A recommendation for a novice?

[Plinythelderphan]

Hello friends,

First time to the forum, what a great community! I am a beginning brewer looking for a bit of advice. I've read 2 books, 2 brewing guides, and perused countless recipes...I think I'm ready to take the training wheels off and brew.

My question is a simple one: I'm a huge IPA fan, as you can tell by my handle in homage to the world's greatest beer! Despite having the recipe for Pliny The Elder, I'm not quite there yet...I'm wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a first batch IPA? Something that will encourage developing skills and not discourage inexperience.

My favorites: Goose Island IPA, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Celebration, and Anniversary Ales, as well as some of Wisconsin finer contributions.

Thanks in advance!

 

[logan3825]

Try a Northern Brewer IPA kit or do the Piny the Elder recipe. It will not be to hard. Hoppy beers are actually a little easier in my opinion. The hops tend to hide other flaws. You can probably use US-05 for it.

 

[Uziyahu]

If you haven't brewed before, I'd recommend getting a kit from your LHBS or ordering one from a place like Northern Brewer. I've done a few of NB's kits and they have all turned out excellent.

I still am in my novice days of brewing with only a few batches under my belt. I liked having the kits so I could focus on learning the process and making sure that I wasn't screwing anything up without worrying about the recipe.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I find a tasty IPA to be really easy to brew (a stellar one is a bit more of a challenge). Base with pale malt extract, a pound or so of corn sugar to dry it out, steep a half pound of some medium crystal grains (C40 or C60), and then a boatload of "C" hops (a combination of Columbus, Chinook, Cascade, and/or Centennial), some at 60, 30, 15, 10, 5, and flame out, and then 3 or so ounces for dry hopping after fermentation, ferment with US-05 in the mid 60's, and you're good to go.

But I'd agree with buying a kit (even if most of the IPA kits I've seen will roughly be the above).

 

[logan3825]

I find a tasty IPA to be really easy to brew (a stellar one is a bit more of a challenge). Base with pale malt extract, a pound or so of corn sugar to dry it out, steep a half pound of some medium crystal grains (C40 or C60), and then a boatload of "C" hops (a combination of Columbus, Chinook, Cascade, and/or Centennial), some at 60, 30, 15, 10, 5, and flame out, and then 3 or so ounces for dry hopping after fermentation, ferment with US-05 in the mid 60's, and you're good to go.

But I'd agree with buying a kit (even if most of the IPA kits I've seen will roughly be the above).

I don't like 30m additions. They are no mans land for hops. Don't add much bittering and add very little flavor since it mostly boils of.

 

[billl]

I would disagree that Pliny would be a good "first beer." Higher ABV beers are less forgiving of fermentation mistakes.

If you like IPA, you can buy a kit or find a simple recipe online (or in one of your books.) Just pick a regular IPA and not a IIPA. A kit is just a recipe that someone put in a box. It's a convenient way to start, but it isn't that much harder to order the items off of a recipe list. If you have a local homebrew shop, you can just print off a recipe and bring it to them and they'll hook you up.

 

[logan3825]

As long as the temp is ok it would be a pretty easy beer. Just pitch the proper amount of yeast and keep the temp right. 2 packs of dry would be easily enough. The only real problem would be patience. Hops will cover a lot of small mistakes. If you want something a little sooner then go with a normalish gravity beer.

 

[helibrewer]

I don't like 30m additions. They are no mans land for hops. Don't add much bittering and add very little flavor since it mostly boils of.

I agree, add all the bittering at 60 mins and everything else goes in at 10 min or less (in whatever interval you choose) You could even add the bittering hops to the kettle water while brining it up to temp, kind of an extract First Wort Hopping.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I agree, add all the bittering at 60 mins and everything else goes in at 10 min or less (in whatever interval you choose) You could even add the bittering hops to the kettle water while brining it up to temp, kind of an extract First Wort Hopping.

I can see what y'all are saying about 30 mins, but I find that spreading them out over the last 30 gives a well rounded hop character (I suppose over the last 20 minutes would do the same, I do it either way), but I find if it's only in the last 10 minutes it ends up kind of one dimensional.

That's my 2c, but to each their own.

 

[E-Mursed]

Go with a simple Pale Ale, Hefe, or Stout.

Use a simple recipe that is not to complicated and straight forward.
A recipe with 10 hop additions is not the best for your initial foray into brewing.
Pick a recipe based on something you enjoy for a particular reason and try to capture that element in your brewing.

Having success on your first brew and learning the steps involved through doing are going to make for a great first step.