My First All Grain (IPA)

[FlemingsFinest]

Hey guys, so I am going to be attempting my frist AG batch in about a month. I have developed my own IPA recipe. I need some advice/affirmation as far as my mashing is concerned, but any and all advice is welcome for all parts of the recipe. And hey, if you think of a cool name, let me know!

Batch Size: 5 Gallons
Type: All Grain
Target OG: 1.060
Boil Time: 60 Mins
Anticipated Efficiency: 70% (first time AG, let's be realistic)

grains:
9 lb Pale Ale Malt
1.25 lbs Caramel 60
0.6 lbs Vienna Malt
0.9 lbs Victory Malt
.25 lbs Carapils

Mash at 152F.
Mash Volume 4 gallons + 1 gallon for false bottom=5 gallons

MASH TIME?

Sparge with 3.5 gallons of 172F water

Boil
Target Boil Volume: 6 gallons

Hop Additions:

0.5 Oz Centennial 60 min
0.5 Oz Centennial 30 Min
0.25 Oz Cascade 30 Min
0.25 Oz Centennial 15 min
0.25 Oz Cascade 10 Min
0.25 Oz Cascade 5 Min



Primary Ferment
10 days

transfer to secondary

Dry Hop 7 days
1 Oz Cascade
0.25 Oz Centennial

 

[PGHBrew]

That's alot of caramel 60 for an IPA. I would use a half pound or so for a 5 gallon batch. Replace the difference with 2-row.

I typically do not use carapils, but it won't hurt if you leave it in. If it were me I would replace the carapils with 2-row as well.

Move the 30 min. hop additions back to 60 min for bitterness or up to 20 min for flavor (your preference). The 30 min. addition is pretty much only giving bitterness but in a less efficient way. I don't have a calculator to figure out the IBUs right now. Maybe someone else can help with that if you decide to move the 30 min. additions.


Good Luck!

 

[Yooper]

That's alot of caramel 60 for an IPA. I would use a half pound or so for a 5 gallon batch. Replace the difference with 2-row.

I typically do not use carapils, but it won't hurt if you leave it in. If it were me I would replace the carapils with 2-row as well.

Move the 30 min. hop additions back to 60 min for bitterness or up to 20 min for flavor (your preference). The 30 min. addition is pretty much only giving bitterness but in a less efficient way. I don't have a calculator to figure out the IBUs right now. Maybe someone else can help with that if you decide to move the 30 min. additions.


Good Luck!

I agree- too much crystal malt, with the crystal 60 and the carapils. I'd cut the crystal to no more than 1/2 pound or so, unless you really like a sweeter malt backbone, then you could go up to a pound if you insisted. (Total, without the carapils).

That's also a bit too much victory malt, so I'd go down to no more than .5 pound with it.

I don't have any brewing software at work, but I'd target an IBU of 50-55 or so with an OG of 1.060. For a 5 gallon batch, you will probably want to start with more than 6 gallons of boil volume.

I'd mash in with 1.25 quarts per pound of grain, measure those runnings after draining and sparge with enough to get a boil volume of 6.5 gallons. I wouldn't increase the mash volume by a gallon for the false bottom- that'll screw up your enzymes and "dilute" your mash. If you really want a thinner mash, you could go up to 1.5 quarts per pound of grain, but I wouldn't exceed that. You may find that you have to adjust the mash with more hot or cold water, and then have a too-thin mash.

 

[FlemingsFinest]

Okay so I've made revisions, also to my hop schedule. Still unsure about mash time, some advice there would be appreciated. Thanks so much for the previous input, keep it coming!


Batch Size: 5 Gallons
Type: All Grain
Target OG: 1.060
Boil Time: 60 Mins
Anticipated Efficiency: 70% (first time AG, let's be realistic)

grains:
10 lb Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lbs Caramel 60
0.5 lbs Vienna Malt
0.5 lbs Victory Malt
.25 lbs Carapils

Mash at 152F.
Mash Volume 3.75
MASH TIME?

Sparge with enough 172F water to achieve a boil volume of 6.5 gal.

Boil
Target Boil Volume: 6.5 gallons

Hop Additions:

0.50 Oz Centennial 60 min
1.0 Oz Cascade 20 Min
0.75 Oz Centennial 15 min
0.25 Oz Cascade 10 Min
0.50 Oz Cascade 5 Min
0.25 Oz Centennial 2 Min



Primary Ferment
10 days

transfer to secondary

Dry Hop 7 days
0.75 Oz Cascade
0.25 Oz Centennial

 

[FlemingsFinest]

Oh, forgot to mention my Nottingham Yeast!

 

[Yooper]

That should convert just fine in 60 minutes.