Lookin' for advice on my IPA..

[peter679]

Ok looking for advice on my Hip Hop Anonomous IPA, I'm hoping to start this week/weekend but I want to get some advice. Anything that should change let me know...

Recipe:
6.6lbs Coopers Light LME
1lb Light dry malt extract
1lb Briess Caramel 80L
1lb Briess White Wheat Malt

hops
1.0 Centennial 60min
.5 Cascade 30min
.5 Centennial 30
.5 Tettnang 30
.5 Cascade 15
.5 Centennial 15

Dry hop
1.0 cascade 7days
1.0 centennial 7day

Yeast
California Ale
+1 Whirlfloc tab 5mins

Other Ingredients if needed:
1lb British Amber
1 Caramunich
.5 Cara-pils/
.5 Crystal 10l
2.0 chinook + 4.0 cascade

Thanks! I love IPA's and I'm dieing to make a great one
Thanks!
Pete

 

[Yooper]

I'd definitely get rid of the 30 minute hops. I'd either move one of them to 60 minutes if you need more bittering (IBUs) but move almost all of them to late additions. I'd get rid of the tettnang for sure, as it is a German noble hop and will be completely covered by the citrusy US hops.

I'd hop like this:

1.5 ounce chinnook 60 minutes (or even IBUs to get you to 40 IBUs in this addition)
.5 Centennial 15 min
.5 Cascade 10 min
.5 Centennial 5
.5 Cascade 0 minutes
.5 Centennial 0 minutes

Dry hop
1.0 cascade 7days
1.0 centennial 7day

I'd go for an IBU level of around 50-60, with an OG of 1.060 or so. But you want to get FAR more hops in the last 15 minutes, as that is where your hops flavor and aroma come from. The bitterness needs to be firm and there, but not so many bittering hops. You want a hoppy flavor and aroma, which is the hallmark of a great American IPA.

 

[peter679]

Thanks Yooper! That's what I was looking for, I'm really trying to hone in how to hop the right way. I threw the Tettnang in due to reading how Victory hops their hop devil (supposedly), I'm a huge Victory fan btw.

Thanks! Do the grains sound good?? I'm curiuos how the WHite Wheat Malt will effect the beer...

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper! That's what I was looking for, I'm really trying to hone in how to hop the right way. I threw the Tettnang in due to reading how Victory hops their hop devil (supposedly), I'm a huge Victory fan btw.

Thanks! Do the grains sound good?? I'm curiuos how the WHite Wheat Malt will effect the beer...

I almost never use wheat malt, and have never tried it in an IPA. You'll get some haze from it, but probably good head retention.

 

[boostsr20]

I use 5% wheat in lighter colored brews and it seems that it takes an additional week or so of Fridge time to get a crystal clear beer but the wheat at that rate will drop out. Head retentions is amazing with it and its cheaper than carapils which is why I made the switch. If you have carapils already, I'd just use that up.

Agree on Hop Scheduling. I typically don't do any hoping between 20 and 60 minutes and pretty much always First Wort Hop.

 

[peter679]

Sounds good, so I'll do th 1/2 of carapils instead of the wheat and use this Hop scheduling.

Thanks!
-P

 

[dcp27]

I wouldnt bother with any carapils. 1) its already in the extract, 2) all crystal aids in head retention & body, so the C80 has that covered, and 3) hops also aid head retention, so that shouldnt be an issue.

 

[peter679]

Ok, so the I think it's going to look like this, unless there's more input:
Recipe:
6.6lbs Coopers Light LME
1lb Light dry malt extract
1lb Briess Caramel 80L
1/2lb cara-pils

hops
1.5 Chinook 60min
.5 Centennial 15 min
.5 Cascade 10 min
.5 Centennial 5
.5 Cascade 0 minutes
.5 Centennial 0 minutes

Dry hop
1.0 cascade 7days
1.0 centennial 7day

Yeast
Wyease California Ale 1056
+1 Whirlfloc tab 5mins

 

[boostsr20]

Looks good.

 

[Yooper]

Toss out the carapils. You have enough crystal malt in there already, so you don't need the carapils. You'll also get mad head retention from the hops so between the hops and the crystal malt, the carapils is superfluous.

Hops and yeast look awesome!

 

[peter679]

Thanks guys! I hope to nail this one, as my last beer was closer to waste water than anything... I'm back in with two feet! and soon after this I have another one that I'll be looking for some help with! Love this place!

Recipe:
6.6lbs Coopers Light LME
1lb Light dry malt extract
1lb Briess Caramel 80L

hops
1.5 Chinook 60min
.5 Centennial 15 min
.5 Cascade 10 min
.5 Centennial 5
.5 Cascade 0 minutes
.5 Centennial 0 minutes

Dry hop
1.0 cascade 7days
1.0 centennial 7day

Yeast
Wyease California Ale 1056
+1 Whirlfloc tab 5mins

 

[peter679]

Just got it in the 1st fermenter, i'll add the hops next saturday etc... I hope it works out well..

Thanks for all the help, hoping I didn't mess it up I get very anal with the cleaner and hope I didn't screw it up with that.

Pete

 

[flatfour64]

Good to hear this batch is under way!

I brew a LOT of IPAs and IIPAs. I find that the least amount of crystal in there the better. If it were me, I would try that recipe again with 1/2 the crystal. If you look to *thee best* IPA ever made, Pliny the Elder, you will note how simple the grain bill is and how little crystal there is. 4 things I like to pay attention to in an IPA recipe:

1. Water profile - gypsum is your friend here!
2. Hop schedule and amount - don't be affraid to double or tripple your late additions, and dry hop in the 4 oz area for 5 gallons
3. Mash low temp for longer periods of time. I like 149-148 for at least 75 min for a nice dry finish. Many of my IPAs start around 1.065-1.075 and finish in the 1.008 area.
4. Yeast - use a clean and neutral yeast, 1056 is my favorite.

Hoppy brewing!

 

[peter679]

I will have to try mashing for longer periods of time.. and my dry hopping will be on friday with .5 chinook/1 cascade/1 centennial . Someone said I may want to dry hop @ 14 days when transfer to my 2ndary... not sure what thought is on that.

Also, I'm searching for some Pliny now I've heard too many good things about it (younger and elder), and I may try looking for a good clone to brew my own.
Thanks! I love me some IPA!