Critique my first design brew

[RandomLogic]

I am aiming for an IPA that is smooth, with a grapefruity taste and aroma, and a thick head. This is my third all-grain batch. The first was dead ringer IPA, the second was Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde. Both are still in the primary and smelling delicious. This is my first attempt at designing a beer with beersmith so I could use some advice/critiquing.

Boil Size: 6.57 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.50 gal
Estimated OG: 1.066 SG
Estimated Color: 9.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 61.5 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 85.7 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.1 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3 7.1 %
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 m Hop 4 18.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 5 12.6 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 6 23.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 6.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 9 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 Yeast 10 -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Day Hop 11 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 14 lbs
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 17.50 qt of water at 168.2 F 156.0 F 45 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (0.59gal, 3.29gal) of 168.0 F water

 

[Yooper]

It looks ok to me, although with 14% crystal between the carapils and crystal 60L, that's more than I'd use. 7% of crystal 60L would be the max I would use but I actually prefer a bit less when I want a nice 'clean' IPA.

For hops, I'd probably use one bittering addition to get to 30 IBUs, (You have that with the FWH and the 30 minute hops, so that's ok but I'd probably increase the FWH and leave out the 30 minute hops for that) and then load up more on the late hops. I really like centennial and amarillo, and citra will be nice in there. I'd use more hops at the end of the boil, because I like a huge hops 'nose'.

It depends on your own goals, of course!

 

[RandomLogic]

It looks ok to me, although with 14% crystal between the carapils and crystal 60L, that's more than I'd use. 7% of crystal 60L would be the max I would use but I actually prefer a bit less when I want a nice 'clean' IPA.

For hops, I'd probably use one bittering addition to get to 30 IBUs, (You have that with the FWH and the 30 minute hops, so that's ok but I'd probably increase the FWH and leave out the 30 minute hops for that) and then load up more on the late hops. I really like centennial and amarillo, and citra will be nice in there. I'd use more hops at the end of the boil, because I like a huge hops 'nose'.

It depends on your own goals, of course!

Thanks, Yooper! I appreciate the feedback. What are the potential downsides of more than 7% crystal? Bad flavor? Too dark?

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, Yooper! I appreciate the feedback. What are the potential downsides of more than 7% crystal? Bad flavor? Too dark?

It can have a sweet caramel taste- nice in american ambers or even pale ales, but can be a bit cloying in IPAs. Some people love that, though, so it's up to your taste of course.

Think of IPAs you like, or that you want to emulate. Is it crisp and dry? Rich with a bit of sweetness? Rich, but without sweetness? Then you can decide on the grainbill.

For example, I have one IPA that resembles Surly Furious. It's got a boatload of crystal, and definitely goes against my 7% 'rule'! But, it's extremely hopped and uses an attenuative yeast, and it's a higher ABV along with the bitterness to 'balance' that sweetness. It's heavily dryhopped (like 8 ounces for five gallons!) I also use a lot of sulfate in that brewing water, to bring out the dry bitterness as to not have so much sweetness.

On the other extreme, I have at least one IPA recipe that uses 0 crystal! Not even carapils. I sometimes use some Victory malt for toastiness, or Munich malt for more malt aroma or flavor, but no crystal malt at all. It's dry, and crisp, and quaffable with intense hop notes. (My DFH 60 minute clone recipe shows a grainbill with 0 crystal malt, it's under my avatar under 'recipes' if you want to look).

And in between, I run a gamut of amounts depending on my goals, but I tend to go with 5-7% and usually use 40L for those IPAs.