Session IPA Help Please

[hbhudy]

Folks I have been brewing for a while now and have completely gravitated to session beers,and feel like I do a descent job with them.. The one beer I have not been able to crack the nut on is a session IPA.. I just finished brewing and kegging a session Rye IPA, but I am completely disappointed with it.. No real hop flavor and more grassy than anything else..
Recipe was::
6#-2Row
1#-Rye malt
10oz-FlakedWheat
4oz-C80
2oz-C40
1oz-SpecialB
---
0.35oz-Warrior 60min
1.00oz-Amarillo 10min
0.18oz-Warrior 5min
--
1.50oz-Zythos Hopstand 20mins
1.00oz-Amarillo Hopstand 20mins
0.50oz-Chinook Hopstand 20mins
--
1.50oz-Zythos Hopstand 10mins
1.00oz-Amarillo Hopstand 10mins
0.50oz-Chinook Hopstand 10mins
--
Dryhop 3oz Zythos 5 days

 

[rippajak]

Well, I've never brewed with Zythos, Warrior, or Amarillo, but by the numbers that looks like a solid hop regimen to me. At what temperature are you performing your hopstand? I usually chill to 170° F for mine to avoid driving off the more delicate compounds.

 

[jbunton]

What's your water like? Maybe a little gypsum may help.

 

[Braufessor]

Overall, I think it looks good. I have attempted to brew a lot of session IPA's and have found the biggest obstacle to be the fact that they can come off as "harsh" and "grassy" like you mentioned. Personally, I have had the most success around the 1.045-1.050 gravity..... which is not super low alcohol, but I find the beer getting thin and harsh lower than that.

I also like to brew them clean with low caramel and other hops.

Personally, unless you are dead set on having it Be A "Rye-P-A" I would ditch the rye. Rye is just one more thing that I think can come off as funny and the spice can sometimes clash with hops. Likewise, I would ditch the special B too... not that it is very much and can't say that any of its flavor traits would creep in (In larger amounts I find Special B to really clash with hops), but if it is for color, you can get great color with tiny additions of Roast Barley.

Not sure I understand the tiny addition of Warrior at 5 minutes?

Water is key for sure. I think you want a water profile that is a pale ale profile, but perhaps to the lower end of mineral additions.

Zythos is a good hop blend - I have used it and like it. Chinook should be ok in that lower amount. I think the hop plan looks pretty good.

 

[bobeer]

yea, I'd ditch the special B. I've put it in pale ales before and it sort of clashes with what I think an APA/IPA is supposed to taste like. Especially if you're going to add crystal malts. It works great in maltier beers or big beers you age for a while.

Let us know how it turns out. I'm working on day 2 of a hangover and wanting to brew some more session style beers. Plus the summer is coming and it would be nice to have a session ipa on tap.

 

[HomebrewSupply]

We recently released an article on Designing Session Beers.

Looks like you've got a good base. What temps are you fermenting at? What yeast are you using? I usually try to go for strains that produce more esters to make it a bit more exiting.

 

[brandonnys]

Personally, I'd double the dry hop.

I also do not understand the 5min Warrior addition. I'd just increase that 60 minute Warrior to .5oz and keep your 20min Amarillo.

Any reason you didn't use any Zythos in the boil? The beer may benefit from even just 0.5oz displaced from your hopstand additions into a 5min boil addition to compliment the Warrior and Amarillo.

My $0.02.

Also, I wouldn't get rid of the rye. It adds necessary body.

 

[Braufessor]

We recently released an article on Designing Session Beers.

Looks like you've got a good base. What temps are you fermenting at? What yeast are you using? I usually try to go for strains that produce more esters to make it a bit more exiting.

I found 002/1968 to be a good session IPA yeast. Fruity esters and finishes a touch high on gravity for body.

 

[hbhudy]

Thanks for the feedback.. It is Grassy as all get out, but hopefully that somehow drops out.. The warrior addition was just a thought to increase IBUs, but would agree it would have been better to up the 60min slightly.. Mashed at 155 to try to keep the body up slightly.. SpecialB was just to add a kiss of color.. I like the Rye flavor and it does help with the body as well., Hop stand was done starting at 190 and ended at about 175ish.. I am thinking move a little bit of the hop blends back to into the 10 and 5 min range..

I understand it would be a little easier to start in the 1050OG range, but I am truly dedicated to brewing session ales.. I already have a regular Pale Ale that I have around.. Just 2row, Vienna, and Rye with Cascade and Chinook

 

[hbhudy]

I like the article.. I follow these steps, and hope to continue to improve this IPA