Imperial IPA Recipe Check

MBM30075 · Jun 8, 2009

So, I finally got to try a Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA yesterday (boy is it expensive at a restaurant!), and I've decided to make an Imperial IPA myself. I want to keep the recipe simple, making it as close to a full-extract as I can (although I know I need SOME mash in there).

Here's what I've got:

Ingredients:
2 x 3.3 lb. can of Amber Liquid Malt Extract
2 lbs. Light DME
1.5 lbs. Briess 2-Row Malt
8 oz. Caramel Pils
2 oz. Simcoe (60 mins)
2 oz. Cascade (15 mins)
1 oz. Cascade (5 mins)
1 oz. Cascade (dry hop)
SafAle US-05 yeast

Goals:
OG: 1.083
FG: 1.014-1.016
IBU: ~80
SRM: 9.7
ABV: ~9.0%

How does this look? Any suggestions? Remember, I want to keep it simple.

Thanks!

Oldsock · Jun 8, 2009

It is pretty much impossible to over-do the late hops in a DIPA. 2-3 oz each at flameout and dry hopping are what I like to go with.

Can you do a full boil? It is very hard to get a beer to be bitter enough without one when you are pushing the upper bounds of IBU solubility with a strong beer.

US-05 is a great choice since it is so attenuative, but you might consider swapping out ~5-10% of the malt for simple sugars for added dryness. However, if you like 90 Min that is on the sweeter side so you will probably like it as is.

MBM30075 · Jun 8, 2009

Well, here's what I ended up with:

I went a little crazy, but what the heck?

2 x 3.3 lb cans Munton's Plain Amber liquid malt extract
3 lb. bag of Briess Golden Light DME
2 lb. Briess American 2 Row
8 oz. Briess Crystal 60L
8 oz. Briess Carapils (Dextrine)
4 oz. Simcoe hop pellets (11.9% @ 60 min)
3 oz. Cascade hop pellets (6.3% @ 15 min)
2 oz. Cascade hop pellets (6.3% @ 5 min)
1 oz. Cascade hop leaves (7.2% for dry-hopping)
2 packets of Safale US-05 (#56)

*****Goals*****
OG: 1.092-1.098 (shooting for 1.095)
FG: 1.015-1.018 (shooting for 1.015)
SRM: about 12 to 15
IBU: 135
ABV: 10.5%

It's weird, though, when I ran this recipe through a bunch of different calculators, I got a bunch of different calculations. For instance, one calculator said my IBUs would be 69, but another said about 135 and yet another said 238!!! Also, my OG was predicted to be anywhere from 1.081 to 1.091 to 1.095. I've actually got a slight bit more than I've listed and my steeping efficiency has always seemed good (I seem to always come in a little high for the expected OG), so I'm guessing it will be 1.095 or higher. I don't care much about color (as long as it's close) because flavor is what counts with me! I can't wait to brew this baby up tonight!!!