Recipe help

[spak]

I made a simple recipe for an imperial IPA(going to have to wait for my fermeter to free up because I just brewed on wednesday)

I am going for a small batch because of Mr Beer and I just want to get a few recipes out of the way before getting a bucket

Batch Size: 2.13 gal      
Boil Size: 2.44 gal
Estimated OG: 1.082 SG
Estimated Color: 13.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 98.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
1.25 lb       Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)         Dry Extract  24.8 %        
3.30 lb       Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM)           Extract      65.3 %        
0.50 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)     Grain        9.9 %         
0.75 oz       Centennial [10.00%]  (60 min)             Hops         49.7 IBU      
0.75 oz       Cascade [5.50%]  (60 min)                 Hops         27.4 IBU      
0.50 oz       Amarillo Gold [8.50%]  (30 min)           Hops         21.7 IBU      
1.00 oz       Centennial [10.00%]  (Dry Hop 7 days)     Hops          -            
0.50 tsp      Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)                Misc                       
1 Pkgs        English Ale (White Labs #WLP002)          Yeast-Ale

What I did for the first batch was do a small 1 gal boil for it then poured it in the frementer with cold water to cool it down. But when I put my current recipe in after scaling it down to 1 gallon boil it says my IBU will be a ton less with a smaller boil(didn't know that)

I want a great amount of bitterness(how I like my IPAs) and I want it to be strong in grapefruit flavor. So I am not sure how to time my hops.(late in the boil = flavor and aroma?) So I am not sure If I should to a couple of 10 minute increments to the end of the boil for last 30 minutes(probably would want to use centennial for grapefruit flavor?). And I think the yeast is probably fine, but if there is a better one to use let me know

I do know I should steep my malt in a grain bag at 155 for 30 minutes or more.

Did this in beersmith, and I really like how it shows the total amount of corn sugar by weight for perfect carbonation. (I have a food digital scale I use every day) Seems like a decent recipe though with all of the style guidelines matching up and all.

anyways thanks in advance I am really excited to make an DIPA next because I love them!

 

[erikpete18]

Sounds like you've got a pretty good recipe there! Do your extract batches usually ferment down pretty well? I just ask because I used to have some trouble with my extract not fermenting down quite as far as I wanted them to, so for my IPAs and IIPAs I would sub some of the extract for sugar to dry it out a little, but if you do pretty well already I wouldn't worry about that.

But when I put my current recipe in after scaling it down to 1 gallon boil it says my IBU will be a ton less with a smaller boil(didn't know that)

This is because the higher gravity your boil, the fewer IBUs you can extract from the hops. To increase the IBUs, you can either increase the amount you boil, or decrease the gravity of your wort. I normally do the second, and add part of my extract at the end of the boil, so the gravity at the beginning of the boil when the bittering hops go in is lower. For instance, you could steep your specialty grains (30 min. is plenty of time) and stir in your dry extract, then hold off on the liquid until the end of the boil (just enough to sanitize).

If you're looking for grapefruit flavors, i'd definitely toss in some more cascade late in the boil, and even dry hop with some. What you could do is up your centennial bittering addition to the IBUs you want and move the cascades to later in the boil. If you've got a few more laying around, it wouldn't be crazy to use 0.5oz cascades at 20, 10, 5, and/or 0 min. I don't know if I'd do all of those times, but feel free to pick and choose, and even throw some in with the dry hop if you want

 

[spak]

Sounds like you've got a pretty good recipe there! Do your extract batches usually ferment down pretty well? I just ask because I used to have some trouble with my extract not fermenting down quite as far as I wanted them to, so for my IPAs and IIPAs I would sub some of the extract for sugar to dry it out a little, but if you do pretty well already I wouldn't worry about that.



This is because the higher gravity your boil, the fewer IBUs you can extract from the hops. To increase the IBUs, you can either increase the amount you boil, or decrease the gravity of your wort. I normally do the second, and add part of my extract at the end of the boil, so the gravity at the beginning of the boil when the bittering hops go in is lower. For instance, you could steep your specialty grains (30 min. is plenty of time) and stir in your dry extract, then hold off on the liquid until the end of the boil (just enough to sanitize).

If you're looking for grapefruit flavors, i'd definitely toss in some more cascade late in the boil, and even dry hop with some. What you could do is up your centennial bittering addition to the IBUs you want and move the cascades to later in the boil. If you've got a few more laying around, it wouldn't be crazy to use 0.5oz cascades at 20, 10, 5, and/or 0 min. I don't know if I'd do all of those times, but feel free to pick and choose, and even throw some in with the dry hop if you want

thanks for the help. Makes more sense now why people add in their extract at the end of the boil. I was wondering why haha. In beersmith I found the check box that lets you add after the boil. Also changed the recipe per recommendations for hops. This is going to be outstandingly delicious. Also changed the yeast to one I will probably like better for the taste. Apparently it will bring down the gravity more than the other one I was going to use. I will probably make a small starter as well.

Not sure how my extract batches are fermenting down yet, because I just boiled my first batch on wednesday. I am going to wait 2 weeks before bottling it. It is just a Dry Stout with 3 ounces of pure cocoa added near the end of boiling. Hope it turns out good, I will be tasting the uncarbonated beer when It finishes up before I bottle it.

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - www.beersmith.com
Recipe: My IPA
Brewer: Spak
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Imperial IPA
TYPE: Extract
Taste: (35.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 2.13 gal      
Boil Size: 1.15 gal
Estimated OG: 1.088 SG
Estimated FG: 1.019
Estimated ABV: 9.0%
Estimated Color: 14.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 112.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: - %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
1.50 lb       Extra Light Dry Extract (3.0 SRM)         Dry Extract  28.3 %        
3.30 lb       Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM)           Extract      62.3 %        
0.50 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM)     Grain        9.4 %         
1.00 oz       Centennial [10.00%]  (60 min)             Hops         74.4 IBU      
0.50 oz       Amarillo Gold [8.50%]  (30 min)           Hops         24.3 IBU      
0.50 oz       Cascade [5.50%]  (15 min)                 Hops         10.1 IBU      
0.50 oz       Cascade [5.50%]  (5 min)                  Hops         4.1 IBU       
1.00 oz       Cascade [5.50%]  (Dry Hop 7 days)         Hops          -            
0.50 tsp      Irish Moss (Boil 10.0 min)                Misc                       
1 Pkgs        California Ale (White Labs #WLP001)       Yeast-Ale