Does this look reasonable for a mild-mannered, citrusy IPA?

[Hoochin'Fool]

80% basic 2-row (briess)
15% munich 10L (briess)
3% caramel 60L (briess)
2% brown sugar

Cascade @60 for 20 ibu
Citra @15 for 17 ibu
Cascade @15 for 10 ibu

OG: 1056
FG: 1010
ABV: 6%
IBU: 47

Yeast: us-05
mash pH target: 5.45
target water profile: Brewers Friend "Light Colored and Hoppy"


I'll have an extra half-ounce of Citra, worthwhile to dry-hop with it? (Also have lots more Cascade, could dry hop with more of that, too, as well as some leftover Centenniel)... I want to keep the piney flavors at a minimum!

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Brew it.

For my tastes, and given the hops available (Cascade, Centennial, Citra), I would use Cascade for most of the bittering and move Citra to @5 or @ 0 (this assumes a "cool down" from boil to 170F in about 10 minutes).

My 'best guess' is that both hop profiles would be enjoyable.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Personally, I’d skip the brown sugar. Just add a bit more base malt.

 

[AlexKay]

My vote would be for a hop stand.

If you’ve got the hops to do it, I’d actually get all of your IBUs at 15 minutes, and then do a hop stand with about the same amount of hop material.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

My vote would be for a hop stand.

If you’ve got the hops to do it, I’d actually get all of your IBUs at 15 minutes, and then do a hop stand with about the same amount of hop material.

Well, I already brewed it this morning, but this is an intriguing idea for next time! Difficulty: I ferment in a plastic bucket with no gasket/airlock, just a jug of water holding the lid down tight, and then bottle condition.

Anyways, this was the first time I ever used Citra -- smelled pretty amazing when I opened the package!

 

[RichBenn]

If you have the capability, whirlpooling lots of hops for a while at 160-170F will add a LOT of flavor with little bitterness. Started doing my IPAs like this, and people rave about it.

I too would skip the brown sugar, but if you like it, go for it.

 

[fluketamer]

1/2 oz cascade at 60 for bittering

1 oz of citra at 10

2 oz of citra at FO

1-2 oz citra dry hop at high kreusen makes a super citrusy ale for me.

i am having a hard time trying to make something more citrusy. any more hops seems to be diminishing my return for citra aroma.

i even have a hard time telling the difference between 1 and 2 oz of citra dry hop. i am def not getting twice as much aroma using twice as much hops.

 

[Willy]

Personally, I’d skip the brown sugar. Just add a bit more base malt.

I rarely use brown sugar anymore, preferring grains. But back in the day, I really did enjoy Demerera Sugar, from the Mauritius Islands off the East Coast of Africa. It comes as a slightly brownish color and is very tasty and tasteful. I saw that Doghead uses it in some of their recipes.

As for hops - I think you want to add more aroma (guess?) - so I would look to a hop stand after mash or a dry hops in the fermenter.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

I tried a bottle about 10-ish days ago, and it was good, but definitely had some buttered popcorn flavor going on. Tried another bottle tonight, and it was perfect, wouldn't change a thing (other than wait a bit longer before sampling)! So good, I had to quick-chill another bottle, which I am enjoying while typing this follow-up post.

Only differences from what was originally posted:
I mashed lower (150F) than I intended, and FG was 1.007, and then I dry-hopped with that half-ounce of citra (3 gal batch) for 5 days before bottling.

 

[corncob]

I rarely use brown sugar anymore, preferring grains. But back in the day, I really did enjoy Demerera Sugar, from the Mauritius Islands off the East Coast of Africa. It comes as a slightly brownish color and is very tasty and tasteful. I saw that Doghead uses it in some of their recipes.

As for hops - I think you want to add more aroma (guess?) - so I would look to a hop stand after mash or a dry hops in the fermenter.

Sugar is a major part of English brewing from the 19th and 20th centuries--there's a ton of charter in these forums about it.

Partially refined sugars add a luscious flavor in quantities around 10%, but it can get drowned out by other things easily. Demerara in a bitter or a mild will shine through. And muscovado will peek through in a roastier brew. I don't know, but I suspect the main reason for including sugar is to lower the protein level of the wort to aid rapid clearing, and to offset some of the body from very strong flavored malt that might have tended to leave more nonfermentables behind than we're e used to. Either way, sugar is a great tool in the toolbox.

I never brew the hoppy American styles, but if I did, I would use as much sugar as crystal, as a rule, and maybe a little more if mashing higher than 150. But I like well attenuated ales.