Simcoe/Amarillo IPA

[nickbrew2]

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.049
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)
STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.063
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 6.35%
IBU (tinseth): 62.19
SRM (daniels): 11.57

FERMENTABLES:
11 lb - United Kingdom - Maris Otter Pale (89.8%)
0.5 lb - American - Carapils (Dextrine Malt) (4.1%)
0.75 lb - American - Munich - 60L (6.1%)

HOPS:
0.25 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 7.48
0.25 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 12.15
0.5 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 0.74
0.5 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 1.1
1 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Whirlpool for 0 min at °F, IBU: 17.3
1 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Whirlpool for 0 min at °F, IBU: 11.71
1 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days, IBU: 11.71
1 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

YEAST:
Fermentis / Safale - US-05

My last brew was an incredible Mosaic SMASH and i'm now looking for a bit of a change some hops i'm unfamiliar with: Simcoe and Amarillo! I defer to all of your experience to help me fine tune this! Technically within style to an American IPA on paper, i'm looking for some earthy notes to come out in contrast to the oh-so-fruity mosaic i've had lately.

1) From what I hear, Amarillo and Simcoe may or may not be good bittering hops because of their co-humulone levels, but I would like a small amount of 60min/FWH bitterness. Maybe substitute with a clean bittering Magnum?

2) I'm not in a dire need of a hop burst but I could double dry hops for true IPA aromas.

3) US-05 is my go to for something clean...but how well would US-04 work?

4)I'm not too attached to the grain bill and am very open to suggestions.

Thanks all!

 

[thehaze]

Amarillo and Simcoe work very well for bittering. You need to experience it in order to be able to say if the Internet is correct or not. And this is more because some things can be relative and very subjective depicted on the Internet. But I do love Amarillo in everything. Simcoe is another favourite, but these kind of hops are also making it easy for us. They are delicious no matter what.

I wouldn't bitter at 60 minutes. Just a bit of hops at 15 minutes and continously hop the wort every 5 minutes, kill the flame, cool down and perform a whirlpool. Dry hop as well. As for the amounts used, I would at least double those. 4 oz for whirlpooling and 4 oz for dry hopping should be OK.

US-05 is OK and reliable, although I'm not a fan. I much prefer Nottingham. S-04 will also work well, albeit a little less attenuative, but nothing you cannot fix by mashing low and adding 5-8% sugar.

As for the grain bill: No need to add Munich and Carapils. Just go 100% Maris Otter. Note however that Maris Otter is a bit more flavourful than 2-row, but will not be an issue when using more hops.

 

[nickbrew2]

Amarillo and Simcoe work very well for bittering. You need to experience it in order to be able to say if the Internet is correct or not. And this is more because some things can be relative and very subjective depicted on the Internet. But I do love Amarillo in everything. Simcoe is another favourite, but these kind of hops are also making it easy for us. They are delicious no matter what.

I wouldn't bitter at 60 minutes. Just a bit of hops at 15 minutes and continously hop the wort every 5 minutes, kill the flame, cool down and perform a whirlpool. Dry hop as well. As for the amounts used, I would at least double those. 4 oz for whirlpooling and 4 oz for dry hopping should be OK.

US-05 is OK and reliable, although I'm not a fan. I much prefer Nottingham. S-04 will also work well, albeit a little less attenuative, but nothing you cannot fix by mashing low and adding 5-8% sugar.

As for the grain bill: No need to add Munich and Carapils. Just go 100% Maris Otter. Note however that Maris Otter is a bit more flavourful than 2-row, but will not be an issue when using more hops.

Great info right off the bat. Yes I absolutely agree it will be subjective - mostly my concern came from some reports of some harsh flavors from bittering with Simcoe, as well as metallic flavors from adding too much amarillo. It sounds like in general people do agree that both hops are delicious and make it easy for brewers, and I am fully looking forward to taking advantage that here.

I haven't used Nottingham in a couple years so I can look into revisiting it. I have used MO a bit in the past and have noted the difference as a base compared to 2-row, which I'm looking forward to for giving a bit more of a malt backbone. Maybe i'm a bit torn between committing to a real American IPA and a half-assed British IPA. I'll take your advice to double the hop quantity and remove the 60 minute bittering hops, as well as removing the non-base malts!

 

[ProblemChild]

I like what The Haze has said. Anymore, my first addition is at 20 or later in the boil.

I do enjoy Munich I in my IPA's for character though - .5 lb in 7 gal is tasty to me anyway. PLEASE NOTE - that 60L is not Munich but CaraMunich II probably. Very different things.

for Whirlpool (or hop stand) I like to chill to 160°F and let stand for 20 min. Flavor is wonderful when I do that. Bitterness down, hop flavor up. If you wanted to,

For dry hop, please add more than an ounce, and definitely add Amarillo. go with 1.5 oz each min.

 

[BrewMan13]

Nothing to contribute to the recipe specifically, other then saying whoever called simcoe and amarillo harsh bittering hops is way off the mark. Simcoe is one of the lowest cohumulone hops out there, and amarillo is a citrusy hop (think orange) that is way smoother than the classic c-hops IMO.
I did an IPA with both of them many years ago, and it came out well, but needed more finishing hops. So don't be shy on flameout/whirlpool and dryhop additions.