Oregon Trail IPA - feedback?

[DrinkNoH2O]

Hi All,
I'm working on an IPA recipe featuring the Cascade/Willamette hops combo. I want it to push the limits of the the American IPA style, but not quite be an "imperial" IPA... I just want a nice strong IPA. I plan on using Magnums for bittering to get the IBUs up without adding too much flavor (I have plenty on hand.)

Anyways, I'm open to suggestions on the hop schedule as well as the grain bill. I do want to keep the IBUs/OG about where I have specified.


Recipe: Oregon Trail IPA
Style: American IPA
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.41 gal
Estimated OG: 1.076 SG
Estimated Color: 13.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 80.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 73.33 %
2 lbs Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 13.33 %
1 lbs Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.67 %
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 5.00 %
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 1.67 %
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min) Hops 42.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (30 min) Hops 17.4 IBU
1.00 oz Willamette [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 8.2 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (15 min) Hops 11.2 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (2 min) Hops 1.4 IBU
2.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
0.50 tsp Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
5.00 gal Irvine, CA Water
1 Pkgs SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 15.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 18.75 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F

 

[damdaman]

Bear in mind I'm still kinda new to AG and maybe you have more experience than I do, but personally I would consider ditching the cara-pils and replacing with more 2 row, and maybe replace half the munich with vienna (a milder munich), to create a less malty profile... 2 lbs. of munich just seems a little high for an IPA to me personally, but I suppose it just depends on what you're going for.

Hops look good, only thing I might do different is dry hop with both cascade and willamette, rather than just cascade.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm pretty new to AG as well. Just curious, why remove the Cara-pils? I read that it increases head retention and doesn't impart too much flavor.

 

[damdaman]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm pretty new to AG as well. Just curious, why remove the Cara-pils? I read that it increases head retention and doesn't impart too much flavor.

It also adds body, and traditionally IPAs are pretty dry/light-bodied, that's all. If you don't mind a "fuller" IPA then by all means go for it. I honestly don't know if it will add that much to the body in that proportion or not.

 

[david_42]

Looks fine, although the real Oregon Trail IPA uses "generous amounts of Nugget and Centennial hops".

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

Looks fine, although the real Oregon Trail IPA uses "generous amounts of Nugget and Centennial hops".

haha, never seen that one before. I just called it Oregon Trail because it has two hops from Oregon..

 

[david_42]

Oregon Trail is owned by Dave Wills, who also owns freshops.com.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

I tweaked the recipe a bit, will probably brew this weekend. Any feedback?

Estimated OG: 1.076 SG
Estimated Color: 11.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 79.1 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes


13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row)
1 lbs Munich Malt
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L

1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] (60 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (30 min)
1.00 oz Willamette [4.90 %] (15 min)
1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (15 min)
1.00 oz Williamette [4.90 %] (2 min)

1 Pkgs SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05)

1.00 oz Cascade [7.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days)
1.00 oz Williamette [4.90 %] (Dry Hop 7 days)

Mash for 60 minutes @ 152

 

[david_42]

Looks fine.

 

[kcinpdx]

I'm glad to see you dropped the mash temp down - that would have been my only suggestion