Quick help with an Extract IPA Recipe

[MikeBergan]

I am working on my first non-kit recipe, and could use some advice. I want to go all extract, 'maybe' with a small steep of carapils or the like to help with head and retention?

I will be working with a small batch of about 2.5 gallons end result. Boil would be about 1.5 gallons.

Here is my idea so far:
3 lbs Extra Light Dry Extract
1 lbs Amber Dry Extract
1.00 oz Zeus [14.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 3 51.4 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining 4 -
1.00 oz Mosaic (HBC 369) [12.25 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 5 11.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 6 12.4 IBUs
1.00 oz Hallertau [4.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 7 0.0 IBUs

Any thoughts on changes?
According to Beersmith, this fits right into American IPA style lines except that it is just a touch high on IBU. I know it is also on the low end for SRM, but I like that, in this case; I want to try and do a fairly light colored brew, to see how good a clarity I can get compared to the kits I have been doing.

 

[MikeBergan]

I'm a bit surprised... 35 views so far and not ONE comment (either good or bad)

 

[Erythro73]

I really can't comment much on your recipe, because I'm still a beginner. I can't tell if you put the right hops at the right boil time to create the best profile.

However, I really don't understand why you would use Hallertau, a german hops, while you are doing an american IPA recipe (with american hops, mosaic, zeus, simcoe). I would replace it with an american hops (Cascade?).

 

[MikeBergan]

Erythro-
I pulled those hops from a clone recipe for an IPA that I really like the taste of, so that I knew I would have something that I will enjoy drinking.

 

[JakeSparrow]

I'm very new to this, and I will be brewing only BIAB all grain batches, so I can't say much about the extract.

As far as the hop combo, the sky is the limit. You can mix any and all you would want, experimentation is fun. And if you did pull that from a recipe, then it's all good. The "American" in IPA is really just saying that it's more hop forward than malt-forward, sometimes very much so (west coast ipa). It doesn't mean your stuck in the american hop varieties, it's just that most of them are made for american IPAs. I say try it out, and let us know how it goes. I think it will turn out awesome, I'm not sure if the Hallertau will be overpowered by the other two hops, I'm sure someone will know more than I.

 

[KeninMN]

Is there a commercial example you are paying homage to?

(The reason I ask is because it looks similar to Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA...)

 

[peterj]

Yeah I agree the Hallertau seems strange. It has a pretty light and mild flavor that I would think would get covered up by other hops. But if you have had a beer with that or a similar hop schedule and you liked it, then there's no reason not to try it out!

When I do extract I always try to use only light or extra light extract and then get all of my flavor and color contribution from the fresh steeping grains. Steeping the grains fresh will get you better flavor than an Amber or Dark extract.

Also, it's hard to get enough bittering when you're not doing a full boil. Calculators don't take into account that dissolved iso-alpha acids reach a saturation point in wort of around 80-100 IBUs. So if you end your boil at 1.5 gallons you will have a maximum of about 80-100 IBUs in that concentrated wort. So when you dilute with 1 gallon of water you will have a maximum of about 48-60 IBUs in your finished beer. That should probably work out fine for this beer depending on your OG. But generally the more you can boil, the better.

I would also add some dry hops in there. Maybe an ounce or two.

 

[MikeBergan]

Is there a commercial example you are paying homage to?

(The reason I ask is because it looks similar to Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA...)

That IS the exact beer I was referring to having gotten the hops from. Lat 48 is one of my favorite IPA's.

I have also tried their 'breakdown' 12-pack, where they give you versions of the beer (all brewed exactly the same except for the hops) with single hop used in each of 5 versions. These are the ones that I liked best, so I decided to use them for my own IPA attempt.

Just got back from my LHBS too, he didn't have the Zeus, so we subbed Columbus.

With the various comments regarding the Hallertau, maybe I should use that as a dry-hop for a few days at the end of fermentation? Would that help keep some of the flavor showing through?