Feedback on Imperial IPA recipe

[tvanek29]

Batch Size: 5.50 gal




Type

14 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) 77.8%
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 5.6 %
1 lbs Caramunich Malt 5.6 %
1 lbs Munich Malt 5.6 %
1 lb Cane Sugar
1.00 oz Amarillo - First Wort 0.0 min
1.00 oz Mosaic - First Wort 0.0 min
1.50 oz Galaxy - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Amarillo - Boil 20.0 min
1.00 oz Mosaic - Boil 20.0 min
1.00 oz Galaxy - Boil 10.0 min
1.50 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop 14 days
1.50 oz Mosaic - Dry Hop 14 Days
1.00 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 7 days
1.00 oz Mosaic - Dry Hop 7.0 Days

American Ale Wyeast 1065 with starter

OG gravity 1.089
Final gravity 1.015

ABV 9.8
IBUs 110

 

[Redlantern]

First impressions -

That is a lot of gorgeous expensive hops up front. I would try Columbus, Warrior, Apollo, or similar and reduce qty (still getting same IBU).

Where are your flame-out additions? may want something there - If you bittered with 1.5 oz warrior at 60, and then took those gorgeous Galaxy and Mosaic hops and put them as a flame out addition - that would be amazing.

 

[cshamilton]

Too much Carmel/Cara - 1 lb combined is more than enough for me - I might even cut it down to 0.5 lbs. If you are looking for Maltiness, maybe a pound of Munich malt.

Hops - similar thoughts to Red Lantern. You can't get more than 100 IBUs in there anyway. First wort hop if you like, but I'd scrap the 60 min hops. Move the 20 min hops to 5 minutes and the 10 min to flameout and add more flameout hops.

 

[kev211]

Too much cara malts for me. Also agree with the others. Too many hops up front. Skip the first wort and just hit it with 80IBUs of Magnum or similar at 60 mins and some amarillo at 5 or 10 to get a few more IBU's. No need to try to push over 100 IBU's.

And I dont find that you need to dry hop for that long. Freshness is key with these heavily hopped beers. I would do 3-4oz dry hops for 7 days and another 3-4oz dry hops for 4-5 days. Dont be afraid of being aggressive with the dry hops.

Also, I like to avoid using sugar whenever possible. Obviously in a big DIPA you're gonna need some, but too much can also have negative effects. I would mash low (~148) and cut down the cane sugar a bit.

 

[Redlantern]

For something different that has worked out really well for me in the past, kill the 40, replace with torrified wheat. Wonderful stuff for an IPA.

Also, knock the caramunich down to .75 lbs or so

 

[tvanek29]

14 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) 82.4 %
1 lbs Munich Malt 5.9 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L 2.9 %
8.0 oz Caramunich Malt 2.9 %
1 lb of cane sugar
2.00 oz Galaxy - Boil 60.0 min
1.00 oz Amarillo - Boil 10.0 min
1.00 oz Mosaic - Boil 10.0 min
1.00 oz Amarillo- boil 0.0 min
1.00 oz Mosaic- boil 0.0 min*
1.00 oz Galaxy - Boil 0.0 min
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 ml] Yeast 12 -
2.00 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop 7.0 Days
2.00 oz Mosaic - Dry Hop 7.0 days
2.00 oz Amarillo - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop
2.00 oz Mosaic - Dry Hop 4.0 Days


Gravity, Alcohol Content

Est Original Gravity: 1.081
Est Final Gravity: 1.014
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.3 %
Bitterness: 103.6 IBUs

 

[tvanek29]

I changed a few of the hop times and amounts. Keeping the 60 min hop addition with this amount is giving me 103 IBUs on Beersmith so I'm thinking that should balance the the high ABV. Also I'm adding the cane sugar to dry the beer out since I will be using so much grain.

 

[Redlantern]

What yeast are you using?

 

[ejf063]

I am really with the above posters. Don't waste those expensive Galaxy and Mosaic hops simply for bittering. Unless, of course, you have a reason to do so. And I love the wheat idea. I was skeptical on wheat at first, but my last few IPAs have included it, and they turned out fine. No more than 20% though.... Or, you can at oats, which will round out that gigantic bitterness you're aiming for.
Even if you don't change a thing, the recipe as it is looks great. I am curious about the yeast too, which will make a big impact on the final product. Are you using straight up tap water?

 

[tvanek29]

Amarican Ale Wyeast 1065

 

[tvanek29]

I also swapped the 60 minute Galaxy addition for 1.75 oz of warrior hops, this gives me an IBU of 99.

 

[kev211]

I also swapped the 60 minute Galaxy addition for 1.75 oz of warrior hops, this gives me an IBU of 99.

Much better. Warrior hops are super clean and great for bittering. Galxy are much better suited for aroma/flavoring

 

[ejf063]

Brew it!! Use those galaxy as dry hops. the yeast will give u a crisp and flavorful IPA. let us know your final recipe and how it turns out-- complete with pictures. Cheers!

 

[Chrisbrewbeers]

15 or less with hops in moderation, maybe 2-3 oz then f/o and hopstand or dryhop is where you want hop additions I think

 

[blackbeer]

i'd lose the cane sugar. it could thin this out too much. i would just make sure to have a monster starter.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Looks fine to me. I brew similar big beers every three weeks or so. 100 ibu threshold is silly, my last beer had 200+ calculated. Oh and I always add 1.5 lbs cane sugar to beers over 1.080, and mash at 148. That much malt really needs it to be enjoyed by the pint unless you want it to taste like a barlywine and make it a sipping beer...