Big(?) IPA

[pcollins]

Any thoughts on this? This is big for me--which is why I put the question mark in the title --but looking at some of the recipes here I realize that my tastes or concepts often differ from many people's. It's what makes the world go around.

10.5 lbs Pale LME
1 lb crystal 15 (steeped)
1/4 lb crystal 40 (steeped)
2 oz Magnum 60 min
1.5 oz Cascade 10 min
1 oz Chinook 5 min
1 oz Amarillo 0 min
1.5 oz Cascade dry

S-04 yeast

7 gallon boil

Where am I style-wise on this? Am I into double/imperial land or just a big IPA?

 

[v2comp]

on my BTP program it puts you in the 1.077OG/7.65% abv range thats into the imperial ipa category. I like everything but the chinook hops @5 minutes, they arent my favorite hops to use in that spot, but its your beer, get to it....lol

 

[cactusgarrett]

Assuming a final volume of 5.5gal and an efficiency of 75%, i'm getting an OG closer to 1.056, and an IBU of ~127 (assuming pellet hops, not cones).

Based on this, you'll be WAY imbalanced. I would suggest halving the Magnum addition (to 1oz) and bringing up the OG. If you don't want to bring to OG up, for a balanced IPA using even 3/4oz Magnum would do the trick.

Unless you're looking for an imbalanced IPA (which there's nothing wrong with :rockin, then hop-blast that sumbitch.

 

[lostboysbrew]

Assuming a final volume of 5.5gal and an efficiency of 75%, i'm getting an OG closer to 1.056, and an IBU of ~127 (assuming pellet hops, not cones).

Based on this, you'll be WAY imbalanced. I would suggest halving the Magnum addition (to 1oz) and bringing up the OG. If you don't want to bring to OG up, for a balanced IPA using even 3/4oz Magnum would do the trick.

Unless you're looking for an imbalanced IPA (which there's nothing wrong with :rockin, then hop-blast that sumbitch.

Agree with all that is said up there............

You might want to look into either Carapils (4%) or even some Oats to give it some body. It might help balance it out a little bit........

 

[cactusgarrett]

I like the crystal additions. Personally, i would change the C15 to something closer to C60 or C80 and drop the weight to about 1/2lb. That should give it some malt background for balance, as lostboysbrew suggests.

 

[Bashiba]

I would use S-05 instead of S-04, it finishes cleaner with less esters and doesn't compete with the hops. I just did a 10 gallon batch of IPA, half I used 05, half 04, and the 05 version is much better.

 

[dcp27]

Assuming a final volume of 5.5gal and an efficiency of 75%, i'm getting an OG closer to 1.056, and an IBU of ~127 (assuming pellet hops, not cones).

The OG should be around 1.07, the OP listed pale LME not pale malt.

+1 on dropping the crystal to 0.5lb and using S-05 instead of S-04. As is all the crystal and esters from the S-04 will compete with these hops and cover them up.

http://www.brew-monkey.com/articles/Better_Hoppy_Beers.pdf

 

[DrinkinSurfer]

How do you guys figure 10.5 lbs of LME will give you an OG of 1.056? Not to be smug, or a jerk, but that does not make sense at all. If he were doing a full boil, that could be the Boil SG, but in no way shape or form the OG. And since it is an extract brew, if he is using partial boils, his hop utilization will be lower resulting in less IBUs.

The recipe looks like it has potential, go for it! And let us know how it turns out. But if you are asking for opinions, I would use S-05. A big reason for that is because since you are using American hops, why not use an American yeast strain?

 

[cactusgarrett]

Like dcp27 said, i was thinking it was 2-row and not 10.5lb LME. That's my bad.

I am still of the opinion at around 1.070, the IBUs could be brought down into the double digits for balance. True, the utilization will be lowered when operating around 1.070, but not enough for a more balanced IIPA.

However, like i said earlier, if HUGE, over-the-top hop bitterness/flavor/aroma is what you're looking for, dump it all in - I've got no qualms with that. Some people are style whores, some aren't. Imbalance shouldn't be considered a pejorative term.

 

[pcollins]

All solid advice.

I'll keep the S-04 as that is all I have for yeast right now. I just don't keep a lot (read: any) yeast on hand. I buy per batch and I like S-04. I just tried some S-05 and found it to be a bit of a PITA to handle during fermentation, it just doesn't flocculate like S-04.

I think I will cut the 2oz Magnum to 1oz. I bought 2oz today so I can use that 1oz somewhere else. I like balance even in big beers so I'll cut it back. The original recipe called for an ounce but I figured I would go a bit higher. Apparently not! LOL

I'm brewing tomorrow morning so I'll go ahead with that change.

Very interesting discussion. I left for the day to go to work and came back to all these posts. Good clean fun!

Thanks for all the input!

 

[cactusgarrett]

Let us know how it turns out - nothing more satisfying that piecing together your own recipe and having a winner on your hands.

 

[Bullshivit-brew]

I would go with the recipe you have posted it looks great to me. And like you said to each there own I love chinook at the end if the boil. Good luck let us know how it comes out

 

[pcollins]

Yes, luck...

I brewed it up yesterday and it's doing very well right now in primary.

I had a bit of a boil over when I added the initial hops. I didn't lose a lot of wort but there was a lot of hop debris in the spill. So that questionable addition of 2oz of Magnum that was reduced to 1oz of Magnum become something else. LOL I added a 1/2 oz after the boil over to make up for any loss so we'll see where we actually end up when it's all ready to go.

Thanks for all the advice. Great place here.

 

[pcollins]

Update: Checked the gravity three days in and it's gone from 1.070 to 1.015 with the S-04. Nice job!

Nowhere near done but the taste is in the right direction.