IIPA evaluation of recipe please

[eadavis80]

I've received some leaf hops of Columbus and Cascade. I'm going to use these as the hops in this recipe, which I hope is okay. I do BIAB in an 8-gallon kettle, so I'll be using some LME and corn sugar to help boost the OG as my grain threshold is about 12 pounds with my setup. I sparge over the grain bag to yield 6 pre-boil gallons.

8 pounds Pale 2-Row
1 pound Caramel 40
2 pounds German Vienna
3 pounds light LME
1 pound corn sugar

1 oz Columbus @ 60
1 oz Columbus @ 15
1 oz Columbus @ 10
2 oz. Cascade @ 5
2 oz. Cascade for 7-day dry hop

Will use 2 packets of 05.

Thanks all

 

[treebeerd]

Looks pretty good as is. I'd recommend cutting the Caramel 40 to 0.5 lb, and moving your 5 or 10 minute hop addition to flameout/whirlpool. Also, I like at least 3 ounces in most of my dry hops.

 

[DarthBrewer1]

I'd cut the 40 out. Move your columbus 15, 10 to Flameout, add the 5 min Casacade once you cool to 180 and let stand for 30-45min.

I dry hop with 1oz per gallon for IIPA but leave it for 4 days. You'll get fresher aroma and taste then if you leave it for the 7.


Just saw Treebeerd beat me to the punch. I just repeated the same solid advice.

 

[jrgtr42]

Personally I like to use C-40 in my IPAs, though I use about 14 lbs of pale in there. 1lb of the 40 gives me a bit more color and flavor that I like.
To each their own.
But what they said about the hops though - I'd move the 15 and 10 to 5, and the 5 to flameout or hopstand.
Another ounce of dryhop, and cut it to 4 - 5 days.
good luck.

 

[eadavis80]

Okay - so far it looks like I should at least cut the caramel 40 to .5 and not have any hops added (besides bittering) before the final 10 minutes of the boil, yes?

 

[eadavis80]

I am going to go with 2 ounces of cascade at a Hopstand at the boil's conclusion. I have read differing things about adding them right after the boil vs. at 170 degrees, etc. I'll just kill the heat and throw 'em in. Lastly, anyone with a yeast preference out of these 4: 05, Bry-7, 1056 and 1272 for an IPA.

 

[eadavis80]

We'll see how this turns out. My OG was 1.082. I pitched 2 packets of 05. My big concern is using whole cone hops. My gravity sample was really sweet so I'm hoping the bitterness starts to come through after fermentation, but even with 8 ounces of hops it really wasn't hoppy - at all. When using whole cone hops I thought they would break apart some during the boil, but they didn't. I hope the alpha acids do/did their thing...

 

[eadavis80]

Well, the gravity sample yesterday (1 week after brewing and pitching) was down to 1.013 so the 2 packs did the trick. And, more importantly, the taste, aroma and color were all what I was looking for. It was plenty hoppy with the 8 oz. I used, but with all but 1 oz. being in the final 10 minutes or later in the boil it wasn't overly bittter. I'm going to let it sit in primary for at least another week and then I'll rack and let it condition in there for another few weeks. Debating whether or not to dry hop, but I was pretty pleased with the aroma as I used 2 oz. of cascade during the whirlpool post boil. When I dry hop I tend to lose a considerable volume.

 

[treebeerd]

If you're turned off by losing volume you could try making a strong hop tea and adding it at bottling. Adds a little volume, and increases flavor/aroma.

 

[eadavis80]

I know airlocks are not a sure indicator of fermentation, but it's still bubbling about once every 20-30 seconds 9 days after brew day. Am I safe in assuming that's probably because it was a big beer? Gravity was down to 1.013 a week after brew day. I hope it doesn't drop much more in all honesty. I don't want it too dry.