1st IPA....opinions?

[USCG]

This is my first shot at my own extract IPA. Looking for opinions on the setup....especially on the hop additions. This is a 5 Gallon batch




1.5 lbs – American 2 row
8 oz – Cara Hell
8 oz – Cara Vienne

6.6 lbs Extra Light LME

Safale US-05 yeast with no starter

1oz Columbus @ 60 minutes
1oz Columbus @ 45 minutes
2oz Nugget @ 15 min
2oz Cascade @ 1 min

I've only used Columbus so far

Any opinions?!

 

[boxofjibboo]

My only suggestion is no need for the 2 row. It's a base malt do it needs to be mashed. Used in all grain instead of extract

 

[NineMilBill]

Is this a partial mash brew? I see the 2-row...

 

[keon]

If you are doing just and extract brew then the 2-row would be covered by the DME and only the specialty grains would be needed. Just personal preference, but I look at Nugget as more of a bittering hop and would tie in more flavor/aroma hops like Amarillo or Centennial which also go great with Cascade. I typically add those at 15 min and turn off with really good results.

 

[bobbrews]

I like 2-row in partial mash IPAs. I personally think it adds to the beer's character vs. using plain extract.

I like the overall recipe minus the caravienne. Though you don't have enough late hops for a 5 gallon batch of IPA (especially if you're doing a 3 gallon boil). I would move the Nugget to dryhop and move the meaningless 45 min Columbus addition to 10 minutes. With these adjustments, this is more of an aromatic & hoppy APA. However, as is you will have about a 5.4% abv APA with 100+ IBUs and low hop aroma... not good.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

With these adjustments, this is more of an aromatic & hoppy APA. However, as is you will have about a 5.4% abv APA with 100+ IBUs and low hop aroma... not good.

I agree, that's a very bitter beer. For my IPA's, I like to shoot for ~50 IBU from the bittering addition and then really load up on the late hops, you're going for flavor and aroma here. A typical hops schedule for my IPA's is:

50 IBU from Horizon or Magnum @ 60 min
~1 oz 'C' hops @ 15
~1 oz 'C' hops @ 10
~1 oz 'C' hops @ 5
~1 oz 'C' hops @ flameout, steeped for ~15 mins before chilling
~2 oz of the flameout hops for a ~7 day dry hop

Some of my favorite flavor/aroma hops for IPA are Simcoe, amarillo, cascade, chinook, centennial, columbus.

 

[sweetcell]

you need to dry-hop if you want to call this an IPA.

I look at Nugget as more of a bittering hop

agreed, but nugget is actually pretty high in myrcene so using it as a late addition isn't so crazy.

I like 2-row in partial mash IPAs. I personally think it adds to the beer's character vs. using plain extract.

+1. even in small quantities, 2-row can contribute a lot to an extract brew. OP, keep that 2-row in there. and on your next brew start increasing the percentage of 2-row

as others have mentioned you need to properly mash 2-row. you can't just steep it like crystal.