Recipe advice for an IPA

[therustytracks]

I've brewed a few batches of beer from recipe kits. They have all turned out pretty well. I want to start experimenting with hops on a basic IPA recipe. This is what I have so far. I'll be doing a partial mash, 5 gallon batch.

The first batch I want to only use Citra hops. I want to isolate the citrus flavor and aromas from the hops. I will also be making another batch with the same fermentables using Centennial hops.

Any input or advice? Do my ingredients look ok? I ran them through a recipe calculator and it seems to be on par with what I'm looking for in terms of alcohol content and hoppiness.

FERMENTABLES:
1.5 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (15.8%)
5 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (52.6%)
1 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 20L (10.5%)
2 lb - American - White Wheat (21.1%)

HOPS:
1.5 oz - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 37.71
1.5 oz - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 13.67
0.5 oz - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 11, Use: Boil for 0 min
1 oz - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 10 days

 

[Yooper]

10% crystal malt in an IPA is quite a lot. I'd reduce that, to 5-8% if you want to use crystal malt in it. Some of my favorite IPAs have some crystal, but many do not use any crystal malt- so it really depends on what you like but definitely don't go over 7-8% in an IPA.

I like hops at FWH (first wort hop)/15 minutes/10 minutes/5 minutes/0 minutes in a really hoppy IPA, so I 'd say that the ideal recipe might have more late hops, or move .5 ounce of the citra from 60 minutes to the 0 minute addition for more hops flavor and aroma.

 

[therustytracks]

Thanks for the advice! What should I add more of to replace the crystal I'll be removing from the recipe? About the hops, I was under the impression the earlier you add the hops to the wort the more flavor you extract and the later you add them the less they impart flavor and more aroma. Is this correct?

Also I'm just going to bite the bullet and buy one of those igloo mash tuns with the false bottom. Would it just be easier to go to an all grain recipe instead?

I was thinking of using California Ale Yeast. Any input on this as well?

Thanks!

 

[therustytracks]

I think this recipe is too complex after doing a bit more research I think I'm just going to go with a SMaSH recipe. It'll be more inline with what I want to do which is discover the properties of the ingredients. I've decided to go with the following.

12lbs Pale 2-row

1oz Citra 60min
1oz Citra 15min
1oz Citra 10min
.5oz Citra 0min
1oz Citra DH

I'll update the thread with the results.

 

[Weizer]

WLP001 is a go to for a lot of people(even commercial brewers) for IPAs. Also, in regards to replacing the crystal malt, you can just replace it with 2 row. The more simple your grain bill is, the more the hops will shine. Crystal malt will just mask the hop flavor!

 

[Rivenin]

If you're doing a smash, you may want to do a different malt, just FYI, 2-row smashes always leave something a bit lacking, but if you do vienna/maris otter/golden promise, etc it'll give it a bit something extra besides kind of a half bland malt. Or toast the 2-row for a bit to give it some more depth.
Either way i'tll be a nice drinker!

 

[boxofjibboo]

I'm actually doing a very very similar recipe Saturday. Here's my recipe

11 lb Marris Otter (91.7%)
.05 lb Crystal 20L (4.2%)
.05 lb White Wheat (4.2%)

2 oz Cascade 7.2%AA @ 60 min (41 IBU)
1.5 oz Cascade 7.2% AA @ 60 min (18 IBU)
1.5 oz Cascade 7.2% AA @ 0 min

Using Dry English yeast from WL.

After reading different opinions of how much crystal belongs in an IPA, I went with Vinnie's advice from RR and kept it around 4%. The wheat is just there for head retention, if its helps with that low amount.

I advise to go back to your original recipe, just keep the crystal low. Citra will the main show in your IPA.

 

[dobe12]

If you're doing a smash, you may want to do a different malt, just FYI, 2-row smashes always leave something a bit lacking, but if you do vienna/maris otter/golden promise, etc it'll give it a bit something extra besides kind of a half bland malt. Or toast the 2-row for a bit to give it some more depth.
Either way i'tll be a nice drinker!

I agree 100%. Over the past 6 months or so I've made a habit of brewing the same pale ale every 2-3 batches or so, but each uses a different flavor/aroma hop. I'd also recommend using a maltier base grain, something like Maris Otter. If only using 2-Row, I'd add either 1/2 to 1lb of a light crystal like C20. I also like to add 1/2lb of cane sugar to help dry the beer out, but that's just my personal preference. I like dry APAs and IPAs. For the hop schedule, I've been doing something like this.

Citra (US) 0.5 oz 60 min First Wort Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 15 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 10 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 5 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 1.0 oz 1 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 1.0 oz 7 days Dry Hop Pellet 14.4%

I've also swapped out the FWH with just a 1/2oz or so of Magnum for 60min.

 

[Roadie]

I can appreciate you only wanting to use one hop but to use Citra for bittering is criminal. I'd do what dobe12 recommends above and go with Magnum for bittering so it doesn't get in the way of the Citra flavor and you're not wasting Citra for that purpose.

 

[therustytracks]

Thanks for all of the input. It's great to get feedback so quickly. I don't want to use anything other than the Citra for this particular beer. I want a good baseline to start playing with. I have adjusted the grains to include a half pound of white wheat and some crystal.

As for the yeast I've been reading a lot about US-05. I think I'm going to try that out first.

I'll update when I have some more info. Should have time to brew tomorrow night.

 

[adamelb]

I recently did a SmasH with Fawcett Optic and Mosaic hops. I had previously done a 2.5 full boil extract batch with 4 0z of Simcoe/Amarillo that slightly under attenuated but was nowhere near as hoppy as I hoped. This go round I used 1 0z to bitter and then 9 0z split between the 15, 10, 5 and flameout. I tossed in another 4 0z (14oz total) after the yeast did its work. The taste and aroma out of the fermenter is excellent and much closer to what I'm used to from a commercial "hop bomb".

What I'm getting at is that you may consider upping the amount of hops you use. If it was my recipe I'd probably at least double all but the bittering addition. Check out some clone recipes for IPA's you like and take note how many hops they use. Beersmith made me think my big late additions were really going to rack up the IBU's. Samples from the fermenter have been huge on aroma and not very bitter, despite the astronomical IBU predictions.

I like the s-05 choice. A local brewpub just made an excellent fruity IPA using that yeast and I felt it really amped up the aroma hops. I used WLP090 and it attenuated from 1.076 to 1.010 in 3 days with a slightly undersized starter. It mantained a good amount of hop aroma but is cleaner and less fruity than what I've tasted from s-05. Best of luck with your recipe and brew day, cheers!

 

[Rivenin]

I can appreciate you only wanting to use one hop but to use Citra for bittering is criminal. I'd do what dobe12 recommends above and go with Magnum for bittering so it doesn't get in the way of the Citra flavor and you're not wasting Citra for that purpose.

i agree on that as well.

Since you do want to use nothing but citra in the beer, i'd suggest a FWH at least like what was said above.
One problem i've heard with bittering with citra is it is a little cat pee like, not catty, but cat pee... also, the bittering is a little harsh at times, so i'd try a FWH to mellow it out a smidge

 

[boxofjibboo]

I'm actually doing a very very similar recipe Saturday. Here's my recipe



11 lb Marris Otter (91.7%)

.05 lb Crystal 20L (4.2%)

.05 lb White Wheat (4.2%)



2 oz Cascade 7.2%AA @ 60 min (41 IBU)

1.5 oz Cascade 7.2% AA @ 60 min (18 IBU)

1.5 oz Cascade 7.2% AA @ 0 min



Using Dry English yeast from WL.



After reading different opinions of how much crystal belongs in an IPA, I went with Vinnie's advice from RR and kept it around 4%. The wheat is just there for head retention, if its helps with that low amount.



I advise to go back to your original recipe, just keep the crystal low. Citra will the main show in your IPA.

Looking at this again, I meant to put
.5 lb for both the crystal and wheat.

I think you're gonna have a tasty beverage when you're all done


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[therustytracks]

I've read a lot of mixed opinions about bittering with Citra. Some say it works out well for them and others say it has an off flavor. The whole point of this particular batch is to see what qualities I like about Citra on it's own. I will also be using the same recipe, but using Centennial by itself for the same reasons.

 

[dobe12]

I've read a lot of mixed opinions about bittering with Citra. Some say it works out well for them and others say it has an off flavor. The whole point of this particular batch is to see what qualities I like about Citra on it's own. I will also be using the same recipe, but using Centennial by itself for the same reasons.

I bittered my all citra pale all with... well, citra. I also love citra. I don't get cattyness or cat pee or anything that tastes like piss. I will say I only used 1/2oz and did use it as FWH, so maybe that's the difference. The beer came out fantastic.

I'll post again, but this was my hop schedule. And as before, I'd want a little more maltiness to stand up to the strong Citra flavor.

Citra (US) 0.5 oz 60 min First Wort Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 15 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 10 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 0.5 oz 5 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 1.0 oz 1 min Boil Pellet 14.4%
Citra (US) 1.0 oz 7 days Dry Hop Pellet 14.4%

 

[therustytracks]

Finished up the batch on Friday night. Ended up with an OG of about 1.068. Pitched the yeast and it's bubbling like crazy.

I hopped with all citra

1oz at 60
.5oz at 15
1oz at 10
1.5oz at 0

Smells fantastic. Debating dry hopping with another ounce.


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