First recipe try-Extract

[konaniko]

I have done a few kits but would like to try just buying ingredients and try to make a good IPA. See anything wrong or info I need to add. My questions are:
What kind of yeast would be the best?
Can I use any type of honey? (like from grocery store)
Should I use some speciality grains? If so what kind?

Batch Size 3 gallons
Boil Volume 3.5 Gallons

2lbs Muntons Plain light DME @150 deg
1.5 lbs Muntons Amber DME
1 lb of Honey
1 oz Amarillo Pellets 8-9%AA @ 60 min
1 oz of Simcoe Pellets 12%AA @ 30 min
.5 oz Columbus Pellets 14-16% @ 5 min

 

[smagee]

Yeast: Any clean yeast will do here--US05, California Ale, specialties like Pacman or Denny's, etc.
Honey: Any honey will do; I typically just go by price. Different types of honey (orange blossom vs. clover, for example), may make a slight difference, but not if you're only using 1lb of it.
Specialties: I'm a fan of keeping things simple, so no, I wouldn't add anything special to it. You're getting plenty of color from your extract, so I wouldn't worry about it.

As for the recipe, any reason you're sticking the Columbus at 5 and Amarillo at 60? Typically I'd have those swapped, as Columbus is known more for bittering than flavor. That's not to say it has no flavor, but as a personal choice, I prefer that of Amarillo .

 

[konaniko]

I was going with Columbus at 5 to get a more bitter taste. I enjoy bitter beers like double IPA's or strong IPA's. Am I doing it backwards if I want a high IBU? Still new to this so this info is greatly appreciated. I was not planning on it but would dry hopping be worth it?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I was going with Columbus at 5 to get a more bitter taste. I enjoy bitter beers like double IPA's or strong IPA's. Am I doing it backwards if I want a high IBU? Still new to this so this info is greatly appreciated. I was not planning on it but would dry hopping be worth it?

To get alot of ibu's out of your hops, you want to add them early in the boil. Later additions are for flavor and aroma and only lend a few ibu's to your wort. I agree with doing the Columbus early and the Amarillo late. Amarillos have a great flavor/aroma.
Good luck with your pale ale. Keep us posted.

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't use amber malt extract. It has crystal and other grains in it, and I think it's out of place in an IPA.

I agree with switching the columbus and amarillo.

I'd go with all light DME or extra light DME, and add .75 pounds of specialty grains. I really like victory malt, and some crystal in an IPA is fine. I don't use 30 minute hops often in an IPA. You don't get much out of them at 30 minutes- it's not enough time to extract much bitterness, and it's too long to extract much flavor. I'd increase the bittering hops, move the simcoe to 15 minutes, and use the amarillo for aroma. I'd also dryhop this!

I'd go more with:

3.5 pounds DME
.50 pound of grains- victory malt and/or honey malt come to mind, especially the honey malt if you want a slight honey flavor. .25 pound of honey malt, .25 pound of victory malt- that would be good!
.5 pound honey (flame out)

Hops:
.75 oz Columbus Pellets 14-16% @ 60 min
.5 oz of Simcoe Pellets 12%AA @ 15 min
.5 oz amarillo 10 minutes
.5 oz simcoe 5 minutes
.5 oz Amarillo Pellets 1 min
Dryhop with .5 ounce of amarillo/simcoe

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I agree with switching the columbus and amarillo.
I'd go more with:
3.5 pounds DME
.50 pound of grains- victory malt and/or honey malt come to mind, especially the honey malt if you want a slight honey flavor. .25 pound of honey malt, .25 pound of victory malt- that would be good!
.5 pound honey (flame out)
Hops:
.75 oz Columbus Pellets 14-16% @ 60 min
.5 oz of Simcoe Pellets 12%AA @ 15 min
.5 oz amarillo 10 minutes
.5 oz simcoe 5 minutes
.5 oz Amarillo Pellets 1 min
Dryhop with .5 ounce of amarillo/simcoe

Yum. I may have to brew something like that very soon. I like the way the simcoe/Amarillo combo sounds.