IIPA recipe critiques

[Portage_Brews]

I am planning to brew an Imperial IPA soon and I wanted to get creative with the recipe. I put this recipe together based on some common practices with the style. My biggest concern is the hops schedule. This is where I have little experience in. I am open to all suggestions.

5 Gallons
OG: 1.079, IBU: 85, ABV: 7.8%

15 lb Pale Malt 2-row
1 lb Caramel Malt 20l
8 oz Flaked Oats
8 oz Cara-pils/Dextrine
.5 oz Nelson Sauvin First wort hop
.5 oz Galaxy 45 min
1oz Amarillo 45 min
1 oz Amarillo 10 mi
1.2 oz Nelson Sauvin 5 min
1 oz Motueka dry hop 7 days
1.5 oz Galaxy dry hop 7 days

Thinking about trying Conan/Vermont yeast

Thanks!!!

 

[user 125772]

For IPAs, It's generally accepted that you bitter at 60 (or FW) and then no further additions until flavor/aroma additions. Are you only doing a 45 min boil?, if so that should produce something nice. Personally, I'd move that 45 min Amarillo to the flameout or hop stand .

 

[Portage_Brews]

I usually do a 60 min boil. Would I need to add any early bittering hops if I moved to Amarillo to flameout?

 

[Mexibilly]

Depending on what you're going for, a 45 minute addition may be wasted.
I'd probably up the fwh to 1oz and save the rest for 15 - 0.
I'd increase your 15> additions by at least 4oz.
Last DIPA I did, still fermenting at the moment, got 12oz in the boil, 1oz at 60 and the rest at 15>. That included 2 whirlpools, one at flame out and one at 180, 4os total I think.
I don't brew an IPA with less than 12oz.
This one got 12 in the boil, 1 at 60 and the rest at 15>
7oz, 2 stage dry hop.
If you want big hops, you'll have to hop the s$$t out of it

 

[Portage_Brews]

Maybe something like this
1oz Nelson Sauvin first wort hop
.5 oz Galaxy 60 min
2 oz Amarillo 10 min
2 oz Nelson Sauvin 5 min
2 oz Amarillo flameout
I will probably double my dry hops and I'm not sure if Galaxy works at 60 min...and I may need more hops still. Closer to what one may expect?

 

[lolcats]

I like the recipe

Though the 1 oz amarillo @ 45 is a waste IMO

 

[Redlantern]

I like the recipe

Though the 1 oz amarillo @ 45 is a waste IMO

Agreed.

 

[m00ps]

If you use that nelson sauvin at 60min, I will come and find you and take it from you. This is one of the most expensive hops out there at the moment. Absolutely, do not use that for your bittering addition. Also, there is no point in both a 60min and FWH addition. Just pick one, same thing. Galaxy at 60min is also awful. Find ANY bittering hop and save your precious aromatic ones for late boil/flameout/dry hops

I would omit the caramel entirely from the recipe. Caramel malts have no place in a double IPA, IMO. Replace it with cane sugar or base malt unless you dont like to taste the hops that you are paying for. I think the main goal fo a double IPA is to get it dry and drinkable. Most homebrewed and commercial examples dont seem to be able to do this, even though its in the style guidelines.

 

[Portage_Brews]

Ok so I need to choose a bittering hop. I also have some Mosaic with 11 aa that I could use. I originally used Galaxy because it has 14.9 aa. Most of the hops are dual purpose. I would prefer the hop flavor to be noticeable.

 

[m00ps]

Ok so I need to choose a bittering hop. I also have some Mosaic with 11 aa that I could use. I originally used Galaxy because it has 14.9 aa. Most of the hops are dual purpose. I would prefer the hop flavor to be noticeable.

Dont confuse hop flavor with hop bitterness. Anything about from 30min left in the boil back to the start you simply will not taste anything hop from the in terms fo flavor. You will get a prominent addition of bitterness which you can taste, but it basically has no discernable flavor of the hop you used, all the aromatics are boiled away

If you really want to taste a hop, you should be adding it very late boil or in a whirlpool/hopstand. Dry hopping is similar with aroma, but doesnt add much in terms of perceptible flavor

 

[Redlantern]

get an ounce of magnum for bittering.

with those hops, seems a waste to put any of them before 20.

 

[jerbrew]

I agree. Save all of those delicious (expensive) hops for the end where you get the aroma and tast. That being said there are more to hops than the AA% even for bittering. There's a lot of good reading out there about all the yummy stuff hops to for our beer.

You can get a pound of Bravo pellets (2015 crop) on Yakima valley hops for 9.99 before shipping. that should last you quite a few brews for $10

 

[Portage_Brews]

Awesome. Thanks for the information everybody. I'm going to rework this thing. I'm glad I asked...

 

[pshankstar]

I agree with @jerbrew about using Bravo as a bittering hop. I've used it a few times in my IPAs and enjoy it. Warrior is another good alternative bittering hop from what I know. I have some but haven't tried it yet for bittering but have in late additions in the boil. I've read that Warrior is a "Dual Purpose" hop and also relatively cheap.

Good luck!