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Looking to brew my first IPA using malt extract. Tips on good extracts and priming tips?

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I have not read through this entire thread, maybe this has been covered, but you should be made aware that dumping dried extract directly into hot water is a bad idea. You will end up with hard clumps that take forever to break apart. Instead, mix the extract into room temperature water (accounting for the extra volume) and then add that to your boil. Makes all the difference.
 
I have not read through this entire thread, maybe this has been covered, but you should be made aware that dumping dried extract directly into hot water is a bad idea. You will end up with hard clumps that take forever to break apart. Instead, mix the extract into room temperature water (accounting for the extra volume) and then add that to your boil. Makes all the difference.
Thanks for mentioning that buddy. I don't think that has been mentioned. Would it also be OK to simply mix the DME before turning the stove on? Maybe I would have to stir until I get it to a boil in that case, but would that technically be OK or are there any drawbacks to that approach?

@BrewnWKopperKat Thanks for the link :) Gotta check it out if its got Muppet show music 😂 No but really, thanks. Will be helpful
 
Recipe update
This is what I have come up with so far: Matheos IPA | American IPA Extract Beer Recipe at Brewer's Friend
The most uncertain part of it is the yeast. I know I can get that yeast from my store but how much I need for a batch, I have no idea. The rest is very inspired from the 15min Pale ale that @BrewnWKopperKat linked earlier.

My thoughts (links will be to the shop website I am looking at but to their English version. It is a bit lacking but hopefully most things are translated):
  • I think I should try to achieve higher IBU? What do you guys think? EDIT: Played around and by adding the 71g cascades at 60min would give me 50IBU which according to my research seems to be a good value for any style IPA?
  • The Crystal malt I was looking at is this
  • The yeast is this
  • The DME I have in the recipe is currently out of stock, but they've also got Breferm's here
  • Priming sugar 100% dextrose from bullet brew
  • The hops are US Cascade pellet hops 7AA
  • I would be open to having two different kinds of hops and maybe limiting myself to a total of 100g of cascade. I am not sure what hops would go nice with cascade and at what times though. Suggestions? Citra? Chinook? I need to buy in factors of 100g, so two kinds with 100g of each would be cool and doable. But this which I stole from the 15min recipe is also fine.

I have probably messed up a few things in the recipe, but that's why I post it here so I can tune it to be as good as possible.
I might initially look into somehow making my worth in the 3L pot I've got, and making a smaller batch first run (topping off in fermenter). This to try to not spend too much at once, as I probably need to invest in a bigger pot in the future :p
I am also thinking of priming in the bottle initially to reduce costs of another vessel.

Thoughts, adjustments, comments? :)
 
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That will definitely make beer!

I think you may be a little light on your hops & IBU for and american IPA, but that is personal preference. You could add another 30 or 60 g at the dry hop. Either Citra or Chinook would work as the additions there. But using a single hop will teach you how the different hops taste. Next time brew with a different one. Then start mixing them when you figure our which ones you like. Look up SMASH recipes and the thoughts behind them (not now, after you brew this).

You can use table sugar to prime if you don't want to buy the dextrose, that bag will last you forever. Priming the bottles is fine, just takes longer. Do you have enough of them?

Make sure that crystal is milled and make sure you have a bag to steep it in.

Don't make a smaller batch. You are going through the same amount of work so you may as well enjoy it at the end. :) But given your space and interest, you should check out the One Gallon Brewers threads.

GL!
 
That will definitely make beer!

I think you may be a little light on your hops & IBU for and american IPA, but that is personal preference. You could add another 30 or 60 g at the dry hop. Either Citra or Chinook would work as the additions there. But using a single hop will teach you how the different hops taste. Next time brew with a different one. Then start mixing them when you figure our which ones you like. Look up SMASH recipes and the thoughts behind them (not now, after you brew this).

You can use table sugar to prime if you don't want to buy the dextrose, that bag will last you forever. Priming the bottles is fine, just takes longer. Do you have enough of them?

Make sure that crystal is milled and make sure you have a bag to steep it in.

Don't make a smaller batch. You are going through the same amount of work so you may as well enjoy it at the end. :) But given your space and interest, you should check out the One Gallon Brewers threads.

GL!

Thanks for the feedback! I will look into those threads!

I should have 30x750ml bottles at my disposal. Eventually. Still drinking the last batch haha. But thought I could at least do the primary fermentation while the bottles are still in use.

Regarding the use of table sugar, are there any drawbacks? Compared to dextrose that is.

And yes, I will get it milled for +0,20€ :)

What do you think of my thought about adding the 15min hops already at 60? Would that maybe solve the IBU problem, cause any new ones? I will aim for one kind of hops for this batch, to learn, as you said :D
 
No drawbacks on sugar, just make sure you use the correct amount for a 750ml bottle, there are many threads here that include those calculations.

Moving that hop addition isn't really going to change it very much. For reference, I used about 350g of hops in my last IPA recipe. That is a lot, but it's what I like. The last clone recipe I used had about 200g.
 
Thanks for the feedback! I will look into those threads!

I should have 30x750ml bottles at my disposal. Eventually. Still drinking the last batch haha. But thought I could at least do the primary fermentation while the bottles are still in use.

Regarding the use of table sugar, are there any drawbacks? Compared to dextrose that is.

And yes, I will get it milled for +0,20€ :)

What do you think of my thought about adding the 15min hops already at 60? Would that maybe solve the IBU problem, cause any new ones? I will aim for one kind of hops for this batch, to learn, as you said :D
50 ibus for a low og beer like your are planning is really high. I would either lower the ibus to 35 or up the amount of extract. An og of 1.06 would be ok for 50 ibus imo.

You need to have a balance between malt sweetness and bitterness. If there is not enough malt character, the ibus will taste like there's too much of them.
 
No drawbacks on sugar, just make sure you use the correct amount for a 750ml bottle, there are many threads here that include those calculations.

Moving that hop addition isn't really going to change it very much. For reference, I used about 350g of hops in my last IPA recipe. That is a lot, but it's what I like. The last clone recipe I used had about 200g.

Yes I am aware of the sugar calculations :)

So how do you suggest I bump the bitterness? I add another hopping instead of moving an existing one? Or? My understanding so far has been that hopping during the boil increases the bitterness, especially in the beginning?
 
50 ibus for a low og beer like your are planning is really high. I would either lower the ibus to 35 or up the amount of extract. Am og of 1.06 would be ok for 50 ibus imo.

You need to have a balance between malt sweetness and bitterness. If there is not enough malt character, the ibus will taste like there's too much of them.

oh okay. Got it. What does onus mean? sorry.. stepping grains?
 
I'd listen to Miraculix above. I've evolved my recipes to where I like it, but haven't started from scratch like where you are. I also brew all grain IPAs, so wasn't looking at your malt volume.

As another point of reference, the extract wheat I make for my wife has only 60 g of hops in it, so I guess I'm all over the board.
 
Hmm okay. I just now read about the BU:GU ratios (IBU to Gravity Unit). They say here that for example an Imperial IPA could have a ratio of 1 or more while a maltier style doppelbock could be 0.5 or less. As my OG in the recipe is now 1.048, that would mean that I could have a IBU of 48 for a ratio of 1? But probably I am making it too easy because that would mean I would want a bitterness higher than my 48 from the gravity points? Or is it the other way around
 
Hmm okay. I just now read about the BU:GU ratios (IBU to Gravity Unit). They say here that for example an Imperial IPA could have a ratio of 1 or more while a maltier style doppelbock could be 0.5 or less. As my OG in the recipe is now 1.048, that would mean that I could have a IBU of 48 for a ratio of 1? But probably I am making it too easy because that would mean I would want a bitterness higher than my 48 from the gravity points? Or is it the other way around
Yes, too easy. It's all about personal taste here. What's your favourite beer? Do you like super bitter beer? Like stone IPA?
 
Yes, too easy. It's all about personal taste here. What's your favourite beer? Do you like super bitter beer? Like stone IPA?

Think I have ever had a stone IPA ones, so I can't really remember. I love me a Punk IPA from brewdog. So maybe that bitterness could be a target? That one uses a million different hops though so it is a bit out of my skillset for a first batch, but in terms of IBU maybe?

Adjusted the recipe slightly and rounded up the hops numbers. gives a bit higher bitterness (26,9 with the same OG). Read up that it is a dying trend that IPAs need to be super bitter. Not sure what to believe though.
 
Think I have ever had a stone IPA ones, so I can't really remember. I love me a Punk IPA from brewdog. So maybe that bitterness could be a target? That one uses a million different hops though so it is a bit out of my skillset for a first batch, but in terms of IBU maybe?

Adjusted the recipe slightly and rounded up the hops numbers. gives a bit higher bitterness (26,9 with the same OG). Read up that it is a dying trend that IPAs need to be super bitter. Not sure what to believe though.
Go super easy on this. Just one hop, as mentioned above, this will teach you how this hop tastes. Next time, use another hop. I would go with either Chinook, or Simcoe. These are classics. So is cascade and centennial. Pick one, I would pick one of the first two, because they are my favourite American hops and they will also give you a punk IPA type of direction.

Only do two additions, bittering and dry. This is classic and gives you everything you need. The botteling process I have outlined above is crucial, otherwise you will lose the flavour to oxygen.

And fill the sugar into the bottles before the beer gets in!

I think punk IPA has 35-40 ibus max, so I would aim for 35 with your current og.

Edit: googled it, punk has 35 ibus!
 
Go super easy on this. Just one hop, as mentioned above, this will teach you how this hop tastes. Next time, use another hop. I would go with either Chinook, or Simcoe. These are classics. So is cascade and centennial. Pick one, I would pick one of the first two, because they are my favourite American hops and they will also give you a punk IPA type of direction.

Only do two additions, bittering and dry. This is classic and gives you everything you need. The botteling process I have outlined above is crucial, otherwise you will lose the flavour to oxygen.

And fill the sugar into the bottles before the beer gets in!

I think punk IPA has 35-40 ibus max, so I would aim for 35 with your current og.

More and more great info! I will decrease my "hoppings". Thanks! What ratios would be adviseable for bittering vs dry? Also at what time is ideal for bittering? Think I will take your advice and opt for Chinook instead of cascade!

EDIT: I played around and noted that 65g Chinook at 15min will give me 35 IBU :) Sounds good? Then for the dry hop I have no clue for the amount, but I think I want a lot... +100g dry hop Chinook at 7 days?

Regarding the bottling process, I think I had some question earlier left unanswered. Did you mean that I fill them pretty well, then pull the stick out and the volume of the stick is appropriate left over in the bottle for air? And then I squeeze the bottle, making it dented, so that the beer is all the way up til the rim, and then screw on the lid?

And fill the sugar into the bottles before the beer gets in!
Thanks for this! I have been trying to figure this out so many times. I thought this would be the best way, but I was also scared that by filling the sugar first, I could introduce extra oxygen?
 
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For that brew, one packet of dried yeast will work fine. Best bet would be to rehydrate it in 50 or 100 |ml warm water before pitching.
As others have said, don't get too hung up on proper, and exact right now - you're in the learning phase. |What we're looking at now is to get your procedures down so later you'll be able to concentrate on specific areas to improve.
As someone said, do a bit of reading - Papazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing and Palmer's How to Brew are both indispensible in my opinoin to any brewer. Palmer is more in the scientific and numbers area, and |Papazian is more of a 'feel' guy. Neither approach is right or wrong. |How to Brew is availble online for free - however it's the first edition, and he's changed his mind about quite a few things since then.
For a 19l (5gallon) batch, |I would recommend (personally...) to do a boil, for as much as you comfortably can. Personally, I found that much less than half the batch boiled didn't give me as good a result, so something like a 12l pot should be comfortable. Top off with cold water in the fermenter will bring to to about pitching temp.
You can certainly experiment with whatever you have at the moment, and upgrade from there as needed.
IMO the most important things is to make sure your extract is fresh as possible, and keep tabs on the fermentation temps. Other than that, sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. If things aren't clean, you will never make good beer.
 
More and more great info! I will decrease my "hoppings". Thanks! What ratios would be adviseable for bittering vs dry? Also at what time is ideal for bittering? Think I will take your advice and opt for Chinook instead of cascade!

EDIT: I played around and noted that 65g Chinook at 15min will give me 35 IBU :) Sounds good? Then for the dry hop I have no clue for the amount, but I think I want a lot... +100g dry hop Chinook at 7 days?

Regarding the bottling process, I think I had some question earlier left unanswered. Did you mean that I fill them pretty well, then pull the stick out and the volume of the stick is appropriate left over in the bottle for air? And then I squeeze the bottle, making it dented, so that the beer is all the way up til the rim, and then screw on the lid?


Thanks for this! I have been trying to figure this out so many times. I thought this would be the best way, but I was also scared that by filling the sugar first, I could introduce extra oxygen?
Yes, this is how I meant the filing process with the squeezing! The goal is to have zero air in the bottle when doing the plastic bottle squeezing.

15 minutes will give you also some hop flavour and you won't extract all the ibus that you theoretically could. I would boil for 45 minutes and recalculate for this. Dry hopping rate would be 3gram per litre in the fermenter for me.

You can also use cascade! That's another hop that I personal really like and I think everybody should at least brew one cascade only beer to get to know it. I just like Chinook and Simcoe a tiny bit more.
 
And remember, doesn't matter what people say, extract from an unopened pack/bottle does not need to get boiled. It is actually detrimental for the flavour of it to boil it. It has been boiled already.
 
For that brew, one packet of dried yeast will work fine. Best bet would be to rehydrate it in 50 or 100 |ml warm water before pitching.
As others have said, don't get too hung up on proper, and exact right now - you're in the learning phase. |What we're looking at now is to get your procedures down so later you'll be able to concentrate on specific areas to improve.
As someone said, do a bit of reading - Papazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing and Palmer's How to Brew are both indispensible in my opinoin to any brewer. Palmer is more in the scientific and numbers area, and |Papazian is more of a 'feel' guy. Neither approach is right or wrong. |How to Brew is availble online for free - however it's the first edition, and he's changed his mind about quite a few things since then.
For a 19l (5gallon) batch, |I would recommend (personally...) to do a boil, for as much as you comfortably can. Personally, I found that much less than half the batch boiled didn't give me as good a result, so something like a 12l pot should be comfortable. Top off with cold water in the fermenter will bring to to about pitching temp.
You can certainly experiment with whatever you have at the moment, and upgrade from there as needed.
IMO the most important things is to make sure your extract is fresh as possible, and keep tabs on the fermentation temps. Other than that, sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. If things aren't clean, you will never make good beer.

Hi jrg! Thanks for your input. Will look into the litterature. And yea, I understand it's about getting a feel and experience down at first, but at the same time I want my first to be as good as possible :) The recipe and "knowledge" is getting there. Why do you recommend mixing the yeast in water before pitching? Seems like another water temp I have to take into account imo :p

I am currently looking at a 10L pot. Much bigger is even a bit hard to get by around here tbh. That would perhaps give me 8-9L from the pot which I could top off. Could that be OK?

Since I am using Dry Malt extract I am not too concerned about the freshness of the extract, though of course I don't want out of date :p
 
You can rehydrate the yeast, but fermentis actually advises against it.

From personal experiments, I can say that I have not found any difference in the result when rehydrated or just sprinkled on top of the cooled wort.

I would advice, for simplicities sake, against it.
 
Yes, this is how I meant the filing process with the squeezing! The goal is to have zero air in the bottle when doing the plastic bottle squeezing.

15 minutes will give you also some hop flavour and you won't extract all the ibus that you theoretically could. I would boil for 45 minutes and recalculate for this. Dry hopping rate would be 3gram per litre in the fermenter for me.

You can also use cascade! That's another hop that I personal really like and I think everybody should at least brew one cascade only beer to get to know it. I just like Chinook and Simcoe a tiny bit more.

OK thanks for confirming!

You now mean total boil time would be 45? And then I see when the hops should be added and amount for my target IBU?

Dry hops maybe 60g then for a 19L batch (fermenter)?

I am so all over the place with all hops. I wanna try all but I have decided one hop now and going with chinook :) Maybe next one hop brew is cascade :)

And remember, doesn't matter what people say, extract from an unopened pack/bottle does not need to get boiled. It is actually detrimental for the flavour of it to boil it. It has been boiled already.

Hmm. This knowledge would surely make the process easier for me, especially if I can't do a full boil. As the DME solves easier in colder water, I suppose it would make sense to only add the stepping grains and the initial hops to the boil, mix the DME separetely in the fermenter in room temperature water and then put them together and top off?
 
OK thanks for confirming!

You now mean total boil time would be 45? And then I see when the hops should be added and amount for my target IBU?

Dry hops maybe 60g then for a 19L batch (fermenter)?

I am so all over the place with all hops. I wanna try all but I have decided one hop now and going with chinook :) Maybe next one hop brew is cascade :)



Hmm. This knowledge would surely make the process easier for me, especially if I can't do a full boil. As the DME solves easier in colder water, I suppose it would make sense to only add the stepping grains and the initial hops to the boil, mix the DME separetely in the fermenter in room temperature water and then put them together and top off?
Skip the steaping grains. They will lower the fermentability of the extract, which is already fairly low. Keep it simple, one hop, one extract, focus on the process. I outlined it for you above before.
 
Skip the steaping grains. They will lower the fermentability of the extract, which is already fairly low. Keep it simple, one hop, one extract, focus on the process. I outlined it for you above before.

Yea true. That simplifies it even further.



Boil 9L water 45min
15' 65g Chinook 13AA Pellets to the boil

Mix 2.5KG DME LIGHT in fermenter with room temp water.

Pour worth into fermenter and top off with cold water.

Pitch yeast at 21C (hole package dry)

Dry hop 60g Chinook pellets after 7 days (or however long to reach FG) for 2 days

Bottle prime sugar first then beer. squeeze out all air and lid on. Leave for 2 weeks in 21C dark area.


Sounds like a plan?

These would approximately be the numbers
1613667378003.png


EDIT: Forgot some steps lol
 
Yea true. That simplifies it even further.

2.5KG DME LIGHT

Boil 9L water 45min
15' 65g Chinook 13AA Pellets to the boil

Pitch yeast at 21C (hole package dry)

Dry hop 60g Chinook pellets after 7 days (or however long to reach FG) for 2 days

Bottle prime sugar first then beer. squeeze out all air and lid on. Leave for 2 weeks in 21C dark area.


Sounds like a plan?

These would approximately be the numbers View attachment 719079
Sounds like a good plan! You actually don't need to boil that big portion of water. 4-5 litres is already plenty, if you don't boil the DME but only the hops.

This will also make it easier to reach pitching temperature quicker. If you refrigerate some of the topping up water, you might be able to pitch directly the yeast after everything is mixed.
 
And regarding the amount of dry hopping, if you buy a 100g pack, just use the amount for bittering that you need and use the rest for dry hopping. These small amounts of leftover hops stack up in the refrigerator over time... Believe me :D
 
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