First Recipe - First Brew IPA

[KronIcBREW]

So im finaly nutting up and gonna brew this beer. I have the equipment i need, and my brew shop is only about an hour away. Ive been doing my extensive brew reading over 5 or 6 months now so im deciding on going to use a partial mash BIAB method. I guess im just wondering if my ingredients looks good for a 5 gallon batch and what maybe i should decrease?



4 lbs 3.6 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US
11.1 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
11.1 oz Caramel Wheat Malt
11.1 oz Carared
7.5 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine
3 lbs 14.5 oz DME Golden Light

1.34 oz Columbus (Tomahawk)- Boil 60.0 mins
0.67 oz Cascade - Boil 30.0 min
1.34 oz Cascade - Boil 15.0 min
0.34 oz Columbus - Boil 2.0 min
0.67 oz Simcoe - Boil 2.0 min
0.25 oz Columbus Dry Hop
0.50 oz Cascade Dry Hop
0.25 oz Simcoe Dry Hop
1.00 oz Centennial Dry Hop
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining
1.0 pkg California Ale White Labs #WLP001

so there is my first attempt at an IPA recipe i finally wanna brew. any suggestions would be great.

 

[Kentunkel]

Sounds tasty man. You can always reformulate to your tastes once you try her out. You're gonna have some maltiness there with all the differnt cara malts but if thats what you like, thats all that matters. Personally, I do 95% pale and 5% crystal 40, the hops contribute to head retention and the resinous mouthfeel from dryhopping adds a depth to body and I can dry it out.

But that's what I like, is there a commercial IPA that you fancy?

 

[theveganbrewer]

Sort of depends on what type of taste you're trying to create. Looks like this is going to be quite malty in IPA standards.

I'd second the question about a commercial IPA you like. Might help nail down some of the crystal malts you've got there.

 

[bigdongsr94]

IMO, that's a very busy recipe. I would make it easier. Also I always wonder why people use these weird measurements of hops or grains. There not sold that way just use nice easy increments. My first recipe was similar in the sense that it was too crazy. Now I just do nice easy round numbers. Typically two row, a lb of crystal, and then decide if I want to try some Vienna or Munich or victory to see what flavors I like. I guess many refer to the kiss method.

 

[KronIcBREW]

word thanks you guys, i like a real floral quality to my ipa with a nice dry finish.. the reason for the off numbers is from a beer calculator to increace my IBU's and add more color to it.. as for "commercial" IPA i like? i try and stick with micro brews but a Red Hook Long hammer IPA is always nice.. or a Flower Power from Ithica Brewing Co... so from what ive gathered from you guys, its sounds too malty? if there was a way to make it easier like you suggest, which malts should i add/decrease amounts while still keepin a nice color?
Thank yuo all again. mad helpful

 

[bobbrews]

Way too much cara malts. You don't need carapils here. I'd just go with the carawheat and nix the carared, carapils, and C40. You're overcomplicating things with the numbers/amounts. Simpify your hop bill and utilize less early and more late additions.

 

[Skelator]

Cut out all but one of the cara malts. I'd use 8 ounces of the c40 and thats it with the 2 row. The extract will already have some cara malt in it.

 

[KronIcBREW]

alright so right now im thinking take out the 11.1 oz Carared, 7.5 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine... i could also decrease or take the Wheat malt out completely... im really not looking for a huge malty mask over it all but like i said above i just wanted to keep the color in an IPA range.. if i take out those, will it mean to increase the other malts? or am i trying to decrease the whole amout?

 

[Kentunkel]

You're not going to lower your abv by removing the cara malts buy you will lower your starting and final gravities a proportional amount.

For example, instead of an original gravity at 1.062 and final gravity at 1.018 you might see an og of 1.056 and a fg 1.012. Same abv but a drier IPA that you can drink pints of.

 

[Kentunkel]

but like i said above i just wanted to keep the color in an IPA range

You'll be in the color range with the crystal 40. Its really up to you, if you're trying to make a specific IPA you have something more to consider but they're are a range of great IPAs within the lighter to darker, drier to maltier spectrums.

 

[KronIcBREW]

You'll be in the color range with the crystal 40. Its really up to you, if you're trying to make a specific IPA you have something more to consider but they're are a range of great IPAs within the lighter to darker, drier to maltier spectrums.

yeah i figured its mostly what i want but for a first brew i was just looking for a very distiguished taste and feel of the IPA to say "ive brewed an IPA" and not a hybrid of some sort hahaha. but thats real good to know ill be ok with the crysal 40. and like stated above itll be a trial anyway im sure there will be plenty im going to change.. thank you

 

[KronIcBREW]

You're not going to lower your abv by removing the cara malts buy you will lower your starting and final gravities a proportional amount.

For example, instead of an original gravity at 1.062 and final gravity at 1.018 you might see an og of 1.056 and a fg 1.012. Same abv but a drier IPA that you can drink pints of.

thats great info! thanks man! so im killing two birds with one stone here because i dont want the malys flavors to strong and i reallllly like the drier IPAs myself.

this is all good stuff brewers, thank you. could i post my step process and get tips on that also?

 

[Kentunkel]

Your process is going to be the main contribution to your beer. The recipe is certain to define your final product but not as much. I think you're wise to keep it simple and focus on maintaining fermentation temps and attention to sanitation on your first batch. Best of luck, if you're as passionate as you seem to be about it you're doing it right.

 

[Skelator]

i stopped using crystal and caramel malts in my extract recipes since the extract already had it in it and honestly, it made a pretty big difference. You dont need ALL that sweetness. just food for thought.

 

[KronIcBREW]

Way too much cara malts. You don't need carapils here. I'd just go with the carawheat and nix the carared, carapils, and C40. You're overcomplicating things with the numbers/amounts. Simpify your hop bill and utilize less early and more late additions.

Thanks bob, and do you mean take out some of my first additions and add more late aroma and flavor hops?

 

[KronIcBREW]

Way too much cara malts. You don't need carapils here. I'd just go with the carawheat and nix the carared, carapils, and C40. You're overcomplicating things with the numbers/amounts. Simpify your hop bill and utilize less early and more late additions.

Thanks bob, and do you mean take out some of my first additions and add more late aroma and flavor hops?

 

[bobbrews]

yes