DIPA Recipe Critique

[drummerguy]

I entered a DIPA in a homebrew competition last year and I'm hoping to use the notes I received to increase my score this year. I scored a 29, but I'm thinking I can do better than that. Most of the negative comments were about the lack of hop flavor and aroma, so this is where I plan to make my changes. Any help with this is greatly appreciated.

This recipe is for a 5.5 gallon batch. The OG is 1.090 with a FG of 1.020, but it finished around 1.014 last time. Brewer's Friend has the IBU listed at 98.11.

Fermentables:
11# American - Pale 2-Row
2# American - Caramel/Crystal 20L
2.5# American - Munich - Light 10L
1# Cane Sugar

HOPS:
1 oz Simcoe 60 min
.5 oz Amarillo 30 min
.5 oz Centennial 20 min
.5 oz Citra 20 min
.5 oz Amarillo 15 min
.5 oz Centennial 15 min
.5 oz Citra 15 min
1 oz Amarillo 5 min
1 oz Citra 5 min
1 oz Amarillo dry hop for 7 days
1 oz Cascade dry for 7 days
1 oz Centennial dry hop for 7 days
1 oz Citra dry hop for 7 days

Yeast
Wyeast 1056

The amount of hops used for dry hopping is the same, but I have changed the types of hops a little. I have increased the amount of hops in the boil to 6 oz and I've also spread them out a bit, with more late additions than last time. This has quickly become my favorite style and I would love to have a good version to drink on a regular basis.

Does this look like a decent recipe? Should I increase the amount of hops in the boil or move them around at all? Any opinions or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[slym2none]

2 pounds of Crystal seems to be a lot... that's like 12% of your grain bill. It seems to be the maximum is 5% of your grist for IPAs/DIPAs.

 

[cantrell00]

I'd move all of those 30, 20 & 15 min additions to 5 min, flame out & then another extended hop stand. I'd also bitter with something other than Simcoe.

Do a base of just pale & sugar too. But that is just me..

 

[drummerguy]

2 pounds of Crystal seems to be a lot... that's like 12% of your grain bill. It seems to be the maximum is 5% of your grist for IPAs/DIPAs.

I had read something about that and may make that change. I need to read over the notes again, but I don't recall anything being said about the malt flavor, aside from it being too prominent due to the lack of hop flavor.

I'd move all of those 30, 20 & 15 min additions to 5 min, flame out & then another extended hop stand. I'd also bitter with something other than Simcoe.

Do a base of just pale & sugar too. But that is just me..

I will have to look into changing the times. What would you recommend for a bitter hop? I know it will have to be a higher alpha acid due to the time changes for the other hop additions. I have also considered the change in malt, but the color seems a bit too light for me.

 

[olotti]

I had read something about that and may make that change. I need to read over the notes again, but I don't recall anything being said about the malt flavor, aside from it being too prominent due to the lack of hop flavor.



I will have to look into changing the times. What would you recommend for a bitter hop? I know it will have to be a higher alpha acid due to the time changes for the other hop additions. I have also considered the change in malt, but the color seems a bit too light for me.

Warrior and magnum are two very popular neutral bittering hops meaning they give u the ibus for bittering but without imparting any dominant flavor so it doesn't detract from you flavoe hop additions. Or I also like to bitter with either Apollo or Columbus but since you can pull a lot of flavor from these I keep the 60 min ibu around 20-25 then get the rest of the ibus from my late additions. I should add this is for beers in the 65-70 I u range if your going like 100 Ibu or higher you can up that 60 min Ibu addition.

 

[slym2none]

I had read something about that and may make that change. I need to read over the notes again, but I don't recall anything being said about the malt flavor, aside from it being too prominent due to the lack of hop flavor.

If you scale back the malty-ness, the hops shine through better.

 

[cantrell00]

I had read something about that and may make that change. I need to read over the notes again, but I don't recall anything being said about the malt flavor, aside from it being too prominent due to the lack of hop flavor.



I will have to look into changing the times. What would you recommend for a bitter hop? I know it will have to be a higher alpha acid due to the time changes for the other hop additions. I have also considered the change in malt, but the color seems a bit too light for me.

As stated, warrior & magnum. I love Apollo too.

I'd shoot for 60-70 ibu @ 60 & get the remaing 30-40 with the late hops.

 

[drummerguy]

Thanks for all the responses. I will definitely work on the hops additions. I guess I'll see what happens come May.

If you scale back the malty-ness, the hops shine through better.

This is true. However, it could also be that I only used 4 oz of hops in the boil, with the latest going in at 30 minutes. I've tried to do a bit of reading since I made that mistake.

 

[olotti]

Thanks for all the responses. I will definitely work on the hops additions. I guess I'll see what happens come May.



This is true. However, it could also be that I only used 4 oz of hops in the boil, with the latest going in at 30 minutes. I've tried to do a bit of reading since I made that mistake.

Live and learn that's the best part of brewing and usually in the end it's all drinkable anyway.