Your thoughts and feedback for a sessionable IPA

[PeekDesign]

Hi guys,

I recently thought of brewing a Session IPA, so an IPA with low alcohol and high bitterness/hoppiness. I've read some topics on this forum

Finally - a good "session" IPA

American IPA Purring Kitten Session IPA

"Session" IPA's - let's hear it!

Session IPA recipe advice

Some of the malts in the recipes are (in my hometown) more difficult to acquire and I had some leftover malts I was hoping to put in use.

Can you please comment on what you think of my recipe:

63,3% Pale Ale Malt (7 EBC);
20% Münich(15 EBC);
11% Pale Crystal Malt (60 EBC);
5,6% Cara-pils (4 EBC);

how do you feel about the combination of flavours? Should I up the Cara-pils to get more thickness. I am looking to make a dry, malty sessionable. I worry if the maltyness in my recipe is enough and if the hops don't pop out too excessively (mainly because of the Nelson Sauvin which is a power house)

Batch is 6.34 gallons (which is 24 liters). I am not doing any water handling. The water from mytap is pretty clean and solid, so no issues there.

EBC 17 (i would like to stay under 20)
IBU 41 (i would like to stay under 50)

Mash @ 153 for 60 minutes

OG = 1.041
FG = 1.010
ABV = 4.0%

I am thinking about cooking for 75 minutes

Hops
a. First wort hop
0,38oz Pacifica (8.2 IBU)
0,26oz Summit (15.8 IBU)

b. flavour hop (last 20 minutes)
0,71oz Pacifica (7.9 IBU)
0,35oz Nelson Sauvin (9.2 IBU)

c. Dryhop for 5 days
2,11oz Pacifica (0.0 IBU)
2,11oz Nelson Sauvin (0.0 IBU)

how do you feel about the combination of flavours? It's fruity and bitter. But I have not used this combo before and never used Pacifica and Summit. I also worry about balancing

As a yeast I am thinking about using US-05 or WLP001 (but I believe them to be from the same strain). I also read about the English strains that are recommended

Hope to hear from you!

Thanks, guys!

 

[treebeerd]

I'd say lower the crystal to around the same as your cara-pils addition, I think you'll get enough malt flavor for what you're looking for. Other than that I think your malt bill looks fairly good. In my session IPA I add flaked rye, to add beta glucans, and up the mouth feel a little.

Also, I don't add any bittering hops, I just overload the 20 and 10 minute additions to get the IBU to where I want it, that way all the hops used in the recipe are contributing to flavor. As far as the varieties of hops you have chosen, I cannot say how they'll work together, but I would think it would be good.

I currently use S-04 (English) to try to keep some malt character, but I don't think there would be a real problem with an American yeast.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Good advice treebeerd! I might lower the crystal a little and use something light (20-40 Lovibond...I don't know EBC) and I like using flaked rye or flaked oats for mouthfeel as well. I usually toss in a pound. Love the Munich in there!
And the hops look good too. Never used Pacifica but Nelson is one of my all time favorite hops. Why do you call it a powerhouse? I always considered it a very subtle and flavorful hop. I have gone to a small charge of first wort hops (usually Warrior) and then load up on whirlpool hops at the end, then dry hop. I get smooth bitterness with tons of flavor and aroma. Just my 2 cents, let us know how it turns out 🍻

 

[DemonsRun]

like using flaked rye or flaked oats for mouthfeel as well.... 🍻

I love rye in my Session IPAs! really feels like a bigger beer, it helps to balance the hops because the ABV is not there to do it.

 

[PeekDesign]

Thanks for the fast respond, guys! I will adjust the Crystal (I basically upped the crystal to get a nice colour in the beer). Downgrading the Crystal makes the beer (as far as I can tell) rather yellow-y-goldish in stead of the more deeper brown/red.

Would you just leave it like that or is that the reason why you would add a 20-40 Lovibond malt?I am basically looking for a malt which gives little sweetness/caramel flavour, a good maltiness but gives the darker colour to the beer.

I will look into the rye, since I have never used it. But it doesn't look to be a whole lot different to other malts? You have to boil it on forehand?

@TANSTAAFB: I believe the Neslon should not be used excessively because of the amount of flavour it can give. But correct me if I'm wrong The EBC is basically the European Lovibond. Something like grams vs ounces and the difference in metric system).

 

[JordanKnudson]

My thought is that you will want to use a higher proportion of Pacifica in the dry hop to stand up to the Nelson. I love Pacifica, but I have found that it can be easily overwhelmed by these super punchy hops like Nelson, Mosaic, Citra, etc.

 

[PeekDesign]

that's a nice respond. I adjusted a little bit

67,5% Pale Ale Malt (7 EBC);
23,7% Münich(15 EBC);
5,9% Cara-pils (4 EBC);
3,0% Crystal Wheat Malt (330 EBC);

this creates 19 EBC (colour), which is around 7.7 L

OG = 1.039
FG = 1.009
ABV = 3.9%

and for the hops

I added the amount Summit as a flavour hop instead of a bitterhop and upped the Pacifica vs Neslon in a near 2:1 ratio in the dry hopping stage

 

[TANSTAAFB]

If you want to add a little color you can always toss a 1-2 oz of a dark malt. Dehusked Carafa or midnight wheat are ideal but even black patent or roasted barley would be such a small part of the grain bill you won't taste the bitterness but you will get some nice red colors. And you can buy things like flaked rye, oats, & wheat at the health food store if that is easier than LHBS. A lot of times I just use Quaker quick oats if I'm just looking for fuller mouthfeel and head retention (phrasing!)

 

[Ike]

Subbed; if for no other reason than the awesome bit of research into similar threads that is listed in the first post!

 

[PeekDesign]

Great, thanks, Ike!

Okay. I put a bit of extra time in this recipe. I cancelled the Summit (I would have to buy an entire batch of 125 grams for just a couple of grams in the recipe), figured I just add more Pacifica and Nelson. So there is now

1,038 SG
6,9 L
40 IBU

Pale Ale malt71,4 %
Münich malt 19,0 %
Cara-pils 4,8 %
Crystal wheat malt 4,8 %

Mash @ 153 for 60 minutes

15,0 g Pacifica first wort hop
35,0 g Pacifica 20 min.
15,0 g Nelson Sauvin 20 min.
100,0 g Pacifica dryhop
65,0 g Nelson Sauvin dryhop

Still thinking if I should use US-05 or S-04 as a yeast.

How do you feel this would turn out?

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Only 2 things I would change if I were brewing it (and I just might &#129304
1# flaked oats or rye for mouthfeel and move the 20 minute additions to the very end as whirlpool hops. I wanna drink this!

 

[Redlantern]

Thanks for the fast respond, guys! I will adjust the Crystal (I basically upped the crystal to get a nice colour in the beer). Downgrading the Crystal makes the beer (as far as I can tell) rather yellow-y-goldish in stead of the more deeper brown/red.

Would you just leave it like that or is that the reason why you would add a 20-40 Lovibond malt?I am basically looking for a malt which gives little sweetness/caramel flavour, a good maltiness but gives the darker colour to the beer.

.

If color is important, one ounce of Midnight wheat will help out. No flavor from it in that qty, but it will add color. With the Munich and a few % of 40 or less crystal, malt flavor will not be a problem.

 

[jjeffers09]

Looks good to me.

 

[PeekDesign]

Only 2 things I would change if I were brewing it (and I just might �&#56600
1# flaked oats or rye for mouthfeel and move the 20 minute additions to the very end as whirlpool hops. I wanna drink this!

Thanks, guys!

I still need to look into how to use the rye and oats.
@TANSTAAFB: it would be a compliment if you are goint to brew this recipe, Im gonna try it out on Sunday (if delivery drops by tomorrow)

Thanks for the response, guys!

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Thanks, guys!

I still need to look into how to use the rye and oats.
@TANSTAAFB: it would be a compliment if you are goint to brew this recipe, Im gonna try it out on Sunday (if delivery drops by tomorrow)

Thanks for the response, guys!

If you get flaked grains they have been minimally processed so just get tossed into the mash and pretty much dissolve. The enzymes in the malts will be more than enough to convert the starch in the flaked grains.
Can't wait to hear how this turns out! I have a bunch of Nelson but have not brewed with Pacifica yet. I'll either have to track some down, find a sub, or go all NS!!!

 

[PeekDesign]

I brew a test batch this weekend (about a gallon). I'll let you guys know how it works out. The wort is fermenting right now. I added a little too much yeast. Hopefully it won't affect the flavor too much. I was wondering if the low SG would mean fermentation would start slowly, but no way: fermentation started really quickly (just a couple hours). The wort/beer has a very milky-caramel-like colour right now, but I think it's due to yeastgrowth.

I'll let you know how this turned out in a couple of weeks (maybe with a short update in the meanwhile)

 

[Radboud]

You should enter this one in a contest!

 

[PeekDesign]

There is a Session IPA-contest in the Netherlands, Radboud. In Limburg. If this one works out well I'm gonna subscribe, they (Brand) specifically ask for a Session IPA so that's why Im experimenting

 

[PeekDesign]

Fermentation looks done... FG is 1.009 (started with 1.032), flavour doesnt taste right. The bitternes is not balanced enough, it's too much. I think I'll drop the bitterhops and just do flavour hops. That bounces off about 10 points of IBU. Maybe I could add some dark wheat malt to create some spicyness or a little bit extra of the Cara Pils and Crystal Wheat to give it some more bread-like flavour

In that case you'll get - in theory - spicy/malty, bitter, fruity, lingering bitterness?

Or a little out off the box: adding a little Special B? About 200 grams?

The hop is a good combo btw! Just smelling the beer makes you wanna taste it

 

[Radboud]

There is a Session IPA-contest in the Netherlands, Radboud. In Limburg. If this one works out well I'm gonna subscribe, they (Brand) specifically ask for a Session IPA so that's why Im experimenting

I know, I'm in it as well. Spying on your recipe here hehe.

Keep in mind they also want to see an apparent attenuation of 75-90%. I hear if you 'fail' the lab tests for the given parameters you have a large chance of not even reaching the judging round. You might want to mash a little lower and depend on the cara and munich and water profile for body.

 

[Redlantern]

Thought your IBU/gravity ratio was off. Drop about half your bittering or raise your gravity.

1.032 is just way to low to be carrying 41 IBU. Nothing else will show up in that.

For something that light, my thoughts would be to do a neutral bittering like Magnum for a total IBU of 25, and the and the rest at or after flameout.

Probably like 12 grams at flame out, 50 grams at 70°C and dry hop 50 grams

 

[PeekDesign]

Great response, thanks! Im gonna try again

 

[PeekDesign]

Hi guys,

Not my intention to bump an old topic, but based on your advice I adjusted my recipe and it turned out GREAT!!! I am really pleased with the result.

Just would like to share (my initial post was a little messy):

total batch 23 liter

OG 1.042
FG 1.010

mash water 15.9 liter
2.276g Pale Ale Malt
1.138g Munich
0.243g Crystal Wheat Malt
0.243 Cara Pils Malt

Sparge water
13.54 liter

Mash
62 Degrees for 20 minutes
72 Degrees for 30 minutes
78 Degrees for 5 minutes

boil 90 minutes

Hops
9.1g Mosaic FWH
11g Pacifica Hopstand 60 minutes
11g Nelson Sauvin Hopstand 60 minutes
11g Mosaic Hopstand 60 minutes
11g Pacifica Hopstand from 85 Degrees for 30 minutes
11g Nelson Sauvin Hopstand from 85 Degrees for 30 minutes
11g Mosaic Hopstand from 85 Degrees for 30 minutes
15g Pacifica Dryhop
15g Nelson Sauvin Dryhop
15g Mosaic Dryhop

Addittions
3,8g Irish Moss (is that how it's called in English?!)

Yeast
11,5g US-05