit until clear and ready to bottle. By far, from the gravity sample tasting, this is the best thing I have brewed. Excited to get to the final product in 4-6 weeks.

 

[phatspade]

Just reading the whole thread got me just as excited. I know my first IPA felt great, but after making a few changes in the way I made the next it just got better and better. I've learned a few more things in this thread that I never thought about and settled with just the "it tastes great" attitude so I never looked into making my beer taste even better. THNX Yooper!

Spice, I hope your beer turns out great!

 

[Spicemon1972]

Bottling this tomorrow - hopefully 3 weeks until the first tasting of the final product.