First IPA Recipe - looking for input/advice

[Spicemon1972]

You make a good point about the yeast - per BeerSmith, I will need a little over 224 billion cells and one smack pack advertises 100 billion cells. I haven't done any yeast starters yet and haven't really gotten into that process. What I'm wondering is whether or not pitching two smack packs would suffice instead of making a starter and potentially screwing it up. What do you think?
I chose 1056 because it is a clean ale yeast and I am right in the attenuation zone with this yeast at 74%.

 

[logan3825]

Just use US-05 instead of 1056. Same strain but dry is less expensive and much much easier do use.

 

[Yooper]

You make a good point about the yeast - per BeerSmith, I will need a little over 224 billion cells and one smack pack advertises 100 billion cells. I haven't done any yeast starters yet and haven't really gotten into that process. What I'm wondering is whether or not pitching two smack packs would suffice instead of making a starter and potentially screwing it up. What do you think?
I chose 1056 because it is a clean ale yeast and I am right in the attenuation zone with this yeast at 74%.

Probably you'd need three packages, without a starter, unless the yeast was extraordinarily fresh. They advertise "100 billion cells" and that is probably true, under optimum conditions with fresh yeast. But sometimes shipping and storage conditions aren't optimum and the yeast is a month or two old.

Check the yeast manufacturer's date, and if it's within just a couple of weeks, two might be just fine. Otherwise, make a starter and you'd be all set.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Looks like I'm going to have to do a starter then. I know that there is a stickie and several videos I can watch that will explain it very well.
I hate to admit this, but I have been tinkering with the recipe too based on what I have on hand for hops. It's a lot of fun getting into BeerSmith and learning how to work the program but it makes it way too bloody easy to play the "what if I did this" game. And for an endlessly tinkering fool like myself, that can be crippling.
I guess the only way to do this is to thank all of you for your patience, the well thought out advice and your experienced input, stop messing with the recipe, brew the damn beer next weekend (after figuring out how to get a starter going) and post back with whatever the final recipe wound up being and how things went on brew day.
I have to say that I have learned a lot from this thread and at this point I feel that I will owe each of you a cold one.
Cheers and Thanks all!

 

[bobbrews]

There's nothing wrong with being prepared. Starters are way easier than you think. And quite interesting. They just take time and a little care.

 

[planetscott]

Just use US-05 instead of 1056. Same strain but dry is less expensive and much much easier do use.

^^^^^^^^^
Good point

 

[logan3825]

Looks like I'm going to have to do a starter then. I know that there is a stickie and several videos I can watch that will explain it very well.
I hate to admit this, but I have been tinkering with the recipe too based on what I have on hand for hops. It's a lot of fun getting into BeerSmith and learning how to work the program but it makes it way too bloody easy to play the "what if I did this" game. And for an endlessly tinkering fool like myself, that can be crippling.

I think most of us tinker with the hops.

I still advocate the dry yeast for this particular one but making a starter ins't hard at all. Just sanitize everything good. The rest of the stuff isn't as finicky as making beer(which isn't really finicky either).

 

[Spicemon1972]

I still advocate the dry yeast for this particular one but making a starter ins't hard at all.

I am leaning toward making a starter if for nothing else than the experience and advancement of my still quite novice brewing skills. That being said, if I were to decide to use dry yeast on a beer such as this in the future (let's say as a comparison with the liquid or just for more experience) would I pitch one package of dry or multiple packages. I looked at the spec sheet for Safale 05 and didn't see anything that looked like a cell count to go by.
What am I missing?

Thanks in advance...

 

[remman4]

One pack of US05 has done well for me up to OGs of 1.09 as long as I have good aeration of the wort

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I am leaning toward making a starter if for nothing else than the experience and advancement of my still quite novice brewing skills. That being said, if I were to decide to use dry yeast on a beer such as this in the future (let's say as a comparison with the liquid or just for more experience) would I pitch one package of dry or multiple packages. I looked at the spec sheet for Safale 05 and didn't see anything that looked like a cell count to go by.
What am I missing?

Thanks in advance...

I'd consult the pitch rate calc on MrMalty to see how much dry you need. If that leaves you with say, a half pack of yeast leftover, use the leftovers as nutrient in the boil. If I were you, since you want to learn about starter, go for it. Make one for this batch. It's really, really easy. And kinda fun. Nothing wrong with dry yeast at all, but if you plan on using liquid sometime, why not start now.

 

[Spicemon1972]

I'd consult the pitch rate calc on MrMalty to see how much dry you need. If that leaves you with say, a half pack of yeast leftover, use the leftovers as nutrient in the boil. If I were you, since you want to learn about starter, go for it. Make one for this batch. It's really, really easy. And kinda fun. Nothing wrong with dry yeast at all, but if you plan on using liquid sometime, why not start now.

+1
Agreed.
On a side note, where else can you get such great info, like I get here every day, from friendly and knowledgable fellow brewers just by asking? Nowhere, that's where.
Best money I have spent on brewing so far has been my HBT membership.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Made a 1L yeast starter tonight with the Wyeast 1056 and I am getting a kick out of walking past and giving it a swirl. I'm going to brew my IPA on Sunday and the starter should be in the zone by then. I made it with the LME that I am using for my IPA figuring I would pitch the whole of it into my wort. I wound up with an OG of 1.035 which should do those yeasties just fine.
You all were right, it's pretty easy to do once you go ahead and do it.
Time to drink a home brew and be happy with this latest development.
Cheers friends!

 

[Spicemon1972]

Double post.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

Awesome! It's amazing to see for yourself what pitching a starter will do, huh. Sounds like you're on your way to a tasty IPA.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Ok, here it is - the final recipe - I brewed this on Sunday.

This is a 5 gallon extract recipe and goes as follows:
End Of The World AIPA

Measured OG: 1.070
Target FG: 1.015

Projected ABV: 7.0%
71.1 IBU

Steeping Grains:
1.0lb Caramel/Crystal Malt 40L (Crushed)

Place grains in grain bag and steep in 1.5 gal water for 25 minutes at 155 degrees.
Remove grains and allow to drip over kettle until dripping stops then discard.
Add approx 2 gal water to get to 3-3.5 gal in kettle, bring to boil.

Add 3lb Pale LME with the kettle off the heat and stir until completely dissolved.
Return to the heat and bring to a rolling boil.

Additions:
1.0oz Summit pellets at 60 min
4.0oz Table Sugar at 20min
0.5oz Cascade pellets at 15min
1 tsp. Irish moss at 15min
0.5oz Cascade pellets at 10min
1.0oz Progress pellets at 5min

Cool wort to 80 degrees in ice bath.
Add 1.5 gal of cool tap water to sanitized fermenter then pour in cooled wort and top off to 5 gallons. Aerate wort by vigorously rocking the carboy.

Pitch the following yeast:
1L starter in 1/2gal sanitized glass growler (consisting of 5oz of Pale LME added to 2 cups of 170 degree water and boiled for 10 min and cooled in an ice bath to 70 degrees then pitch 1 smack pack of Wyeast 1056 Ale Yeast and top off with tap water to fill to 800mL) that has been going for 48 hours with regular swirling of the growler.

Allow to ferment for 14 days or until FG stabilizes near 1.015.
Dry hop with 1.0 oz Willamette pellets and allow to clear in primary for another 14 days.

Rack to bottling bucket and prime with 3.8oz corn sugar and bottle.
Allow to condition for 3 weeks, chill crack and enjoy!

Thanks to all for all the input and advice - I will post again when I finally get to crack one open. I can say that the gravity sample tastes wonderful and that the krausen started to form in 3 hours and that it has been chugging away at a nice 66 degrees ever since.

Cheers!

 

[planetscott]

Quick update - my 1L yeast starter with the Wyeast 1056 worked like a charm and as many told me, it was really easy to do. I pitched into my IPA at 3pm and by 6pm it had already started working its magic. As of 11:30pm I have an inch of creamy white krausen and it is just chugging away at a nice 66 degrees in my basement. I hit 1.070 for my OG which was a couple of points higher than BeerSmith estimated so I'm really happy with that and the first taste of the OG gravity sample was very tasty with a layered earthy hop bitterness that lingered and hints of floral plus a little light sweetness as balance. With any luck, this will finish nice and dry with a balanced but layered hop profile. I can't wait to get a taste of what is looking to be a really nice IPA!
It is getting late but I will post the final recipe in the next day or so.
Thanks to all you helpful brewers for the input and advice on this recipe from conception to recipe to starter, this brew day would not have been nearly as good an experience without all of you.
Thanks HBT - I lift a glass to all of you!
Cheers and good night.

By utilizing the starter, you reduce lag time. Further, the healthy yeast you pitched will make better beer. I'm certain you will notice a difference. Just make sure it ferments out, then rests to absorb diacytel. Don't rush this one.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Just out of curiosity, and knowing that IPA's are at their best young (before the hop flavor starts to mellow), do you think 4 weeks in the fermenter then 3 weeks in the bottle will be enough time given that the FG stabilizes and fermentation finishes in 14 days or would you let the beer sit on the cake longer or perhaps a longer bottle conditioning? I know that is a very open ended question with lots of variables, but I'm just trying to get a feel for the aging of an IPA since this is my first attempt. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[bobbrews]

Fermentation usually finishes in only 3-7 days, but conditioning and re-absorption of off-flavors by the yeast will occur shortly afterward for a number of weeks. That is why some people recommend leaving the beer in the carboy for 3-4 weeks minimum. But again, everyone doesn't experience the same results... I've had great beers that sat in the primary for 8-10 days, then racked and dryhopped for 5 days. I've also had great beers that sat in the primary for 4 weeks, including a 12 day dryhop in the primary. So really it depends on how well you regulate fermentation temperatures, the strain of chosen yeast, and the overall health of that yeast.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Thanks Bob - you are right of course.
By the way, the aroma coming up from my blowoff water vessel is heavenly - I feel like a kid at Christmas and just can't wait to dig in.
I should remember that patience is rewarded.

 

[Spicemon1972]

Update on my AIPA - two weeks in primary and took a gravity reading, hit my estimated FG on the nose at 1.015. Took a taste and it is smooth with a nice late bitterness that isn't a pucker. Smooth. Also, the beer is very clear. I went ahead and added 1oz Willamette as a dry hop and will let it sit until clear and ready to bottle. By far, from the gravity sample tasting, this is the best thing I have brewed. Excited to get to the final product in 4-6 weeks.

 

[phatspade]

Just reading the whole thread got me just as excited. I know my first IPA felt great, but after making a few changes in the way I made the next it just got better and better. I've learned a few more things in this thread that I never thought about and settled with just the "it tastes great" attitude so I never looked into making my beer taste even better. THNX Yooper!

Spice, I hope your beer turns out great!

 

[Spicemon1972]

Bottling this tomorrow - hopefully 3 weeks until the first tasting of the final product.