I'm wanting to brew a low ABV IPA (or perhaps better named a hoppy Pale Ale). I've been waffling between whether or not to make it 3.5% or 4.5% (my current recipe is at 4.4%)
Regardless, I'm trying to determine how best to balance the hoppiness I want with the low ABV. I don't want it to be crazy bitter, but clearly hoppy. My current thought process has me trying to create something with a nice malt backbone to balance the hops.
Here's the current sketch. All suggestions welcome.
3.5 gallon batch
est. OG: 1.043
est. FG: 1.010
4.5 lb American 2-Row
.5lb Crystal 40
6oz Belgian Aromatic
2oz Rye Malt
Mash at 153° for 1 hour.
Raise to 167° for 15 minutes.
90 minute boil.
.25oz Chinook @ 60
.1 oz Amarillo @ 30
Starting at 15 minutes, continually hop at additional .25 oz of Amarillo (I would add one pellet ever minute, gradually increasing the number of pellets as I get closer to flame out.)
Ferment with California Ale yeast, 9 days, 70°
Cold crash 2 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with .5 oz of Cascade, 2 days.
Regardless, I'm trying to determine how best to balance the hoppiness I want with the low ABV. I don't want it to be crazy bitter, but clearly hoppy. My current thought process has me trying to create something with a nice malt backbone to balance the hops.
Here's the current sketch. All suggestions welcome.
3.5 gallon batch
est. OG: 1.043
est. FG: 1.010
4.5 lb American 2-Row
.5lb Crystal 40
6oz Belgian Aromatic
2oz Rye Malt
Mash at 153° for 1 hour.
Raise to 167° for 15 minutes.
90 minute boil.
.25oz Chinook @ 60
.1 oz Amarillo @ 30
Starting at 15 minutes, continually hop at additional .25 oz of Amarillo (I would add one pellet ever minute, gradually increasing the number of pellets as I get closer to flame out.)
Ferment with California Ale yeast, 9 days, 70°
Cold crash 2 days.
Rack to secondary and dry hop with .5 oz of Cascade, 2 days.