What malts shall we use in this recipe (american IPA) to improve the taste?

[Elysium]

Hey everyone.

We are about to brew our 1st IPA. We are using an american yeast (US-05) and a lot of american citrusy hops, but so far the only malt we have is MO. We think that it wont be enough to create a well-balanced beer. The flavour will lack of that body extra malt gives and that affects the front of the tongue.

Here is the recipe:

All-grain, 6.92gallon, 12lb of MO,
hops:
Chinook 0.5 oz @ 60 mins
Cascade 1 oz @ 20 mins
Amarillo 1 oz @ 10 mins
Cascade 1 oz @ 10 mins
Citra 1 oz @ flame-off
Amarillo 2.5 oz dryhopping

 

[jonmohno]

I like honey malt and or some light/medium crystal malts and sometimes dark crystal malts in my ipa's. You could also mash higher and use more malt to create a higher gravity and or even use a less attenuating yeast but you would have to adjust your hops accordingly if adding more malts with a higher OG.

 

[Elysium]

I like honey malt and or some light/medium crystal malts and sometimes dark crystal malts in my ipa's. You could also mash higher and use more malt to create a higher gravity and or even use a less attenuating yeast but you would have to adjust your hops accordingly if adding more malts for your OG.

We dont want a lot of alcohol in our beer. I know this sound stupid....but we dont wanna go above 5.5%.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Yooper]

Well, maris otter isn't a great base malt for an American IPA. I'd try to use a more traditional US two-row (or Canadian) if you can get it. If not, it'll be ok just "warmer" and "breadier" than a US malt.

Of course, to be "to style", an IPA should be around 5.5-7.5% ABV so that there is enough malt to support all the hops. It's actually harder to make a lower ABV version, to get enough malt flavor in it without making it too malty and unbalanced.

Anyway, many people like 1 pound of crystal 40L in their IPAs.

A pound of CaraRed can really be great.

I sometimes use those crystal malts, but there are also many other "no crystal" IPAs that are great. .75 pound of victory malt is great, with a "toasty" flavor. For more malt flavor, .5 pound of aromatic malt or even aromatic malt is nice.

A nice grainbill for many IPAs is a 85% US two-row, 10% Vienna malt, 5% light or medium crystal malt. Some depth and complexity, without too much sweetness, is really nice.

 

[Denny]

We dont want a lot of alcohol in our beer. I know this sound stupid....but we dont wanna go above 5.5%.

Thanks for the reply.

That's an APA, not an IPA.

 

[Denny]

Well, maris otter isn't a great base malt for an American IPA. I'd try to use a more traditional US two-row (or Canadian) if you can get it.

I SO agree with this!

 

[BanginBanjo]

I agree with Yooper on the US two-row suggestion. I would also recommend some crystal 40 or 60. You could throw some munich in there too for some extra maltiness and color.

 

[two_one_seven]

Every once and awhile I will throw in some Special B. 3-4 oz in a gal batch of a pale or IPA. It gives it a huh factor? Buts I have been know to dry hop an saison with some citra so I don't go by the book some times.....that is what I personally like about homebrewing.

 

[nvious23]

Hey everyone.

We are about to brew our 1st IPA. We are using an american yeast (US-05) and a lot of american citrusy hops, but so far the only malt we have is MO. We think that it wont be enough to create a well-balanced beer. The flavour will lack of that body extra malt gives and that affects the front of the tongue.

Here is the recipe:

All-grain, 6.92gallon, 12lb of MO,
hops:
Chinook 0.5 oz @ 60 mins
Cascade 1 oz @ 20 mins
Amarillo 1 oz @ 10 mins
Cascade 1 oz @ 10 mins
Citra 1 oz @ flame-off
Amarillo 2.5 oz dryhopping

Id go 10 lbs and do two pounds of caramel20 it will give slight sweetness to balance out the hops

 

[TangoHotel]

10 lbs 2 row, 1 lb c20, 8 oz victory, 8 oz c60. If your hop bill is heavy this will help balance it out. Ive had people who hate ipas like the ones I brew (at 75 ibus mind you) say that this is the best beer they've had. I tell them it's an ale.

 

[unionrdr]

Well,my Maori IPA used pale malt & marris otter,both from Crisp along with carapils,crystal 40L & a little chocolate malt. This time,I'm swapping the chocolate malt for melanoidin malt to get a reddish amber color. It's not sweet at all. Blends nicely with the NZ hops.

 

[Elysium]

I like honey malt and or some light/medium crystal malts and sometimes dark crystal malts in my ipa's. You could also mash higher and use more malt to create a higher gravity and or even use a less attenuating yeast but you would have to adjust your hops accordingly if adding more malts with a higher OG.

Thanks for the reply. What temperature do you have in mind?

By the way, I know nothing about how to adjust extra malts to hops. Is there a chart or an equation for that?

 

[Malric]

I like melanoidin. It adds a very subtle character as well as body. Not a ton, maybe .3-.5lb