DIPA recipe review

[MikeSkril]

Hi,

First time that I pair Chinook and Citra...any thoughts?


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.22 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.72 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.073 SG
Estimated Color: 6.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 105.1 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 72.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 84.2 %
9.0 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 2 3.6 %
9.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.6 %
7.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 15L (15.0 SRM) Grain 4 2.8 %
7.0 oz Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 5 2.8 %
7.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.8 %
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 46.9 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 8 25.8 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 9 -
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 10 15.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 8.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 12 8.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 14 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35. Yeast 15 -
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs



Total Grain Weight: 15 lbs 7.0 oz
----------------------------
Mash @ 148

 

[kombat]

My comments:

The Flaked Barley and Cara-pils serve the same purpose - to add body and head retention. You don't need them both. I'd drop the flaked barley and keep the Cara-pils.

The Honey and Munich malt will be lost in everything else. A DIPA is a showcase for hops - it's not supposed to be balanced, and you're not trying to show off subtle hints of specialty grains. Stick with just the Pale malt, the Cara-pils, and the Crystal 15L.

Add a pound or two of dextrose to help dry it out and boost the alcohol.

2 oz of dry hops are woefully inadequate for a double IPA. Don't let the AA% fool you - that doesn't mean anything when dry hopping because dry hopping doesn't add any bitterness. With dry hopping, it's quantity (oz) over quality (AA%).

I love the hop combination, they'll play very well together. But the schedule seems overly complex. With those hops, and that alcohol and bitterness range, the differences between your 20, 15, 10, 5, and steeping additions will be completely lost. Personally, I'd just add them all to the whirlpool, leaving only the FWH for bitterness, and maybe bumping that FWH addition up to 1.5 - 2 oz.

Good choice for yeast, but make sure you make a hefty starter (3 - 4 L) and aerate/oxygenate your wort well. Ferment it around 62 - 64° F. Mash temp looks fine.

 

[whovous]

Not a big deal, but some of your Citra is 12.0% and some is 13.0%. Are they from different batches, or is it a typo? It will change your IBUs slightly if it is wrong.

 

[MikeSkril]

Not a big deal, but some of your Citra is 12.0% and some is 13.0%. Are they from different batches, or is it a typo? It will change your IBUs slightly if it is wrong.

Oh, right, I will adjust but I dont think that it will change a lot with this high IBUs.

 

[MikeSkril]

My comments:

The Flaked Barley and Cara-pils serve the same purpose - to add body and head retention. You don't need them both. I'd drop the flaked barley and keep the Cara-pils.

The Honey and Munich malt will be lost in everything else. A DIPA is a showcase for hops - it's not supposed to be balanced, and you're not trying to show off subtle hints of specialty grains. Stick with just the Pale malt, the Cara-pils, and the Crystal 15L.

Add a pound or two of dextrose to help dry it out and boost the alcohol.

2 oz of dry hops are woefully inadequate for a double IPA. Don't let the AA% fool you - that doesn't mean anything when dry hopping because dry hopping doesn't add any bitterness. With dry hopping, it's quantity (oz) over quality (AA%).

I love the hop combination, they'll play very well together. But the schedule seems overly complex. With those hops, and that alcohol and bitterness range, the differences between your 20, 15, 10, 5, and steeping additions will be completely lost. Personally, I'd just add them all to the whirlpool, leaving only the FWH for bitterness, and maybe bumping that FWH addition up to 1.5 - 2 oz.

Good choice for yeast, but make sure you make a hefty starter (3 - 4 L) and aerate/oxygenate your wort well. Ferment it around 62 - 64° F. Mash temp looks fine.

Thanks for the comments. I've noticed that taking the honey malt and munich malt out is definitely changing the character of the beer. Every malt is different and 10% of crystal will not result in the same as 3% munich, 3% crystal and 3% honey.

 

[kombat]

It will change the character in a lighter, more balanced beer, but I have a hard time believing it would be noticeable in a bigger, more bitter beer like this one. Have you brewed this recipe before?

 

[radwizard]

I agree with the above regarding the hop schedule. I don't see the point in having so many additions. I like to simplify hops additions into their purpose -- Bittering - Flavor - Aroma . Usually that means 60-10-0-Dryhop.
I also agree that your Dry Hop should be bigger.
You have a lot going on in your grain bill as well, but it sounds like you are happy with it. I try and keep the grains pretty simple and use a fair bit of sugar in mine.
Anyways that's just my 2 cents and tastes.
Good Luck with your beer. My first DIPA recipes were not to hot, and I realized I really underestimated the style.

But to your original question. I think Citra and Chinook pair well in flavor and aroma. I don't love what Chinook brings to the table for bitterness, though. I would use a heavier hand with the Citra -- Chinook is pretty overpowering in my expirences.

 

[m00ps]

listen to @kombat

2.8% munich malt is pointless. It wont contribute anything to the final beer

I agree with adding some dextrose. Ive had way too many HB double IPAs that had a sweet finish that made me pour half of it down the drain. Get it dry as you can

Also agree it needs more dry hops

 

[Redlantern]

This part of Beersmith has always confused me -

"1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 14 0.0 IBUs "

How long are you letting it rest before you chill? If you are not starting the chiller immediately after, should it be steep whirlpool for the length of time before you chill?

Or is this a way of getting IBU's to register from a flameout addition?

 

[m00ps]

This part of Beersmith has always confused me -

"1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 0.0 m Hop 14 0.0 IBUs "

How long are you letting it rest before you chill? If you are not starting the chiller immediately after, should it be steep whirlpool for the length of time before you chill?

Or is this a way of getting IBU's to register from a flameout addition?

People go anywhere from 20min to an hour generally. The IBUs are debatable. I remember seeing a BYO article that equated it to a 10min addition. But this is for adding it at flameout. If you are doing a whirlpool at below 180F, id say 0.00000001 IBUs per oz

 

[MikeSkril]

Thanks for the suggestions!