IPA recipe...looking for opinions

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huntley

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When I ordered my Oktoberfest from Northern Brewer, they inadvertently packaged 6 lbs of Pilsen (liquid) malt extract rather than the Amber. They were quick to send a replacement and told me to keep the Pilsen. So here I am with 6lbs of Pilsen malt extract, and I'd like to turn it into an IPA. I've been talking with one of my friends, and with his help, came up with the following recipe for an IPA. I'm looking for any and all comments that'll help me make a hoppy, in-your-face kind of beer. Keep in mind I still have to purchase everything for this batch except for the Pilsen, so pretty much anything is in play.

6# Pilsen liquid malt extract
2# Amber dry malt extract
1/2# Caramel 40
1/2# Caramel 80

60 Minute boil:
1 oz. Centennial (60 min)
1 oz. Centennial (30 min)
1 oz. Cascade (20 min)
1 oz. East Kent Golding (5 min)
1 oz. Cascade (2 min)

1 oz. Cascade (dry hop)

Safale US-05 Ale Yeast

If I've done my calcs right, that would be an OG of 1.065 and IBU of 49 (IBU courtesy of Tastybrew.com calculator). I'm new at this, so please let me know if what I've done here is likely to turn out horrible, as I really don't know.
 
Typically people here only recognize AIPA beers, 60 IBU's or higher when referring to standard deviations of qualitative means.

To get your IBU's up add both oz's of centennial at 60 min or buy a high AA hop like magnum for early additions. I would do:

1 oz. magnum 60 min
.5 oz centennial 40 min
.5 oz centennial 15 min
1 oz cascade 5 minutes

1 oz Cascade leaf dryhop atleast 7 days

Depending on if you want your beer more bitter use the EKG early, or later for more aroma and taste. Is this out of your list of hops? Did you already buy these or is this a blank slate? This would be around 65-70 IBU's depending on where you place the EKG
 
Thanks for the response, though I'm not sure I understand it fully. Are you suggesting I completely replace the hop additions I mentioned with the ones that you mentioned? Using the same calculator that I originally used, your hops would be IBU = 47.

Alternately, if I put 2 oz. Cent at 60 mins, my original recipe goes up to 54.

Using a different calculator, my original recipe is 77 with all of the same values.

To answer your questions, I haven't purchased any hops yet. The local brew store has Magnum in addition to the other ones I originally mentioned. My intention was to use the EKG as aroma/flavor rather than bittering.
 
When I ordered my Oktoberfest from Northern Brewer, they inadvertently packaged 6 lbs of Pilsen (liquid) malt extract rather than the Amber. They were quick to send a replacement and told me to keep the Pilsen. So here I am with 6lbs of Pilsen malt extract, and I'd like to turn it into an IPA. I've been talking with one of my friends, and with his help, came up with the following recipe for an IPA. I'm looking for any and all comments that'll help me make a hoppy, in-your-face kind of beer. Keep in mind I still have to purchase everything for this batch except for the Pilsen, so pretty much anything is in play.

6# Pilsen liquid malt extract
2# Amber dry malt extract
1/2# Caramel 40
1/2# Caramel 80

60 Minute boil:
1 oz. Centennial (60 min)
1 oz. Centennial (30 min)
1 oz. Cascade (20 min)
1 oz. East Kent Golding (5 min)
1 oz. Cascade (2 min)

1 oz. Cascade (dry hop)

Safale US-05 Ale Yeast

If I've done my calcs right, that would be an OG of 1.065 and IBU of 49 (IBU courtesy of Tastybrew.com calculator). I'm new at this, so please let me know if what I've done here is likely to turn out horrible, as I really don't know.

Definitely get rid of the amber extract! Amber extract has crystal malt in it too, so you'd have a cloyingly sweet beer as a result. You can either add some light or extra light extract to replace it, try a mini mash with some two-row with the crystal or simply live with an OG of 1.043 and make a pale ale instead of an IPA.

I don't like the mix of EKG in with the cascade. It'll get totally "lost" and covered up by the citrusy hops. I'd either move the 30 minute centennial addition to 15 minutes or later for flavor, or boost up the 60 minute addition if you need more IBUs, or both. 30 minute hops give very little flavor, but also not much bitterness, so they aren't really that useful in this recipe.

You definitely don't have enough hops for an in-your-face hoppiness.
 
If you can get some more extract (light), I'd try something like this:

8 lbs Extract (liquid)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L

1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (150 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (5 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (2 min)

Dryhop with cascade if desired.

I'd plan on adding 1/2 of the extract at the beginning, and 1/2 of the extract at the end for lighter color and less maillard reactions. I'd decrease the crystal malt to no more than 12 ounces total, however you want to divide it up.
 
Yooper said:
If you can get some more extract (light), I'd try something like this:

8 lbs Extract (liquid)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L

1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (150 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (5 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (2 min)

Dryhop with cascade if desired.

I'd plan on adding 1/2 of the extract at the beginning, and 1/2 of the extract at the end for lighter color and less maillard reactions. I'd decrease the crystal malt to no more than 12 ounces total, however you want to divide it up.

Yooper meant 15 min instead of 150, and hers looks good to me.
 
I'm looking for any and all comments that'll help me make a hoppy, in-your-face kind of beer.

I think you have a great start but I agree with Yoop that you should drop the EKG and switch to all pale/pilsen extract. I like Yoop's hop schedule too, but for a hoppy, in-your-face beer, I would suggest getting one more ounce of hops--any american variety would work, I've been loving Chinook and Citra lately, while Centennial, Columbus, and Cascade are my old tried and true favorites. What hop you choose may determine where you put it, although all the ones I listed could be bittering or late addition. I generally don't add hops between 60 and 20 minutes, and I would suggest aiming for IBUs at least equal to your gravity points (i.e. at least 60 IBUs in a 1.060 beer).

I you want I can suggest a hop schedule if you pick a hop variety and tell me your boil size. Otherwise, best of luck!
 
FYI the BJCP style guidelines for American IPA have bitterness from 40-70 IBU. The Imperial IPA is between 70-120 IBU.

Hops heads like higher IBUs but it is still technically an IPA if you hit 40 IBUs and meet the other guidelines.

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style14.php#1b

I didn't see anyone claim it wasn't an IPA, but the OP specifically said he wanted an in-your-face hoppy beer and I don't think
40 IBUs will do that, especially with an OG of 1.065.

EDIT: Apologies if you saw the first reply, thought I was in a different thread.
 
Sorry I missed the in your face request.

I just saw this "Typically people here only recognize AIPA beers, 60 IBU's or higher when referring to standard deviations of qualitative means."

Which sounds like under 60 IBU is not an AIPA. But upon rereading I guess "standard deviations of qualitative means" is the same as in your face hoppy.
 
I think you have a great start but I agree with Yoop that you should drop the EKG and switch to all pale/pilsen extract. I like Yoop's hop schedule too, but for a hoppy, in-your-face beer, I would suggest getting one more ounce of hops--any american variety would work, I've been loving Chinook and Citra lately, while Centennial, Columbus, and Cascade are my old tried and true favorites. What hop you choose may determine where you put it, although all the ones I listed could be bittering or late addition. I generally don't add hops between 60 and 20 minutes, and I would suggest aiming for IBUs at least equal to your gravity points (i.e. at least 60 IBUs in a 1.060 beer).

I you want I can suggest a hop schedule if you pick a hop variety and tell me your boil size. Otherwise, best of luck!

Starting with Yooper's suggestions, what do you think about:
3 gallon boil for a 5 gallon batch.

8 lbs Extract (liquid) (57.6 points)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (3 points)
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (1.5 points)
Total points = 62 (boil points = 103)

2.00 oz Chinook [12.00 %] (60 min) (2*12*0.145*75/5=52.2)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (15 min) (1*9.6*0.072*75/5=10.4)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (5 min) (1*9.6*0.029*75/5=4.2)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (2 min) (1*5.4*0.012*75/5=1.0)
Total IBU = 68

Dry hop with Cascade
 
Starting with Yooper's suggestions, what do you think about:
3 gallon boil for a 5 gallon batch.

8 lbs Extract (liquid) (57.6 points)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (3 points)
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (1.5 points)
Total points = 62 (boil points = 103)

2.00 oz Chinook [12.00 %] (60 min) (2*12*0.145*75/5=52.2)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (15 min) (1*9.6*0.072*75/5=10.4)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.60 %] (5 min) (1*9.6*0.029*75/5=4.2)
1.00 oz Cascade [5.40 %] (2 min) (1*5.4*0.012*75/5=1.0)
Total IBU = 68

Dry hop with Cascade

Sounds good to me!
 
Sorry I missed the in your face request.

I just saw this "Typically people here only recognize AIPA beers, 60 IBU's or higher when referring to standard deviations of qualitative means."

Which sounds like under 60 IBU is not an AIPA. But upon rereading I guess "standard deviations of qualitative means" is the same as in your face hoppy.


It's basically a joke because it can't be done :drunk:

Think it would be a good band name, or maybe just an in your face hoppy beer :rockin:
 
Definitely a good switch on your buttering hops. I like something like magnum, chinook, or horizon for buttering on AIPA because it really goes well with cascade.
 
Thanks for all of the help, guys. I'll likely do this on Saturday, so I'll make sure to check back in 6 weeks or so to let everyone know how this particular one turned out.
 
I wanted to post an update for those who helped shape my original recipe. I brewed this on Monday 7/25 with a couple of changes due to availability of ingredients.

The recipe as it was brewed:
3 gallon boil for a 5+ gallon batch.

6 lbs Extract (liquid)
2 lbs Extract (dry)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L

2.00 oz Chinook [11.0%] (70 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.90 %] (15 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.90 %] (5 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (2 min)

I increased the boil time to 70 minutes to squeeze a little more more out of the Chinook hops since the ones available were 11% instead of 12%. I also filled the carboy to just over 5 gallons. My OG was 1.062, which is what I was expecting. I checked it on Tuesday 8/2, and it was at 1.014. I also took the opportunity to taste it, and I have to say that it was definitely bitter and hoppy. I can't wait for the next 5 weeks to pass so I can smell/taste the finished product.
 
I wanted to post an update for those who helped shape my original recipe. I brewed this on Monday 7/25 with a couple of changes due to availability of ingredients.

The recipe as it was brewed:
3 gallon boil for a 5+ gallon batch.

6 lbs Extract (liquid)
2 lbs Extract (dry)
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L

2.00 oz Chinook [11.0%] (70 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.90 %] (15 min)
1.00 oz Centennial [9.90 %] (5 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (2 min)

I increased the boil time to 70 minutes to squeeze a little more more out of the Chinook hops since the ones available were 11% instead of 12%. I also filled the carboy to just over 5 gallons. My OG was 1.062, which is what I was expecting. I checked it on Tuesday 8/2, and it was at 1.014. I also took the opportunity to taste it, and I have to say that it was definitely bitter and hoppy. I can't wait for the next 5 weeks to pass so I can smell/taste the finished product.

Are you planning on dryhopping? I've been getting into chinook/cascade for dryhopping and really love it.
 
I just wanted to provide an update for those who helped me formulate my recipe. I bottled this a few weeks ago, and it is drinkable at this point. I'm not real good with the technical reviews of things, but in my opinion, it turned out pretty well. It's definitely hoppy with plenty of aroma. I think the alcohol content is fairly low for an IPA, but that's OK with me. Thanks again to those who assisted me.
 
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