IPA Critique - "Holiday" IPA

[KarmaCitra]

So as I am labeling my Thanksgiving porters, I realize that I haven't brewed a Christmas beer yet. Since I need to do it this weekend for it to be ready by Christmas, I made a really quick holiday inspired beer, using Chinook/Simcoe for the piney notes along with a little cascade and include some orange peel in the boil. Any critiques would be appreciated!

5.5gal recipe

7.5# 2-Row 68.2%
.5# Crystal 40L 4.5%
3# Lt DME 27.3%
1oz Chinook 60 min
1oz Simcoe 20min
.5oz orange peel 20min
1oz whirfloc 15min
1oz Simcoe 10min
1oz Simcoe 5min
2oz Simcoe dryhop 5 days

US-05 Yeast
Mash at 150 60min

OG 1.064
FG 1.011
ABV 6.9%
IBU 52.42
SRM 7.70

 

[KarmaCitra]

I fear maybe I'm a little low on the grain bill or too high on the hop bill, but not entirely sure....

 

[KarmaCitra]

Bump

 

[Singletrack]

Depends who you have to hang out with due to Christmas. Generally, I need higher alcohol on holidays. ...well, non-holidays too, come to think of it.

 

[KarmaCitra]

Haha good point. I was thinking of upping the ABV, but didn't want it to come out too hot, considering the amount of hops I plan on using.

 

[Grantman1]

I would agree with your thought that this may be a bit out of balance. As it stands I would either increase your grain bill or decrease your hop levels. If you do the former, you'll be sitting in APA land. If gunning for an IPA, I'd bump the OG up to counter the IBU.

 

[KarmaCitra]

So maybe I can dial back one of the additions and add another .5# of 2-row?

 

[KarmaCitra]

Probably take out the cascade?

 

[KarmaCitra]

Ok I adjusted the recipe. Let me know what you think!

 

[KarmaCitra]

I changed the 20L to 40L. 20L was a bit too light imo.

 

[KarmaCitra]

Bump

 

[te-wa]

raise the 2-row to 11 lbs and bump the crystal to 1.5 lb, and add .5 lb of carapils. mash at 150.
oh, and ditch the dme altogether.

 

[KarmaCitra]

Unfortunately can't go that high on grains my kettle won't allow it (I mash in it)

 

[thaworm69]

Just add a gallon of eggnog and another oz of simcoe....it should balance out fine! (sorry for the troll post I usually try to answer a question when I ask one...but unfortunately I clicked a post that I have no answer for.) Best of luck!

 

[mblanks2]

If you want a higher ABV, increase the 2 row until you reach the desired ABV. Keep your crystal/cara malts at 5% or less.
I agree with ditching the DME unelss you use that for increasing ABV.
Your IBU's are right in the middle for the the style. So what you have is fine but if you just FWH with your Chinook that will increase your IBU contribution without increasing the amount of hops required. Not sure about the orange peel. It'll probably be completely lost in the hops but who knows. It cant hurt.
I would also mash at 149* to dry the beer out more.
If you work with your water chemistry increase your sulfates to 150 PPM to as high as 350 PPM to accentuate the hops.

 

[KarmaCitra]

Ok, thanks. Yeah the DME has two purposes, really. I'm mashing in the kettle so its tough to fit much more in there, and to also raise the ABV. FWH? Not entirely familiar with that.

 

[mblanks2]

Ok, thanks. Yeah the DME has two purposes, really. I'm mashing in the kettle so its tough to fit much more in there, and to also raise the ABV. FWH? Not entirely familiar with that.

First Wort Hopping is a technique used to smooth the bittering addition which also increases the IBU contribution due to the increased contact time with the wort. It is when the hops are added prior to the first runnings being drained and allowed to soak in the runnings while the sparge is occuring and before the boil is started. If you are doing BIAB which I'm not completely up to speed on, I'm not sure how you would accomplish it other than dropping the hops in as soon as you remove the bag and before your rinse it.

 

[KarmaCitra]

First Wort Hopping is a technique used to smooth the bittering addition which also increases the IBU contribution due to the increased contact time with the wort. It is when the hops are added prior to the first runnings being drained and allowed to soak in the runnings while the sparge is occuring. If you are doing BIAB which I'm not completely up to speed on, I'm not sure how you would accomplish it other than dropping the hops in as soon as you remove the bag and before your rinse it.

That's great info. Not sure how I would do it in BIAB either, but definitely will attempt it once I go to all grain.