Ideas for IPAs

[m00ps]

I've been doing a lot of IPAs recently and I've got my technique for recipe formulation pretty dialed in to suit my tastes. I like to limit the crystal malt, mash low, and add some simple sugar to dry it out as much as I can. I also like massive late additions and hopstand the thing to bring out the hops as much as possible.

This is what I'm planning on brewing this weekend. It's a re-tooled version of the last Rye IPA I did but switched out the hop bill to test this one I got 8oz of (you are reading that right, its not amarillo). The combination of Conan with the Rye plays really nicely since both give the beer a silky body.

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has any special ingredients or tricks they personally have to make their IPAs unique. I wouldnt be looking to make major changes to what I'm doing this weekend, but I'm willing to try something new. Thanks!

8lb 2 row
2lb rye
2 lb flaked rye
10oz munich
8oz golden naked oats
6oz belgian aromatic
1lb cane sugar

mash 148 for 60min / 168 for 10min mashout

@60: 1 oz apollo
@10: 2 oz armadillo
@5: 2 oz armadillo / 1 oz ella
@0: 2 oz armadillo / 1 oz ella
*steep for 30 min before chilling*
@dry 2 oz armadillo

ferment with Conan yeast at mid 60s

 

[m00ps]

well I'll just go ahead with this if no one chimes in by friday evening...

 

[Calder]

I got nothing for you.

Why a small amount of Munich and the Aromatic? Pretty similar IMO, and the Aromatic will be dominant.

Why the oats. I used to do that, but figured it added to haze, but really didn't do anything to help the beer. I don't use it anymore in IPAs. Could be better off using more malt to get more malt flavor.

I don't know what you do for 0 min hops. I cool the wort down to somewhere between 170 and 180 F (target 175), and then add the hops.

Good luck with those hops. Report back with what you think they do.

 

[Brewmex41]

You don't mention your water profile. I got the water profile from my city and from the report I noticed I needed 7g of gypsum and 2g of epsom salt to get my dedired hoppy beer profile. That could be one thing to look at, it really made a difference in my ipas.

 

[m00ps]

I've been adding a bit of gypsum blindly to my IPAs since it seemed to work the first time. Whats epsom salt supposed to help balance?

 

[Brewmex41]

It brings the magnesium up to the range suggested in How to Brew. I think it puts me at 17ppm and over 300ppm sulfate along with the gypsum.

 

[m00ps]

oh, does magnesium work to accentuate the hop compounds like gypsum? I never really wanted to delve too far into water analysis. I don't even measure the amount of water I use in a batch, eyeballing its been working just fine

 

[Brewmex41]

Well, below is a link to the page in How To Brew.

This is what he mentions about the Magnesium:
This ion behaves very similarly to Calcium in water, but is less efficacious. It also contributes to water hardness. Magnesium is an important yeast nutrient in small amounts (10 -20 ppm), but amounts greater than 50 ppm tend to give a sour-bitter taste to the beer. Levels higher than 125 ppm have a laxative and diuretic affect.

http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-1.html

 

[Mirilis]

I make my ipa's out of 97% Munich 3% carafa2.. Then I put 1.5 oz hallertau at 60 and 0.5 at 0

I ferment it with W34-70.... Ohh wait that's Dunkel... Never mind.

 

[Jaymex98]

😆

 

[Mirilis]

On a serious note this is my IPA:

Fermentables
Amount Fermentable PPG °L Bill %
13.5 lb American - Pale 2-Row 37 1.8 83.1%
1 lb American - Wheat 38 1.8 6.2%
0.75 lb German - Munich Dark 37 15.5 4.6%
0.75 lb American - Victory 34 28 4.6%
0.25 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 40L 34 40 1.5%

16.25 lb Total

Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
0.75 oz Magnum Pellet 14.7 Boil 60 min 41.2
1 oz Amarillo Pellet 10.1 Boil 15 min 10.07
1 oz Amarillo Pellet 10.1 Boil 0 min
1 oz Cascade Pellet 7.5 Boil 15 min 7.48
1 oz Cascade Pellet 7.5 Boil 0 min