How's this IPA Look?

[Jimmy]

Any suggestions?

Batch Size (fermenter): 22.00 l
Bottling Volume: 20.49 l
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 8.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 45.7 IBUs


Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
9 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 66.7 %
3 lbs Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 22.2 %
9.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.1 %
8.0 oz Carapils (Briess) (1.5 SRM) Grain 4 3.7 %
7.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 30L (30.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.3 %
1.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 32.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 6.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 4.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 2.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 m Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.5 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Day Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs

[mr x]

Seems a bit shy on the ibus for an IPA. Whack those Centennial additions to it, get it up to 60 ibus. I'd at least triple all those 15-flameout additions. Maybe even 4 oz at flameout. I'd say you're about ready to start looking at water chemistry, too. No sense just treading water, heh heh heh

[Jimmy]

Done.

Water chemistry...sounds too complicated to me.

I am sure I'll get around to it once I get consistent with my setup

[mr x]

Beersmith makes it pretty easy.

I'm not sure I'd use the carapils either, but that's just me.

[NASH]

I'd ditch the carapils too but that's just me, oh and I'd drop some crystal too

You definitely want to dig in on the water treatment, that or be stuck drinking the results. Water chemistry is VERY important to make good beer.

[Jimmy]

Would I be better off just following the hop schedule I've got, but say a 80% 2 row, 20% vienna grain bill..or even a strictly maris otter grain bill?

I was thinking about doing the maris otter, but didn't want to end up with too bland of a beer.

[NASH]

Would I be better off just following the hop schedule I've got, but say a 80% 2 row, 20% vienna grain bill..or even a strictly maris otter grain bill?

I was thinking about doing the maris otter, but didn't want to end up with too bland of a beer.

No. I'd up the hops as Xman suggested or something similar, triple the dry-hops too. It all depends on what sort of IPA you are trying to make, nothing wrong with a 50 IBU IPA especially when it's a lower gravity one like this but carapils and crystal malts are all adding a lot of unfermentable sugars, that combined with your 45 IBUs might make it a little sweet for an IPA. In a 10 g batch your current amount of finish hops will likely disappoint too. I make sweet IPAs sometimes but add a healthy dose of IBUs to offset it. FG on Madman IPA at the H&T is ~ 1.018 but it's 75 calculated IBUs to offset and balance, it's a sweet beer but it's uber-delicious and not cloying at all.

As for the malts, unless you are trying for a SMaSH brew I'd definitely keep specialty malts in there. Depends on your mash temp too but as X mentioned, I'd drop the carapils at least. And for me 7.5% crystal is getting up there for IPA. That's my personal taste, over the last few years I've scaled back on crystal malts in hoppy brews to let the hops shine through. You'll still have good malt complexity with the Vienna and some crystal with a pale ale malt base (if that's what your base malt is).

[NASH]

Oh and add 2g per gallon of gypsum to the brew. 10 gallon batch - use 20g or so, that will get you up around 300ppm sulfate and 130ppm calcium if you are using city water. Add 1/3 of it directly to the mash as you are adding the last of the grains and stir it in. Add the remaining 2/3 directly to the kettle immediately after you hit a good rolling boil, best to hydrate it first in a bit of water for the boil addition too, it helps with dispersion since it's not very soluble.

[Jimmy]

Would I be better off just following the hop schedule I've got, but say a 80% 2 row, 20% vienna grain bill..or even a strictly maris otter grain bill?

I was thinking about doing the maris otter, but didn't want to end up with too bland of a beer.

No. I'd up the hops as Xman suggested or something similar, triple the dry-hops too. It all depends on what sort of IPA you are trying to make, nothing wrong with a 50 IBU IPA especially when it's a lower gravity one like this but carapils and crystal malts are all adding a lot of unfermentable sugars, that combined with your 45 IBUs might make it a little sweet for an IPA. In a 10 g batch your current amount of finish hops will likely disappoint too. I make sweet IPAs sometimes but add a healthy dose of IBUs to offset it. FG on Madman IPA at the H&T is ~ 1.018 but it's 75 calculated IBUs to offset and balance, it's a sweet beer but it's uber-delicious and not cloying at all.

As for the malts, unless you are trying for a SMaSH brew I'd definitely keep specialty malts in there. Depends on your mash temp too but as X mentioned, I'd drop the carapils at least. And for me 7.5% crystal is getting up there for IPA. That's my personal taste, over the last few years I've scaled back on crystal malts in hoppy brews to let the hops shine through. You'll still have good malt complexity with the Vienna and some crystal with a pale ale malt base (if that's what your base malt is).

Thanks Nash. I was referring to using the upped hop schedule that x had suggested, but dropping the specialty malts. I removed the carapils crystal 30, upped the IBU to 60, added the gypsum. I'm not sure if the simcoe dry hops will be a go, calling noble grape this morning to see if they ACTUALLY have them...oh and this is a 5g batch. Baby steps brotha!

Oh. And is the gypsum something that should be added to all brews regardless of style, or is it style specific?

[Jimmy]

Here's the updated recipe.

Post Boil Volume: 28.60 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 22.00 l
Bottling Volume: 20.49 l
Estimated OG: 1.061 SG
Estimated Color: 7.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 59.1 IBUs
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
3.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Mash 60.0 mins Water Agent 1 -
10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 73.7 %
3 lbs Vienna Malt (Briess) (3.5 SRM) Grain 3 22.1 %
9.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 4 4.1 %
1.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 32.0 IBUs
7.00 g Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (Boil 60.0 mins Water Agent 6 -
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 12.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 9.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 9 5.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 m Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
1.5 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 11 -
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Day Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 5.0 Days Hop 14 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 13 lbs 9.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperatur Step Time
Mash In Add 16.99 l of water at 163.6 F 150.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 1 steps (22.20l) of 185.0 F water

[mr x]

I think that's going to be a good beer. I can't say whether gypsum belongs in all beers. I look at the water I have to start with, judge where I want to be at by style (i.e. The Belgian Pale ale uses a DeKonick water profile, which can be found in Beersmith), and punch the numbers into the program and let it choose the best match for additions. Most likely that gypsum will be used though.

[Jimmy]

Perfect. Thanks Roberto

[NASH]

The gypsum I specified is for IPAs only. Every beer style is traditionally brewed with specific water.

That recipe looks like it'll rock now

[Jimmy]

The gypsum I specified is for IPAs only. Every beer style is traditionally brewed with specific water.

That recipe looks like it'll rock now

That's what I figured.

When I first read this I saw " Every beer style is traditionally brewed with septic water"

[derek]

The gypsum I specified is for IPAs only. Every beer style is traditionally brewed with specific water.

That recipe looks like it'll rock now

That's what I figured.

When I first read this I saw " Every beer style is traditionally brewed with septic water"

No, that's just Coors Light.

[Jimmy]

This beer turned out great, just having one now. Thanks for the input guys!

IMAG0124.jpg

[NASH]

Awesome

[mr x]

That's a quick turn around. Should be good and fresh.

[Jimmy]

That's a quick turn around. Should be good and fresh.

Yeah, I had a keg go empty and needed it in the fridge . I'm heading away for a week, so it will have some time to chill out..It's good the way it is though!