My Rye IPA Recipe: Please evaluate/comment

[VanHolton]

This is my first try formulating a recipe of my own. Please let me know what you think in terms of balance or anything, really.

Rye IPA

Est efficiency 70%
OG 1.067
FG 1.015
ABV 6.8%
67 IBU
22 degrees Lovibond (is this correct for my malt bill?)

9.5 lbs 2 row
2 lbs Rye
1 lb CaraPils
.75 lb Crystal 120L
.5 lb Crystal 80L
.5 lb Aromatic
.2 lb Carafa Special II

.5 oz Magnum 14% aa (FWH)
1 oz Simcoe 13% aa (60 min)
1 oz Amarillo 8% (30 min)
.5 oz Cascade 3.6% (2 min)

Safale US-05

 

[mkling]

Several quick impressions:

1) In color this is a brown ale, not an India Pale Ale. Most Rye IPAs I see are more similar to regular IPAs in color. If that's what you're going for, I'd drop the Carafa & use only .5 lb of C80 & drop the C120 or go with a higher amount of lower L crystal like .75-1 lb of C40. If you want a Rye Black IPA, up the Carafa some but still drop the C120, I think -- it'll be too sweet to be an IPA with C120 & C80.

2) Too much of your hops are bittering additions and not enough in the flavor, finishing, and dry hop additions. I think at minimum you need 1 oz finishing hops (1-2 minute) and 1 oz dry hops. (I'd personally go with more of both.) Also, at least 1 oz of flavor addition (which you've got), but I'd make it a shorter time addition. 15 minutes instead of 30 minutes. These are just some broad guidelines. I'd probably switch around which hop goes where too (Amarillo is stupendous for dry or finishing hops), but that's enough for now, I think.

 

[VanHolton]

Great, that's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! I was originally going to use .75 crystal 80 and .5 crystal 40 but that didn't seem to be dark enough per my software. I guess it might be wrong though, it's an iPhone app. I'm going for a nice deep red.

For hops, I was trying to make something work with leftovers that I have from another batch. I know it will be worth the few dollars to just go out and get proper hops.

Thank you for the advice!

 

[mkling]

If you're looking for a nice deep red then absolutely go for all the crystal in there -- don't drop any of it. Founder's Red Rye is a great red rye ale that's hopped like an IPA. I'd still probably drop the carafa -- you want it red, not brown. It's a hoppy red rye instead of an IPA, but who really cares about the label.

The hops you've got are great hops, so use them. Just buy a few more ounces. I'd go with at least 4-5 oz, I think, so you don't need to buy a lot. Sounds like a good beer you're aiming towards. You're not far off.

 

[VanHolton]

Ok, here's what I've got now...

5.25 gal

Est efficiency 70%
OG 1.066
FG 1.015
ABV 6.7%
75 IBU
13 deg L

9.5 lbs 2 row
2 lbs Rye
1 lb CaraPils
.75 lb Crystal 80L
.5 lb Crystal 40L
.5 lb Aromatic

.5 oz Magnum 14% aa (FWH)
.5 oz Cascade 3.6% (FWH)
1 oz Simcoe 13% aa (60 min)
1 oz Amarillo 8% (15 min)
1 oz Cascade 6% (2 min)
1 oz Amarillo 8% (dry hop 7 days)

Safale US-05

mkling: thanks for your suggestions!

 

[Yooper]

I still think it's too much crystal- maybe drop the carapils? I don't see a need for any carapils at all, but a pound is quite a bit.

I don't know the IBUs, but having three bittering additions (and I consider FWH a bittering addition, since you will get bitterness from it) makes it seem like it's going to be very bitter.

I'd move the simcoe out to a finishing hop, since I love the flavor of simcoe and amarillo together.

For IPAs, I love flavor/aroma additions at 15 minutes, 5 minutes, 0 minutes or a schedule like that. To me, it's all about the late hops.

 

[VanHolton]

Yooper,
How would you suggest I get I nice deep red, like Founder's Red Rye? Also, from what I've read here, I thought FWH wasn't much of a perceived bitterness, and should be considered more of a flavor addition. How would you describe the effects of FWH?
Thanks!

 

[defenestrate]

Also the rye will lend some perceived bitterness, so u need to account for that. I agree to focus more on the "hop bursting" technique... lots or additions from 15-0. That's just what I like in my rye ipa