Session IPA - Too many hops? A Bitterness Discussion

[brennanj11]

Hey guys,
I'm looking to unload some ingredients and have figured I need to utilize about a 1lb of hops for this brew! I'm not too concerned about the hoppiness, more trying to understand the expected perceived bitterness. In the past, I've used a max of 9oz of hops, so I'm in new territory here.
First thing I look at is the majority of the hops(8.5oz) coming from the whirlpool/hop stand. I've used a 2% utilization for these. I'm assuming these additions will mostly add to the overall hop flavor and aroma and not much to the bitterness.
When trying to calculate bitterness, I've relied on looking at the BU:GU ratio for those boil-hop additions.
For this brew, we're at .85 BU:GU.
I typically use .65 BU:GU as a general rule of thumb.

What do you think?
Anyone w/experience dumping a 1lb of hops in a recipe?
Will the whirlpool hops push this bitterness far above a perceived bitterness ratio of .85?


STATS:
Brew Method: BIAB
Boil Time: 45 min
Efficiency: 85% (brew house)
Original Gravity: 1.054
Final Gravity: 1.011
ABV (standard): 5.5%
IBU (tinseth): 75.32
SRM (morey): 5.49


FERMENTABLES:
7 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (66.7%)
2.5 lb - American - Munich - Light 10L (23.8%)
1 lb - American - Red Wheat (9.5%)

HOPS:
0.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 45 min, IBU: 23.22
0.5 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 11.92
0.5 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 10.63
3 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 180 °F, IBU: 10.67
2.5 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 180 °F, IBU: 9.36
3 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 180 °F, IBU: 9.51
2 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 14.25, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
2 oz - Columbus, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days
2 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

YEAST:
Wyeast - London Ale III 1318

 

[Redlantern]

I have hit some lower ABV IPA's and have found that it does not handle a high bitterness to gravity ratio. Hops still work, but not so much in the boil. 75 may be too high. Maybe a sub 170°F hop stand and a big Dry hop will do the trick

 

[plazola86]

I would ditch the 15 minute addition and add them to the whirlpool additions. Just do a small bittering charge, half of the whirlpool hops at flameout, then the other half when it reaches 180 F. 15 minute additions still extract quite a bit of bitterness.

 

[saltymirv]

The recipe you gave would make a standard strength IPA, albeit at the low end of the ABV spectrium. Session beers are typically <5%, ranging from 3-5%

As far as the bitterness, I think 75 IBU is too high. Most session IPAs that I see have an IBU between 40-50.

Also, I'm not sure how you got a .85 BU:GU, but this beer is 75/54=1.39. I thought maybe you switched the GU/BU, but that would be .72

Anyway, I'd cut the OG down to about 1.045 and IBU to 45-50.

 

[Weezy]

BU:GU is like 1.3. that's high for a light malt beer. I'd consider moving the first addition to 60 minute and ditch the 15 minute boil additions. Get the BU:GU to 1ish.

 

[brennanj11]

You guys are on point with your comments! The 15 minute boil additions are new to this recipe, compared to my previous sessions IPAs.
I get that the calculated IBUs are in the 70s, however that is including "IBUs" from the whirlpool additions. Let me clarify where i got the .85 BU/GU.
I calculated the BOIL additions only. So that was 44 IBU. 44/54 = .85 BU/GU
I do this because, the bitterness imparted from whirlpool additions appears to me to be less bitter(aroma/taste) or that bitterness fades quickly with time.
Also one point of clarification that Plazola86 mentioned, I will be splitting whirlpool additions between flameout and the other half after 180F has been reached.

 

[SoggyWood]

For session IPAs don't do any bittering additions. I suggest all hops go in 10 minutes or less.

You still get plenty of isomerization and since the beer is typically lighter in body the bitterness is balanced.

 

[Jonkl]

I start building my recipes just looking at the value of the primary bittering charge, and think of it as "apparent bittering." A 25-30IBU addition is in the range of what I'd do in something like a session IPA, but 23 is probably okay, especially if you back off the OG into "true session" range. You might move some of your 15min hops back to the 45min to get it in the range, then move the rest to 5-10 minutes. I think building in different flavors from different boil time additions helps in a session IPA, as well. Maybe a little bit at 15, more at 10, even more at 5, and the majority of your boil hops in at FO and in a hopstand.

 

[saltymirv]

You guys are on point with your comments! The 15 minute boil additions are new to this recipe, compared to my previous sessions IPAs.
I get that the calculated IBUs are in the 70s, however that is including "IBUs" from the whirlpool additions. Let me clarify where i got the .85 BU/GU.
I calculated the BOIL additions only. So that was 44 IBU. 44/54 = .85 BU/GU
I do this because, the bitterness imparted from whirlpool additions appears to me to be less bitter(aroma/taste) or that bitterness fades quickly with time.
Also one point of clarification that Plazola86 mentioned, I will be splitting whirlpool additions between flameout and the other half after 180F has been reached.

Ahh ok, you should be good then. You're right that the whirlpool additions at 180F won't add much bitterness, but the ones at flame out will. And my god that is a lot of WP hops, 8.5oz?!

 

[brennanj11]

I start building my recipes just looking at the value of the primary bittering charge, and think of it as "apparent bittering." A 25-30IBU addition is in the range of what I'd do in something like a session IPA, but 23 is probably okay, especially if you back off the OG into "true session" range. You might move some of your 15min hops back to the 45min to get it in the range, then move the rest to 5-10 minutes. I think building in different flavors from different boil time additions helps in a session IPA, as well. Maybe a little bit at 15, more at 10, even more at 5, and the majority of your boil hops in at FO and in a hopstand.

Holy Confirmation Bias Batman, this is exactly how I am approaching these Sessions. There's something to be said about the overall rounded out bitterness and hop flavor and aromas that can be had from using at different times and temps. Someone earlier mentioned not using a bittering addition at all, and while that may work for him, i've done it before and wasn't pleased with the lack of bitterness "backbone". It also did not age well (please don't skewer me, as I can't drink 50 beers in 3 weeks, like most of you love doing )