Critique my imperial IPA malt bill

[TwistedHops]

Hey guys, looking for some critique on my first double ipa malt bill. I am going to post as %s since I am planning a smaller batch. Hops will come later. As a side note, I love maris otter flavor in my pales.

84.3% maris otter
5% caramel 80
3.3% carapils
7.4% dextrose

Fermenting with 1056.
SG 1.080
Abv ~9% (via beer smith )

Any help would be very appreciated!

 

[JKaranka]

Fine, but not sure you need the carapils with that OG. You could also lower the crystal malt and up the simple sugars but it's probably about right as it stands.

 

[stpug]

Looks good to me. Like JKaranka said, you may just drop the cpils for more base - you won't be lacking on body/foam in a beer this size.

 

[bobbrews]

I would do something more like this for your goals with a compromise to quality for the style:

55.0% 2-row
36.0% maris otter
6.00% dextrose
3.00% caramel 30


Ferment with WLP007.

SG 1.073

 

[TwistedHops]

Not a fan of the all maris otter route? I've done some 50/50 batches before, but I love the roasted, toasted, and bready flavor of all maris back bone

 

[bobbrews]

Not a fan of the all maris otter route? I've done some 50/50 batches before, but I love the roasted, toasted, and bready flavor of all maris back bone

Not in an American IPA/IIPA, no.

For me, this style should be crisp, highly drinkable, dry, pale, light to medium bodied with no detracting malt profile. It should have a yeast that compliments the beer, be innately hoppy & bitter (but pleasantly so)... Basically the opposite of toasty, roasty, full-bodied, syrupy, dark & sweet. That's more barleywine territory.

You are looking for a critique, so that's my critique. You are certainly allowed to brewing it as intended though.

 

[TwistedHops]

Guess I'm not brewing to style then

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I'd cut the crystal and lower the og. Try to get it down to 1.008fg.

 

[m00ps]

Another vote for lowering/omitting the crystal and adding some sort of simple sugar (cane sugar, dextrose, honey, hell even maple syrup)

I use sugars in every one of my IPAs for a nice lean body to help the hops come through. Like the above poster said, the lower the FG the better. if you sub some of your malt for simple sugars, it will help with that. Same thing with my belgians. Imperial IPAs especially theres so much malt alreayd you dont reallly want any crystal in there

edit: did not see you already had dextrose in there. And that looks like a good amount. I aim between 5-10% for all my IPAs so 7% is perfect IMO

 

[thegreatmaibockaddict]

I am a MO fan and have used it in big IPA's. No need to use any specialty grains with MO as your base (I am assuming it is Thomas Fawcett, Bairds, Crisp, Glen Eagle, and NOT Muntons).

If you are entering it into a homebrew competition, you risk judges telling you it is not quite to style, but if it is me for my own consumption much rather have a IIPA with some malt backbone over hop tea.

 

[JKaranka]

You could go for 90% two row barley and 10% flaked maize if you like crisp, dry and light.

 

[bobbrews]

but if it is me for my own consumption much rather have a IIPA with some malt backbone over hop tea.

That's not what happens with IIPAs. Look at Pliny the Elder, Heady, Knee Deep Simtra, etc.

These are all IIPAs with a very simple, clean grist and a buttload of hops. None are hop tea.

 

[stpug]

Now that you have all our "armchair expert" advice, I would brew it just as you have laid out in your OP. You said you're brewing a small batch to test out anyway, so brew it as you designed. After getting to taste the outcome and deciding if things need to be changed up, come back to this thread and re-read some suggestions to see which might help you get closer to your end goal. I think your OP recipe will yield a very drinkable beer - it's more a matter of whether or not it will achieve the end goal you were aiming for. Some folks like darker colored (I)IPAs with a touch of crystal while others like very pale versions with no character malts at all - and some folks can appreciate both

 

[m00ps]

That's not what happens with IIPAs. Look at Pliny the Elder, Heady, Knee Deep Simtra, etc.

These are all IIPAs with a very simple, clean grist and a buttload of hops. None are hop tea.

agreed. IIPAs need to be crisp to balance it out. Otherwise its a hoppy barleywine.

But also, I would love to add some hops to my tea. Now that would be a real energizing drink

 

[TwistedHops]

Now that you have all our "armchair expert" advice, I would brew it just as you have laid out in your OP. You said you're brewing a small batch to test out anyway, so brew it as you designed. After getting to taste the outcome and deciding if things need to be changed up, come back to this thread and re-read some suggestions to see which might help you get closer to your end goal. I think your OP recipe will yield a very drinkable beer - it's more a matter of whether or not it will achieve the end goal you were aiming for. Some folks like darker colored (I)IPAs with a touch of crystal while others like very pale versions with no character malts at all - and some folks can appreciate both

Exactly, this beer is for my personal consumption, so we'll see what happens. Anyways, thanks for all the ideas everyone!