Double IPA critique

[shorestyle]

Hey guys, first post here. This will be my 4th batch. Decided to make a double IPA recipe from scratch. Please let me know what you think/what I should change, etc.

Much appreciated!

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 17.00 l
Post Boil Volume: 15.11 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 19.00 l
Bottling Volume: 15.21 l
Estimated OG: 1.080 SG
Estimated Color: 8.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 131.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 0.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 4.8 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 4.8 %
6 lbs Light Dry Extract (4.0 SRM) Dry Extract 3 57.1 %
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 32.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 5 25.1 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 6 29.5 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 21.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 6.8 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 9 10.4 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 2.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 4.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 14 -
3 lbs 8.0 oz Light Dry Extract (4.0 SRM) Dry Extract 15 33.3 % (Added after boil)
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Day Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 17 0.0 IBUs

 

[mrdail87]

131 IBUs is very high, even for a double IPA. Looking at the chart below you can see it's literally "off the charts".

I'd back off on some of those early additions and move to later in the boil, you'll get more hop flavor and aroma that way too. The grain bill and hop combination look pretty solid though.

[Edit]: I'll add that 131 IBUs isn't unheard of for some commercial hop bombs out there, but if this is only your 4th batch, you might want to start lower and work your way up with later batches.

 

[mclamb6]

Needs a much bigger dry hop. I'd add 1 oz each of Centennial/Amarillo at 60 (frankly, I'd probably get an ounce of Warrior or Magnum or Apollo for bittering). Push everything else down to 10 minutes or less plus dry hop, so...

Bittering addition @ 60
1 oz each Amarillo/Simcoe @ 10 minutes
1 oz each Amarillo/Simcoe @ 5 minutes
2 oz each Amarillo/Simcoe @ Flame out as follows (1 oz each immediately at flame out for 20 minutes. Chill to ~180. Add remaining oz of Simcoe/Amarillo for 20 minutes, then resume chilling).

2 oz each of Amarillo/Simco dry hop for 4-5 days.

 

[Natdavis777]

Other than the need to up the dry hops, I think it looks fine. Give it a go and see how it tastes. One thing to note about the IBUs is that its estimated and not measured. IBU calculations can be finicky when getting that high. Case in point, look at Vinnie's Pliney the Elder 5 gal recipe. The first addition alone (3.5oz Columbus @ 90min) contribute ~ 150 IBUs. And there is still a 45 min addition and flameout additions sill not factored in.

If the beer seems too much, then cut back the hops, but I doubt you will need to. My last DIPA came in around 113IBU, was super drinkable, and wasnt overly bitter.

 

[joehoppy]

I agree, too many early in the boil additions. I would do a 60 minute addition that will get you 80 or so ibu's. Then everything else should be 5-10 minutes or less. Flameout or a whirpool would be even better. Triple the dryhops.

 

[shorestyle]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I decided to take a step back and do a strong IPA instead of the double. My LHBS just got apollo in too so decided to switch that as my bittering. With some advice and a little tweaking came up with this. The 0 min addition will be a hop stand,

Let me know if this looks better. Thanks!

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 17.00 l
Post Boil Volume: 15.11 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 19.00 l
Bottling Volume: 15.21 l
Estimated OG: 1.072 SG
Estimated Color: 6.5 SRM
Estimated IBU: 71.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 0.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 9.8 %
0.75 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 15L (15.0 SRM) Grain 2 7.3 %
8.00 lb Light Dry Extract (4.0 SRM) Dry Extract 3 78.0 %
0.50 lb Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0.0 SRM) Sugar 4 4.9 %
1.00 oz Apollo [17.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 43.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 6 5.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 8.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 8 3.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 6.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 2.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 11 3.3 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 12 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
2.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 14 -
2.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Day Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
2.00 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs

 

[olotti]

The only other thing I'd add and it's something im learning myself as a newer brewer and making my own recipes is that with the hop additions the higher aa hops will completely take over the lower aa hops. So .5oz of simcoe and .5oz of amarillo will give u mostly simcoe flavors at 15 and 10 minutes. So I'd cut the higher aa hop in half when using it with a lower aa hop in the 15-5 min range. At the end of the boil 5min into flameout or a hopstand when the aa aren't isomerized as much u could do a more 1:1 ratio. Just a thought and as I said I'm discovering all this out too so maybe another more experienced brewer can add to this thought.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Apollo will be a great bitter hop! Nice choice.

You'll still in the DIPA range, over 8%, with an OG of 1.072 assuming a FG around 1.010. Nothing wrong with that. I'd shoot to be as dry as possible. As such I would ditch the carapils and sub it with sugar or more dme. The dme will already have some carapils in it. Plus the copious oils from the hops will support great head retention.

A DIPA needs a solid bittering charge to support all the juicy hop flavor and aroma that it needs to have. You have a good bittering charge so that is good. Your new dry hop schedule also looks good. 4oz is a good amount. A beer this hoppy should be around 1.25#/bbl of dry hops, give or take.

You didn't note it but looking at the recipe it appears that you are doing a full boil. Is this the case? If it isn't then I'd recommend rethinking things. You should only make hoppy extract beers with a full boil. Even if that means dropping your batch size a bit. The quality that ensues from a full boil is tremendous.

Back to the grain... Any of the light crystals work well for color. You could also experiment with some honey malt. That can work well as well. Overall I like what I see. I wish I could try a sample. I LOVE to brew DIPAs. The worst part is having 10 gallons of 9% beer that needs to consumed quickly!

I have been honing my recipe down and I recently took 5th overall in a club competition against beers of all styles including 8+ other west coast style DIPAs. I love a god excuse to brew some hoppy beer!

Cheers!

 

[shorestyle]

Apollo will be a great bitter hop! Nice choice.

You'll still in the DIPA range, over 8%, with an OG of 1.072 assuming a FG around 1.010. Nothing wrong with that. I'd shoot to be as dry as possible. As such I would ditch the carapils and sub it with sugar or more dme. The dme will already have some carapils in it. Plus the copious oils from the hops will support great head retention.

A DIPA needs a solid bittering charge to support all the juicy hop flavor and aroma that it needs to have. You have a good bittering charge so that is good. Your new dry hop schedule also looks good. 4oz is a good amount. A beer this hoppy should be around 1.25#/bbl of dry hops, give or take.

You didn't note it but looking at the recipe it appears that you are doing a full boil. Is this the case? If it isn't then I'd recommend rethinking things. You should only make hoppy extract beers with a full boil. Even if that means dropping your batch size a bit. The quality that ensues from a full boil is tremendous.

Back to the grain... Any of the light crystals work well for color. You could also experiment with some honey malt. That can work well as well. Overall I like what I see. I wish I could try a sample. I LOVE to brew DIPAs. The worst part is having 10 gallons of 9% beer that needs to consumed quickly!

I have been honing my recipe down and I recently took 5th overall in a club competition against beers of all styles including 8+ other west coast style DIPAs. I love a god excuse to brew some hoppy beer!

Cheers!

Thanks for the advice!

I love brewing these styles too. Living in Vancouver, BC there sure is a TON of great examples out there.

I usually do 6 gallon batches (in fermenter) but thought I'd drop this down to 5 gal for this reason alone. I have a 19L boil pot (5 gal) and usually boil as much as my pot can handle which is about 17L (4.5 gal) giving me enough room to avoid boil over. Do you think this is okay or should I drop down the volume down even more? As an alternate solution do you think adding 1/3 of the DME after flame-out would work as well?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

The gravity of the boil is less important than the volume. The hops need to have contact with asuch liquid as possible. Anything you dilute the wort with will have an ibu of 0 so you lose that precious hoppyNess instantly.

Adding extract at the end is a fine practice. Lots of people prefer it. Put some in there to make sure it is wort and then dump the rest in at flame out.

 

[shorestyle]

Correct me if I'm wrong but if I add DME after boil that increases my hop utilization therefore increasing my IBU's so instead of just 8 lbs pre boil I could do something like (rough guess, not using any math here) 6 lbs pre boil and 2 lbs at flame out and the top up water would get me roughly where I wanted if I were doing a full boil?

Given that I am using beersmith and punched in that I am doing a 17L boil for 19L in fermenter it should technically adjust the IBU's accordingly, no? I noticed that it automatically calculates wort loss during boil as well.