Critique my IPA......

[StoutFan]

Critique my recipe for me. I don't usually make many lighter brews, I like my porters and stouts, so I tried using Beersmith to get this one right. What do you guys think?

My IPA
American IPA


Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Brewer: Mitch Lytle
Boil Size: 4.08 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Equipment: Brew Pot (5 Gallon)
Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
7 lbs Amber Dry Extract (12.5 SRM) Dry Extract 87.50 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 12.50 %
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 34.2 IBU
1.00 oz Brewer's Gold [9.70 %] (45 min) Hops 23.4 IBU
1.00 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.00 %] (10 min) Hops 4.8 IBU
1.00 oz Saaz [4.00 %] (5 min) Hops 2.1 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle S-05


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.062 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.02 %
Bitterness: 64.4 IBU
Est Color: 13.8 SRM

I figure on steeping the Crystal at about 152 for 30 min. I don't know much about late extract addition, so any help on that would be great, always just added it all at the beginning.

 

[RICLARK]

What kinda of hop aroma do you want to achieve? If It were my beer (which it isnt) I wouldnt want to waste that simcoe aroma by using it at 60 mins.

 

[StoutFan]

The lady at the LHBS said she loves Simcoe for bittering, so I grabbed an ounce while I was there. I love the aroma I get out of EKG and Saaz, I use them in most of my brews. The Brewers Gold was another she recommended for bittering/flavor. I was hashing this recipe out at the counter with her, as I had not decided on what types of hops to use, just the IBU rating I was shooting for, and this is what I came home with. Never tried the Brewers Gold, so whats the story on that?

 

[mkling]

With those finishing hops (EKG and Saaz), you're going to get something that I wouldn't describe as an American IPA, closer to an English IPA.

For me, American IPAs and Pale Ales are defined by the citrus-y hops that seem so uniquely American -- Cascade, Centenniel, Chinook, Columbus, Simcoe, Amarillo, etc. So I'd want to put more of this flavor at the end of the hop bill. For an American IPA, I think you probably want to dry hop with one of these, too.

If I were going to re-arrange the hops you have to make an A IPA, I'd put the Brewers Gold as your 60 minute addition, the EKG as a 20 or 30 minute addition, then put 1/2 the Saaz and Simcoe as 10 minute and 5 minute additions (though I'm not sure how the Saaz & Simcoe will combine -- not a combination I'd normally use. Then I'd get some additional hops for dry hopping -- one of the C's, Simcoe, or Amarillo.

 

[mkling]

p.s., If you stick with it as is, I think you'll be perfectly fine calling it an English IPA.

 

[HenryHill]

You are wearing stripes and plaid.

Use a high % hop for bittering at 60, and a C hop at about, 20, 0 and DH. I like Columbus and Centennial, but Chinook, Cascade, etc, are standard go-to's for this.

English hops and nobles In IPA's just aren't done-not that you can't, but that most don't.

 

[StoutFan]

If I were going to re-arrange the hops you have to make an A IPA, I'd put the Brewers Gold as your 60 minute addition, the EKG as a 20 or 30 minute addition, then put 1/2 the Saaz and Simcoe as 10 minute and 5 minute additions (though I'm not sure how the Saaz & Simcoe will combine -- not a combination I'd normally use. Then I'd get some additional hops for dry hopping -- one of the C's, Simcoe, or Amarillo.

Would an ounce of Cascade be adequate for dry hopping? This hop schedule sounds pretty good.

English hops and nobles In IPA's just aren't done-not that you can't, but that most don't.

To each their own, eh? Never attempted one before, so this is just a first shot, a little IPA experiment if you will.

EDIT-> What might be done to this to make it an Imperial IPA then, as BJCP guidelines list that American, English and noble hops can all be used.

 

[mkling]

One ounce of Cascade is fine for dry hopping. For big, aggressive IPAs lots of folks will use 2-4 oz (or more), but I would say if this is the first IPA you've brewed 1 oz of Cascade will be fine.

Again, though, you could decide to brew your recipe as it was created. It wouldn't be an American IPA, but English & noble hops are found in English IPAs, and Simcoe would be fine for bittering an English IPA. (I'd still probably swap the order of the Brewers Gold & Simcoe, though).

 

[StoutFan]

I think I'm going to go with calling it an Multi-National IPA then. With the Brewers Gold at 60, the EKG at 30, the Simcoe at 10, the Saaz at 5, and an ounce of Cascade in the secondary, and with trusty Beersmith, this puts me at 13.8 SRM, 50 IBU's, and an ABV of 6.02. Sounds pretty good to me.

 

[StoutFan]

Anything else I should know about brewing an IPA?