American IPA Specific Gravity & Taste

[atomicx6637]

I brewed an American IPA (My Second Home Brew) a little over a week ago and took a sample last night to test the Specific Gravity to see where I stood. The SG came in at 1.010 which was within my target range for the Extract Kit I purchased, I'm waiting to take a couple more measurements tonight and tomorrow to see if it changes. First question, by falling in the target range of what the recipe called for does that mean fermentation is complete? Second question, I tasted the sample and it has no characteristics of an IPA, in fact it didn't have much taste at all, no bitterness, it did smell slightly like an IPA, Am I jumping the gun here by judging it to early?

Thanks
Troy

 

[HopSong]

What kind of kit is it? I doubt the bitterness will change.. that usually stands out.. it's the other characteristics that will mellow and blend. When I worked for a winery, there was an old guy there who had a wonderful comparison when we were doing barrel tasting.. wines that were ready for bottle.. but not ready to drink yet.

He'd say.. this wine tasted good.. but, just like a good stew, if you leave it in the fridge and taste it a few days later.. it's always better. The flavors have a great chance to develop as the components in the stew have a chance to meld.. turning something that is good into something wonderful.

 

[duboman]

If the gravity remains unchanged the yes, fermentation has finished but the conditioning/clean up/clearing phase has just begun so give the beer some time for the yeast to settle out and clear up the beer, IMO a minimum of 2-3 weeks. If you are dry hopping then plan on doing that and FO from there

As for taste, the beer is "green" and not yet carbonated so take little from your sample as it will change as it continues to condition.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Second question, I tasted the sample and it has no characteristics of an IPA, in fact it didn't have much taste at all, no bitterness, it did smell slightly like an IPA, Am I jumping the gun here by judging it to early?

Thanks
Troy

Yes. It's only a ~week old, way too young to judge it's flavor/aroma. If it was an IPA kit, it'll yield an IPA.

As far as 'when it's done', you've got the right idea. Stable gravity readings over 3 or more days that jive with your target FG means fermentation is complete.

 

[atomicx6637]

So, now my IPA is 3 weeks old. I let it sit in the fermenter for those 3 weeks and bottled it just last night. After bottling I gave it a try and it still tastes the same as it did after week one, which is nothing like an IPA. My FG is 1.011 which was in the range of 1.009 - 1.012 that this beer called for.

I'm going to let it sit in the bottles for a couple more weeks, but was wondering should I expect any change in taste as it sits in the bottles?

Thanks
Troy

 

[iambeer]

Can you describe what it does taste like and what expected it to taste like? It will probably taste different once further aged and carbonated but I am curious. Thanks.

 

[billl]

Can you post what hops were in the kit and when you added them?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

So, now my IPA is 3 weeks old. I let it sit in the fermenter for those 3 weeks and bottled it just last night. After bottling I gave it a try and it still tastes the same as it did after week one, which is nothing like an IPA. My FG is 1.011 which was in the range of 1.009 - 1.012 that this beer called for.

I'm going to let it sit in the bottles for a couple more weeks, but was wondering should I expect any change in taste as it sits in the bottles?

Thanks
Troy

It's still to young to judge. You just bottled it. Give it 3-4 weeks at room temps, then fridge, THEN taste it and see. 'Til then, read the threads here on HBT about young or 'green' beer, bottle conditioning homebrew, etc.

 

[atomicx6637]

I will give it some more time and do some addition reading.

The hops were as followed:

1oz Chinook @ 60min
.5oz Columbus @ 60min
1oz Cascade @ 30min
1oz Columbus @ 30min
1oz Amarillo @ 10min

As for the taste if seemed just very bland, I guess I was expecting to taste more of the hops at this point, but that could be me just be a new brewer.

Troy

 

[Yooper]

So, now my IPA is 3 weeks old. I let it sit in the fermenter for those 3 weeks and bottled it just last night. After bottling I gave it a try and it still tastes the same as it did after week one, which is nothing like an IPA. My FG is 1.011 which was in the range of 1.009 - 1.012 that this beer called for.

I'm going to let it sit in the bottles for a couple more weeks, but was wondering should I expect any change in taste as it sits in the bottles?

Thanks
Troy

Carbonation does improve the flavor and body, but if it's not hoppy and bitter it sounds like a flaw of the recipe.

If you post the recipe, we can take a look and see if that's the issue.

 

[Yooper]

I will give it some more time and do some addition reading.

The hops were as followed:

1oz Chinook @ 60min
.5oz Columbus @ 60min
1oz Cascade @ 30min
1oz Columbus @ 30min
1oz Amarillo @ 10min

As for the taste if seemed just very bland, I guess I was expecting to taste more of the hops at this point, but that could be me just be a new brewer.

Troy

That hopping looks bitter, but not hoppy. All of the hops (except the amarillo) are bittering hops. That recipe should be pretty bitter tasting. I'm surprised it isn't.

Did you get a nice hard rolling boil?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I will give it some more time and do some addition reading.

The hops were as followed:

1oz Chinook @ 60min
.5oz Columbus @ 60min
1oz Cascade @ 30min
1oz Columbus @ 30min
1oz Amarillo @ 10min

As for the taste if seemed just very bland, I guess I was expecting to taste more of the hops at this point, but that could be me just be a new brewer.

Troy

Well, time's the main issue, but I can see how that hops schedule could lack in flavor. You want a lot of hops over the last 15-20 mins for big flavor and aroma. For IPA, what I shoot for is ~50 IBU (rager) from the bittering add., or sometimes two bittering adds at say, 60 and 45 mins, or anytime in the first 30 mins of the boil. Then over the last 15 or so mins, I load up of flavor/aroma hops, say ~an oz. at 15, 10, 5 and 0 mins, and I let that flameout addition steep for 10-20 mins before cooling the wort. I also dry hop IPA's, usually from 1-4 ozs of the same type I used at flame out for 5 or so days. My IPA's are usually big on hops flavor and aroma. Keep playing around with it when you brew, and a few IPA's in and you'll have a hop bomb of a beer.!

 

[atomicx6637]

Here is the recipe I followed:

http://thebrewhut.com/recipes-2/

I did a full boil because I have a pot big enough to do that, not sure if that would have made a difference.

Thanks
Troy

 

[atomicx6637]

Thanks, for all the reply's. I will wait to see how it turns out in a couples of week and then look forward to my next batch.