Brewing an IPA

[brew4allMI]

Trying to get some feedback on an IPA recipe I devised last week, possibly brewing this Thursday. I do not folow real strict guidelines (BJCP). Any ideas on flavor by the malts/hops i am using?

Malts
5.5 Lbs light Dry Malt Extract
1.5 Lbs 2-row
10oz Am. Crystal 10L
6oz victory Malt

Hops:

60 min boil 1 oz Nugget (13AA)
30min boil .5 oz Nugget (13AA)
20min boil .5 cascade (5.5AA)
5 min boil .5 centenial (10AA)
Dry hop Remaining .5 centennial and .5 oz cascade 7 days

Yeast:
WLP001

Whirlfloc tablet 15 min boil

 

[johnsnownw]

Good resources for the flavor profile of hops:

http://byo.com/resources/hops

(Choose IPA from the drop down menu)

I believe the general consensus on dry hopping is that you do it for no less than 10 days.

 

[Yooper]

I believe the general consensus on dry hopping is that you do it for no less than 10 days.

I wouldn't say that's a consensus at all. Many people (including myself) dryhop routinely for 5-7 days. I've gone as short as 3 days, but I like 5 days the best.

The recipe looks too bitter to me, but I didn't put it in any beer software to figure the IBUs. I'd leave out the 30 minute nuggets, and increase the late hops to 15/10/5/0 for more hop flavor and aroma.

 

[brew4allMI]

Thanks for the info on the hops. I will look into dry hopping and see what the consensus is on how many days.. Thanks and Cheers!

 

[tre9er]

The recipe looks too bitter to me, but I didn't put it in any beer software to figure the IBUs. I'd leave out the 30 minute nuggets, and increase the late hops to 15/10/5/0 for more hop flavor and aroma.

I agree. The 30m addition is going to add bitterness AND the flavor of Nugget, which is floral, herbal, when I think what you're going for with Centennial and Cascade is more citrusy flavor/aroma. If you want both hops to meld together for flavor AND aroma, add a little of each at each time frame, ie. 0.25oz Centennial and 0.25oz. Cascade at 15, same amounts at 10, 5, and 0.

 

[brew4allMI]

I agree. The 30m addition is going to add bitterness AND the flavor of Nugget, which is floral, herbal, when I think what you're going for with Centennial and Cascade is more citrusy flavor/aroma. If you want both hops to meld together for flavor AND aroma, add a little of each at each time frame, ie. 0.25oz Centennial and 0.25oz. Cascade at 15, same amounts at 10, 5, and 0.

I used hopville when writing out the recipe... in the past it seems to have worked pretty well. The idea of adding the .25 oz of cascade/centennial sounds like a pretty good idea. I do like bitter IPA's, but i dont want my palette to taste all bitterness.

 

[chickypad]

I'm with Yoop, unless the hops are going in the cold keg I never go more than 7 days anymore for dry hopping.
What temp are you going to mash?

 

[johnsnownw]

I wouldn't say that's a consensus at all. Many people (including myself) dryhop routinely for 5-7 days. I've gone as short as 3 days, but I like 5 days the best.

Hmm, perhaps I've been looking at outdated information. I'm all for shaving off a few days from the schedule.

 

[brew4allMI]

I'm with Yoop, unless the hops are going in the cold keg I never go more than 7 days anymore for dry hopping.
What temp are you going to mash?

I was going to Mash at 150-155 for 45 minutes. Also I was going to add half of my malth extract at 20 minutes boil to attempt better hop utilization.

 

[tre9er]

I was going to Mash at 150-155 for 45 minutes. Also I was going to add half of my malth extract at 20 minutes boil to attempt better hop utilization.

You can add the extract after the boil, at flameout, actually, if you want. Reduces scorching/carmelization as well.

 

[Hopper5000]

so why do you all only do 5 to 7 days on the dry hopping?

 

[tre9er]

so why do you all only do 5 to 7 days on the dry hopping?

There's a balance between getting the most aroma from the hops and actually LOSING that aroma over time. Dry hopping is something that's pretty flexible though and you can always dry-hop in the keg (in a bag) if you want. I have and it works great.

 

[Hopper5000]

I was just curious because I always do 12 to 14 days. I have done a double dry hop where I dry hopped twice for 7 days. I guess I know of felt like I wasted the hops a bit. I haven't really messed around too much with just doing a DH for a week.

 

[SteveM]

My opinion: I like a nice bitter IPA. I can't recall the last one I made with less than four ounces of hops, mostly different varieties with a high AA. If it was mine, I'd add an ounce of Amarillo at the end of the boil (but I seldom make a pale ale without Amarillo, so that's just me).

 

[brew4allMI]

You can add the extract after the boil, at flameout, actually, if you want. Reduces scorching/carmelization as well.

It doesnt have to be in the boil for at least 15 min to sanitize?

 

[tre9er]

It doesnt have to be in the boil for at least 15 min to sanitize?

Nope

 

[chickypad]

so why do you all only do 5 to 7 days on the dry hopping?

I've done anywhere from 4 days to 15, seems to me I get the best aroma at 5-7 days then chilling immediately. Some people talk about grassy flavors if you go too long, I've never gotten that at least not up to 15 days. The times I've dropped an extra charge into an already cold keg I've just left it in until the keg is gone.

 

[Hopper5000]

cool, thanks for the responses, maybe I should play around with it more...