First IPA Design Critique

[mr_javi]

Opinions on this IPA? Will be my first not following any specific recipe.


3 Gallon Batch
OG 1.068
IBU 77.3
SRM 5.5

7 lbs 2 Row 85%
12 oz Munich 9%
8 oz White Wheat 6%

.5 oz Columbus FWH 44.6 IBU
.5 oz Simcoe Boil 10 min 13.6 IBU
.5 oz Cascade Boil 10 Min 5.8 IBU
.5 oz Simcoe Steep 15 min 9.3 IBU
.5 oz Cascade Steep 15 min 4.4 IBU
.5 oz Simcoe Dry Hop 5 Days
.5 Oz Cascade Dry Hop 5 Days

US-05

 

[day_trippr]

I think I'd move the two late boil additions to your steep hops, and at least double the dry hops...

Cheers!

 

[mr_javi]

I think I'd move the two late boil additions to your steep hops, and at least double the dry hops...

Cheers!

As you were probably typing that, i thought, "why not do away with the 10 min and add them to the steep." I think I will.

 

[Redtab78]

I would keep the 10 min additions if it was my recipie for the tad bit of bitterness it brings, and for the dryhop, i would do 1.5oz simcoe and no cascade. Just my opinion, but then again i LOVE simcoe hops and i think the 10 min of cascade and the steep will give you plenty of grapefruitiness, with the 1.5oz of simcoe dryhop for the kick......yummy

 

[SHAIV]

Looks pretty good to me! I'd do away with the wheat but that's just me. You got to remember it's a three gallon batch though. Which I'm kind of curious as to why. Not much more money and no more time really to make it a 5 gallon and you almost double your reward. Just my 2 cents

 

[ejf063]

I think it looks good, even with the 10 min additions. move them to 5 if you want, or to the whirlpool. at 10 or 5, you'll be extracting hop flavor and aroma.
good luck!

 

[mr_javi]

SHAVIV, Thanks. I like 2.5-3 gallon batches because I like to brew just as much as I like to drink. And I also like having variety. This lets me brew more often. And I don't have a whole lot of room for storage, so I can essentially store 2 different brews in the same amount of space. Once I start kegging, that may change. I also do some 5 gallon batches occasionally. Cost of 3 vs 5 gallon batches isn't really that much of a factor. I figure the more I can brew, the better I'll get.

 

[mr_javi]

Looks pretty good to me! I'd do away with the wheat but that's just me. You got to remember it's a three gallon batch though. Which I'm kind of curious as to why. Not much more money and no more time really to make it a 5 gallon and you almost double your reward. Just my 2 cents

Whats your reason for doing away with the wheat? I really just threw it in for some head retention and mouthfeel. Why would it being a 3 gallon batch effect wether or not I use wheat? I'm pretty new at this. See below for my reasoning on smaller batches.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

Whats your reason for doing away with the wheat? I really just threw it in for some head retention and mouthfeel. Why would it being a 3 gallon batch effect wether or not I use wheat? I'm pretty new at this. See below for my reasoning on smaller batches.

Nothing at all wrong with the wheat malt, leave it in.

I'd suggest dropping your bittering IBU contribution from 44 down to about 25-30 and replacing those IBU's with later boil additions (10 min or less). This will allow more of the hop flavors to shine which is what you want from an IPA. You almost can't overdo your late additions with IPA's.

 

[bigplunkett]

Looks good dbl the dry hops and the steep

 

[SHAIV]

Whats your reason for doing away with the wheat? I really just threw it in for some head retention and mouthfeel. Why would it being a 3 gallon batch effect wether or not I use wheat? I'm pretty new at this. See below for my reasoning on smaller batches.

I said that's just me. I don't particularly like wheat lol. And I meant for the other people posting to remember it's a 3 gallon I guess I should have specified. Yeah if you have time to brew that often then go for it. I'm at a place in life where I need to brew the biggest batch I can because I don't know when I will have time to brew again

 

[IslandLizard]

Agreed to double the whirlpool and dry hops, and keep the wheat. At what temperature are you intending to do your hop stand?

Temp and time make a difference in the outcome. You could do the first hop stand charge (half the hops) right after flameout, let naturally chill to say 170-180, which may take 15-20 minutes then add a 2nd whirlpool charge and let stand for an additional 30'. You may even need to warm it up a little during, to stay above 160. Or after adding start chilling right away to 170-180. Or first chill down to 170-180 then add all of them. 15' is a bit short for lower temps, but maybe just right for a flameout hop stand.

 

[mr_javi]

Agreed to double the whirlpool and dry hops, and keep the wheat. At what temperature are you intending to do your hop stand?

Temp and time make a difference in the outcome. You could do the first hop stand charge (half the hops) right after flameout, let naturally chill to say 170-180, which may take 15-20 minutes then add a 2nd whirlpool charge and let stand for an additional 30'. You may even need to warm it up a little during, to stay above 160. Or after adding start chilling right away to 170-180. Or first chill down to 170-180 then add all of them. 15' is a bit short for lower temps, but maybe just right for a flameout hop stand.

I brewed a Simcoe SMaSH where I chilled to about 170 the did a 30 min hop stand and the "peachy" aroma was amazing. Kinda going for the same here so I was planning on doing the same. But 2 hop stands sounds interesting. Might try that.

 

[oylerck]

If you are steeping for 15 minutes below 180 you won't get those 13 ibus.

My last IPA was 16% Munich and I loved it. It did have 11oz of hops and only 51 ibus. Pretty juicy actually and 8%.

I think your recipe looks good. I would personally add just a few more ounces of hops late.

 

[mr_javi]

If you are steeping for 15 minutes below 180 you won't get those 13 ibus.

My last IPA was 16% Munich and I loved it. It did have 11oz of hops and only 51 ibus. Pretty juicy actually and 8%.

I think your recipe looks good. I would personally add just a few more ounces of hops late.

Yeah, I'm going for a "juicy" character, but not as much as a NEIPA because I'm bottling right now, and don't want mud beer after a week. I have also decided to go with Amarillo or Mosaic instead of the Cascade. In my tweaks from suggestions on this thread, I have doubled the Steep and Dry Hops.

 

[oylerck]

Yeah, I'm going for a "juicy" character, but not as much as a NEIPA because I'm bottling right now, and don't want mud beer after a week. I have also decided to go with Amarillo or Mosaic instead of the Cascade. In my tweaks from suggestions on this thread, I have doubled the Steep and Dry Hops.

I don't know if mine counts as a NEIPA, I've never had one. I have a kit for heady topper so we will see soon.
However, I still added 1 tsp of gypsum because my water needs it. And, it wasn't clear, but after a day in the kegerator it definitely wasn't murky or gunky. I did transfer from my dry hop keg (dry hop in a large tea ball) to my serving keg so that helps with sediment. Still very juicy though.


Let us know how it turns out. If you can, try both Amarillo and mosaic maybe. Your choice. Good luck!

 

[mr_javi]

I don't know if mine counts as a NEIPA, I've never had one. I have a kit for heady topper so we will see soon.
However, I still added 1 tsp of gypsum because my water needs it. And, it wasn't clear, but after a day in the kegerator it definitely wasn't murky or gunky. I did transfer from my dry hop keg (dry hop in a large tea ball) to my serving keg so that helps with sediment. Still very juicy though.


Let us know how it turns out. If you can, try both Amarillo and mosaic maybe. Your choice. Good luck!

Yeah, I was torn between the Amarillo or Mosaic. I know I like Amarillo, and many posters say Simcoe and Amarillo is a match made in heaven. So I just ordered that pair. I have read that Mosaic is a "daughter" of Simcoe crossed with something else. I figured the Simcoe and Mosaic would be so close in flavor you wouldn't be able to recognize both. And I didn't really want the huge grapefruit punch of Cascade. Going more for stone fruity with the citrus being more in the background.