Amarillo/Simcoe IPA

[kchomebrew]

Just got back from a vacation out in San Diego and of course was able to try quite a few different west coast style IPAs. Of the many I tried, I was most impressed with the ones that utilized amarillo/simcoe combinations. As such, this is my own take on a west coast type of IPA that I'll be brewing this weekend:

16 gal. preboil vol. / final vol. 12.48
OG 1.066, FG ~1.013, SRM 6.0, ABV 6.95%

Grains:
85% 2 Row
7% White Wheat Malt
4% Caravienne
4% Carapils
** mash 148F 90m **
** 90m boil **
Hop Schedule:
10ml Hopshot extract - 60m
2 oz. Amarillo - 10m
2 oz. Simcoe - 10m
3 oz. Amarillo - knockout
3 oz. Simcoe - knockout
2 oz. Amarillo - added 190F - hop stand 30m
2 oz. Simcoe - added 190F - hop stand 30m
** Hopback 1.5oz Amarillo / 1.5oz Simcoe whole leaf **
Dry hop schedule:
Dry hop 1 -
3 oz. Amarillo for 4 days
3 oz. Simcoe for 4 days
Dry hop 2 -
3 oz. Amarillo for 3 days
3 oz. Simcoe for 3 days

will use US05 or maybe WLP090 if I can get ahold of it.

I'm estimating the IBUs right around 68 to 70 IBUs. Knockout additions of hops usually contribute 10% utilization and anything added post boil under 190F is usually between 1-5% utilization. All in all this will be approx. 2 lbs of hops used in this recipe. I've read that most of the west coast IPAs are using about 2 lbs of dry hops p/barrel. This recipe puts me pretty close to that.

 

[adrock430]

I think you can 4 oz total @ KO and dryhop. I don't know if the aroma intensity between 6 and 4 will be noticeable enough to merit the extra hops. Looks good tho.

 

[Jayhem]

West Coast IPA's are always super dry. I wouldn't use more than 5% total "Cara-malts" If you want to darken it a bit use 2oz of Caraffa III or Midnight wheat added to the mash right before sparging to give a slight copper color.

Just use the US-05. You want a clean fermenting yeast for a west coast IPA and it won't matter which strain as the hops will overwhelm any yeast character differences between the clean ale yeast strains.

Sounds good! I have made only one IPA with Simcoe and it paired will with Amarillo and Citra.

 

[kchomebrew]

West Coast IPA's are always super dry. I wouldn't use more than 5% total "Cara-malts" If you want to darken it a bit use 2oz of Caraffa III or Midnight wheat added to the mash right before sparging to give a slight copper color.

Just use the US-05. You want a clean fermenting yeast for a west coast IPA and it won't matter which strain as the hops will overwhelm any yeast character differences between the clean ale yeast strains.

Sounds good! I have made only one IPA with Simcoe and it paired will with Amarillo and Citra.

Agree with you. I'm using caravienne at 4% which is 24L. Carapils is only being used for body and head retention and it's at 1.5L, which should not contribute any flavor or color changes. SRM should be right 6.0 on this one. I like my IPAs to be lighter in color. I'll be using US05 on this one. It is my go to yeast on IPAs and LHBS didn't have WLP090 in stock.

 

[kchomebrew]

I think you can 4 oz total @ KO and dryhop. I don't know if the aroma intensity between 6 and 4 will be noticeable enough to merit the extra hops. Looks good tho.

I'm on board with your statement and you are correct. I doubt it will do much for the aroma. Main reason I added in that much was to contribute the right amount of bitterness from late additions. With approx. 10% utilization at KO, and about 3% utilization at 190F whirlpool/hopstand, this gets me to the 68-70IBU range without making the IPA a harsh bitterness ( I like getting about 30% to 40% of the IBUs from late additions), which is what I'm going for. And, I have the extra hops available...so might as well !!

 

[kchomebrew]

Well, hell. I looked at the grain bill from LHBS and instead of giving me Carapils, I got Caramel Pils Cara 8, which is 6.0L and the Caravienne is 20L. Anyway, no big deal. Shouldn't be too much different. With the wheat malt in the grain bill, head retention ought to be okay even though CaraPils isn't included.

 

[adrock430]

Can you expand on how you calc. KO/Hopstand adds? Also, you go to 1:1 OG:IBU for your IPAs, even with a bunch of IBUs coming from late hops. Interested to hear more...

 

[kchomebrew]

Can you expand on how you calc. KO/Hopstand adds? Also, you go to 1:1 OG:IBU for your IPAs, even with a bunch of IBUs coming from late hops. Interested to hear more...

I do 10% utilization for knockout additions and approx 3% utilization for 190f hop stand. Plenty of articles out there supporting these utilization %'s at these intervals. Beer was about 55 IBUs before knockout. I estimate high on utilization so that I don't get something too over the top. It's approx 68 IBUs but could be as low as 63 or as high as 70. I won't know for sure.



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[ArcticBrewer]

Recipe looks great and tasty, but I would concur with the previous comment on dialing back your cara malts a bit, since you are aiming for a west coast IPA on the dry side

 

[kchomebrew]

Recipe looks great and tasty, but I would concur with the previous comment on dialing back your cara malts a bit, since you are aiming for a west coast IPA on the dry side

It should be dry since I'm mashing at 148F. Maybe I should add in corn sugar to further dry it out ? I'm optimistic this isn't over the top. I see a whole lot of west coast style IPAs using crystal type malts in amounts of 4-8%. So I'm hopeful I haven't gone off the range here. Specifically, caravienne and crystal 10 (Sculpin IPA), crystal 30/40 (I believe that's what's in Green Flash West Coast IPA and Alpine Duet), Crystal 60 (Sierra Nevada Torpedo), etc. I know I'm using Caravienne (20L) at 4% and unfortunately Cara 8 (6.0L) at 4%...wanted CaraPils (damnit), but this is actually less crystal malt than a Sculpin IPA clone which has Caravienne and Crystal 10L at similar ratios of 4% and approx. 8% respectively. But yes. I would have been really happy not having the Cara 8 in the recipe.

 

[Roadie]

Sounds good; let me know how it works out.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

Finished up the brew day and pretty much everything went according to plan. I did make some tweaks to the recipe and I'll post those. One thing that was a first for me was using a ph meter. I just purchased a Hanna Instrument ph meter and so this is the really the first time I got a solid idea of what the ph on the mash and sparge water has been. I've never adjusted the ph of sparge water, mostly because I never knew exactly what it was. I was able to bring it down to 6.10 with some 88% lactic acid. I also took some readings on the mash. Mash was 5.58. So I added in some 88% lactic acid for that and brought it down to 5.35. Pre boil ph was 5.35. I've used ph strips for the longest time and have put off buying a ph meter due to cost and needs to purchase a lot of other things. I'm very interested to see what this will do to the overall end product. The ph strips have always noted I'm in a good range, so it's possible nothing will be different despite making some minor changes with lactic acid.

Anyway, OG came in at 1.064, which was a tad low since I expected is to be 1.066. Not a big deal and not sure why I came up short.

Grains:
85% 2 Row
7% White Wheat Malt
4% Caravienne
4% Cara 8
** mash 149F 90m **
** 90m boil **
Hop Schedule:
10ml Hopshot extract - 60m
2 oz. Amarillo - 10m
2 oz. Simcoe - 10m
3 oz. Amarillo - knockout
3 oz. Simcoe - knockout
2.5 oz. Amarillo - added 190F - hop stand 30m
2.5 oz. Simcoe - added 190F - hop stand 30m
** Hopback 1.5oz Amarillo / 1.5oz Simcoe whole leaf **

- chilled to 64F , aerated for 90sec., pitched US05 yeast

- will ferment at ambient room temp of 64F in basement (ferment temp will likely be 67/68F). 2 weeks primary, secondary for 1.5 weeks.

Dry hop schedule for secondary:
Dry hop 1 -
3 oz. Amarillo for 4 days
3 oz. Simcoe for 4 days
Dry hop 2 -
3 oz. Amarillo for 3 days
3 oz. Simcoe for 3 days

 

[Roadie]

Wow almost 2 lbs of hops total. Is this for 10 gallons?

I'm a Ph slacker too and haven't tested what it is. I use 100% RO so not sure the sparge water Ph would mean much but would be nice to know if spreadsheets are correct in my salt additions preboil.

Amarillo is one if my favs and my son loves Simcoe so interested in how final product comes out.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

Wow almost 2 lbs of hops total. Is this for 10 gallons?

I'm a Ph slacker too and haven't tested what it is. I use 100% RO so not sure the sparge water Ph would mean much but would be nice to know if spreadsheets are correct in my salt additions preboil.

Amarillo is one if my favs and my son loves Simcoe so interested in how final product comes out.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

Yep. 10 gal batch. I'll keep you posted. Fermentation has taken off and have a good krausen forming right now.


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[Bauerbrews]

Yep. 10 gal batch. I'll keep you posted. Fermentation has taken off and have a good krausen forming right now.


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Fellow KC brewer here, hello! Recipe looks solid. Amarillo is one of my favorite flavor/aroma hops. I've only just begun experimenting with Simcoe, but everything I've had so far seems great for giving that nice pine characteristic. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out for ya. I'm sensing heavy dank, resinous, citrus aromas/flavors!

 

[kchomebrew]

Fellow KC brewer here, hello! Recipe looks solid. Amarillo is one of my favorite flavor/aroma hops. I've only just begun experimenting with Simcoe, but everything I've had so far seems great for giving that nice pine characteristic. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out for ya. I'm sensing heavy dank, resinous, citrus aromas/flavors!

My hope is it will end up like that ! I'll keep posting notes and photos when this is ready.


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[kchomebrew]

Moved to secondary today and added first round of dry hops. Will let those go for 4 days and add second round for 3 days and then cold crash for 3 days and keg. Gravity is at 1.012. Sampled and aroma isn't much to speak of yet but I'm sure that will change with the dry hop ratio of 1.25 oz per gallon. Taste on the other hand eludes to a nice orange piney flavor. Bitterness is very nice. Smooth but strongly noticeable. Absent vegetal harshness I've had in prior IPAs.


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[Roadie]

Awesome. Glad it's working out.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

Added in 2nd rnd of dry hops. One carboy got 2oz of Amarillo and 1 oz of simcoe. Other carboy got 1oz each of simcoe, Amarillo, and mosaic. Will cold crash later this week and then keg.


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[adrock430]

Sounds awesome, would love to hear more about the effect of pH on hoppy beers

 

[TheZymurgist]

This looks fabulous. I have a similar recipe that uses Citra, Cascade, and Amarillo, at about the same hopping rates. If you can get a hold of some Conan yeast, it will make this recipe. Check out The Yeast Bay's Vermont Ale. It's a little more expensive, but it's definitely worth it, and will add an awesome complexity to this recipe.

 

[philosofool]

For what it's worth, I've brewed basically the recipe you're brewing and it's my go-to base for making IPA. I always tweek, but the Ballast Point Simcoe-Amarillo hopping is amazing. I'm brewing a IIPA with some Chinook and Wilamette, but mostly Simcoe-Amarillo on Wednesday.

By the way, someone suggested adding sugar and I am completely opposed to this practice. Getting alcohol from sugar instead of malt will make a beer drier, fermenting with a dry yeast (such as WLP 001) will do it, using less crystal and other grain that imparts sweetness will do it, but adding alcohol (which is all you add by using more sugar) won't do it. Adding alcohol will reduce body, but it it won't really reduce residual sweetness. If you don't believe me, add 3mL of everclear to an IPA and see if that makes it drier.

 

[ddrrseio]

give the 090 a shot when you can. i've been using it recently for my hoppier beers and have been very happy.

 

[jmccraney]

give the 090 a shot when you can. i've been using it recently for my hoppier beers and have been very happy.

Huh, I was actually happier with Chico in my ipa. I did a split batch and found they tasted very similar, but Chico was "brighter" and "fresher", probably from some fruity esters. After some age they seemed to converge though.

 

[kchomebrew]

Cold crash has begun. Will keg this weekend and should be ready this time next week.


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[kchomebrew]

Kegged both batches today. Batch with some mosaic dry hop was cloudier than the Amarillo simcoe only mix. FG was 1.012 for both. Added gelatin and will carb up for a week. Aroma and flavor samples were quite nice but hard to tell exactly what this will be like once carbed up


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[Roadie]

I'm brewing a wheat today that will be dryhopped with Simcoe/Amarillo.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

I'm brewing a wheat today that will be dryhopped with Simcoe/Amarillo.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

What ratio of oz of hops to gallons will you be going with ?


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[DarthCitra]

Kegged both batches today. Batch with some mosaic dry hop was cloudier than the Amarillo simcoe only mix. FG was 1.012 for both. Added gelatin and will carb up for a week. Aroma and flavor samples were quite nice but hard to tell exactly what this will be like once carbed up


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what does the gelatin do? ive never heard of that.

 

[WI_Wino]

what does the gelatin do? ive never heard of that.

Gelatin will help strip out particles in suspension (yeast, trub bits, hop particles, etc.) and clear the beer

 

[DarthCitra]

Gelatin will help strip out particles in suspension (yeast, trub bits, hop particles, etc.) and clear the beer

the the ratio for the gelatin? this might be a better way to filter out the trub. Ive been trying to be careful when racking but some always gets through, i was about to throw a fine nylon bag to filter it out but this sounds easier. Do you need to cold crash with the gelatin, I dont have room to cold crash or else i would.

 

[WI_Wino]

Gelatin works best when used in combination of a cold crash. There are many threads that detail the technique but basically you mix the gelatin powder with hot (not boiling water), let it stand for 15 minutes or so, then add to your beer. Cold crashing helps speed up the clarification process.

 

[GHBWNY]

Gelatin works best when used in combination of a cold crash. There are many threads that detail the technique but basically you mix the gelatin powder with hot (not boiling water), let it stand for 15 minutes or so, then add to your beer. Cold crashing helps speed up the clarification process.

I read recently to mix the gel solution in with the priming sugar solution before bottling. While I've always added gel during cold-crash, is there a difference between clearing before bottling and clearing after/during bottling?

 

[WI_Wino]

I've only used gelatin a couple of times personally. I would think that adding during bottling would lead to more junk in your beer. Clearing in the carboy before bottling should lead to less bottle sediment.

 

[Roadie]

What ratio of oz of hops to gallons will you be going with ?


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For dryhop 1 oz. of Amarillo and 1 oz. of Simcoe for 5 gallons.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

For dryhop 1 oz. of Amarillo and 1 oz. of Simcoe for 5 gallons.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

That's funny. I did a hefe brew last year and split the batch - half with hefe yeast and half with chico yeast and dry hopped the chico batch with the same amounts. Turned out excellent. You will enjoy it !

 

[kchomebrew]

Tried a sample off the keg tonight. Not completely carbonated...but basically there...and WOW ! Best IPA I've ever made. I can already say that. Aroma and hop flavor profile remind me of the spicy/citrusy flavor of sculpin and the aroma is totally spot on from what I recall Alpine Duet being when I visited the brewery in early April. Going to resist the urge to keep taking samples and let this one carbonate out till Sat. or Sun. and then will post some photos and tasting notes. Way excited about how this turned out !

 

[Roadie]

That's funny. I did a hefe brew last year and split the batch - half with hefe yeast and half with chico yeast and dry hopped the chico batch with the same amounts. Turned out excellent. You will enjoy it !

Yeah I used Chico too; WLP001. Last wheat I used 001 on had some diacetyl as I fermented at 68-69. This time I'm fermenting at 65. Had to switch to blow-off hose today. Also I'll probably do a D-rest at 70 on this one.



Almost Famous Brewing Company

 

[kchomebrew]

Yeah I used Chico too; WLP001. Last wheat I used 001 on had some diacetyl as I fermented at 68-69. This time I'm fermenting at 65. Had to switch to blow-off hose today. Also I'll probably do a D-rest at 70 on this one.


Almost Famous Brewing Company

Good call. Sounds like you've got a plan that should result in a nice hoppy wheat session ale.

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[kchomebrew]

I'll have to get a photo of this beer in regular sunlight. You can see how clean and clear this one is. Aroma, taste and body on this beer are excellent. Orangey pine spice is the best way to describe aroma/taste. More so than that, this is the best beer and certainly the best IPA I've ever made from a taste/aroma, clarity, body/mouthfeel perspective and I attribute that to control of the pH with the new pH meter I purchased. I'm very excited to try brewing some other styles and see what happens. More photos to come.




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