Super Session IPA recipe help

[BrookdaleBrew]

Title pretty much says it all. I was inspired by Stone San Diego Co. Session Ale. I want a nice, flavorful, hoppy beer, but I want to keep it ~3% abv.

This is what I have so far. I'm thinking of using WLP002 since it is less attenuative and will throw some esters, which I think will help give a more full flavor.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.87 gal
Estimated OG: 1.032 SG
Estimated Color: 6.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 34.7 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 42.86 %
3.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 42.86 %
0.50 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 7.14 %
0.25 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3.57 %
0.25 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 3.57 %
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (Dry Hop 7 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (Dry Hop 7 Hops -
0.50 oz Pearle [8.00 %] (60 min) Hops 14.0 IBU
0.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (30 min) Hops 9.4 IBU
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (10 min) Hops 4.1 IBU
0.25 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (10 min) Hops 4.4 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.7 IBU
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (0 min) Hops -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 7.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Full Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 10.50 qt of water at 168.4 F 158.0 F

 

[Oldsock]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I normally don't like much cara/crystal/honey malt in my hoppy beers, but in a beer this small I think you need them.

For the hops I wouldn't add any before ~20 minutes, then just blast it towards the end to get your bitterness and aromatics. Worked well on a ~4.5% Citra pale ale I brewed for the summer. Amarillo/Simcoe/Columbus is one of my favorite combos.

Good luck.

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

Funny you mention Citra because I was considering adding an ounce of that at flame out and an ounce to the dry hop.

I've done hop bursted IPAs in the past and to me you really need a bittering addition to help round out the hop flavor. I went with perle since it's a pretty mild bittering hop.

Thanks for the suggestions! I ordered ingredients for this today, so we'll see how it turns out.

 

[kevin123]

So how did this turn out?

 

[Koz]

Yeah, how did this turn out?

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

I thought it was really good. It was very light in body even after finishing at 1.014, so next time I'll probably use more crystal malt to up the residual sugars. The hop profile was exactly what I wanted although I probably didn't need to do 3 ounces at flameout and then another 3 ounces in the dry hop. Next time I'll half each of those additions and see what I get.

 

[beerandloathinginaustin]

I always appreciate when somebody comes back to report results. Have you taken another crack at it?

 

[Oldsock]

I actually did a really hoppy pale with the same hop combo a couple weeks back. its good, but I think the Victory malt I added doesn't work well with the heavy hopping: http://www.themadfermentationist.com/2012/07/standard-american-pale-ale-recipe-yeah.html