How to improve this Japanese IPA recipe?

[tomsan]

How can I improve this Japanese IPA recipe?

87% 3kg Maris Otter Pale - UK
4% 0.15kg Torrified Wheat
9% 0.3kg CaraAroma - DE 35

g variety type usage time AA IBU
15 Sorachi Ace Pellet Boil 60 minutes 13.0 27.9
15 Sorachi Ace Pellet Boil 20 minutes 13.0 16.9
15 Sorachi Ace Pellet Boil 5 minutes 13.0 5.6
15 Sorachi Ace Pellet Flame Out 0 minutes 13.0 0.0
15 Sorachi Ace Pellet Dry Hop 0 days 13.0 0.0


Batch Size: 18.93 Liters
Boil Size: 24.61 Liters @ 60 min
OG: 1.043
FG: 1.011
Color: 12.3° SRM
Efficiency: 75%
Bitterness: 50.3 IBU (tinseth)
BG:GU: 1.17
Alcohol: 4.2% ABV
Calories: 142 per 12oz

Here it is in Brewgr: http://brewgr.com/recipe/36631/sorachi-ace-english-ipa-recipe?public=true

 

[Redtab78]

Have you tried it yet the way it is written? If not, then what is it that your trying to improve? Abv, ibu, flavor or??

 

[bobbrews]

I would have expected a very clean, crisp, pale grist with very little flavor for this style. High carbonation seems like it fits well here too.

For the hops, use a cheap high alpha hop at boil start. This will impart very little flavor, but offer adequate bitterness to compete with the grist. You won't really get any discernable flavor/aroma from this addition. Focus all of that Sorachi Ace at flameout/hopstand/dryhop for best results. This is where flavor/aroma will be at its peak. It's the best way to harness all of those delicate hop oils in fragrant IPAs.

Was this intended to be a low abv session ipa?

 

[tomsan]

I haven't tried it yet but I'm very much a beginner so wanted to get views on how it might turn out. I've made an IPA before which turned out well but that was when I was using malt extract.

I have some Target hops so will use those for bittering. It was meant to be a session ale although it comes out at the top of the suggested BG:GU, range. By adding another 0.5g of pale malt I get up to 5.1% which perhaps fits the style more closely.

Do you think there's anything I could (or should) do to improve the flavour?

 

[slym2none]

Take the 20- and 5-minute hop additions and put them at flameout. Adjust your bittering addition accordingly.