Hops Fest IPA - too much hop?

[Lperes27]

Dear Brewers friends,

This is the third batch I will make and I took enough courage to try an IPA as it's my fathers favorite style. Anyhow, I'm not sure if my hops selection will make just a 'confused' IPA which we will not be able to enjoy it either because of bitterness or grass taste.

Batch size: 5 gallons
Boil time: 60 minutes

Hop schedule:

0.70oz Chinook at 40"
0.55oz Centennial at 10"
0.35oz Centennial at flameout (whirlpool)
1.4oz Equinox dry hop for 3 days (secundary)
1.4oz Mosaic dry hop for 3 days (secundary)

I've attached the whole recipe for the other details.

What you guys think? This is my third batch and I've never used so much hops! lol

Thanks!!

 

[Spawn-Inc]

Having only brewed a 1 gallon starter kit, that seems like barely enough... my first 5 gallon batch (brewing tomorrow) has 6 oz of hops, although no dry hoping in the original recipe. I plan to add an oz or 2 for dry hopping. Even then I plan to move way up in the hops count.

 

[Lperes27]

Having only brewed a 1 gallon starter kit, that seems like barely enough... my first 5 gallon batch (brewing tomorrow) has 6 oz of hops, although no dry hoping in the original recipe. I plan to add an oz or 2 for dry hopping. Even then I plan to move way up in the hops count.

I will have my recipe brewed today. The only difference from what first stated above, is that I will break the Chinook addition in two having 0,35oz at 50" and 0,35oz at 40". Lets see what happens!! I will post the outcome!

 

[ProblemChild]

Double your Centennial at 10 min. Try to get up to about 50 ibu at that gravity. A little higher will not hurt (throw in the rest of the ounce of Chinook at 10 as well)

3 to 4 oz at flame out, 3 to 5 oz as dry hop should get you there.

Right now you have a pale ale. One IBU short. Probably a tasty pale ale, but not really an IPA.

 

[Redtab78]

I think its a little low in the IBU...an American IPA should b upwards of 40-70. I think you should aim more for around 55-60 IBU to get the IPA bite that good IPA's have. Your sheet has a target of 39.5

Really though it depends really on what you want it to taste like in the end...just looking at your brewers friend sheet, its also low in color for an American IPA something like 7.5-9.5 is BCJP guidelines (but again, that's all personal preference and how much your trying to be true to style....I do what I want regardless of what BCJP says when I'm brewing to drink myself).

Do you have alternatives for the bittering hop besides Chinook? If not, I would personally do something like:

.5oz Chinook @ 60 min

.2oz Chinook AND .50 Centennial @ 10 min

remainder Centennial (.4oz?) @ flameout

That would put you at about 50-55IBU.

I do not have much experience with Chinook though and don't know how well it plays with the centennial in the flavor/aroma area, so you could omit the .2oz @10 min and keep the citrus hops (centennial/mosaic/equinox) for the flavor and aroma area's.

 

[thehaze]

I think you have way too less hops in that recipe and the IBUs should be bumped a bit higher. The water profile given in that spreadsheet it OK, but I would up the Sulfate a bit. Maybe upwards 120-130 ppm.

An IPA should be dry hopped, so the more hops you use, the better the aroma. The same goes for flavour, which you will get most from late boil additions and whirlpool, so you can definitely add more hops. Always.

Personally, I need about 7-10 oz hops in the boil and whirlpool and another 5-7 oz for dry hopping, to get the flavour and aroma I'm after.

 

[Lperes27]

I think its a little low in the IBU...an American IPA should b upwards of 40-70. I think you should aim more for around 55-60 IBU to get the IPA bite that good IPA's have. Your sheet has a target of 39.5

Really though it depends really on what you want it to taste like in the end...just looking at your brewers friend sheet, its also low in color for an American IPA something like 7.5-9.5 is BCJP guidelines (but again, that's all personal preference and how much your trying to be true to style....I do what I want regardless of what BCJP says when I'm brewing to drink myself).

Do you have alternatives for the bittering hop besides Chinook? If not, I would personally do something like:

.5oz Chinook @ 60 min

.2oz Chinook AND .50 Centennial @ 10 min

remainder Centennial (.4oz?) @ flameout

That would put you at about 50-55IBU.

I do not have much experience with Chinook though and don't know how well it plays with the centennial in the flavor/aroma area, so you could omit the .2oz @10 min and keep the citrus hops (centennial/mosaic/equinox) for the flavor and aroma area's.

I think you have way too less hops in that recipe and the IBUs should be bumped a bit higher. The water profile given in that spreadsheet it OK, but I would up the Sulfate a bit. Maybe upwards 120-130 ppm.

An IPA should be dry hopped, so the more hops you use, the better the aroma. The same goes for flavour, which you will get most from late boil additions and whirlpool, so you can definitely add more hops. Always.

Personally, I need about 7-10 oz hops in the boil and whirlpool and another 5-7 oz for dry hopping, to get the flavour and aroma I'm after.

I wish I had read your comments before the brew.

Actually I made a few changes following my friends advice and I ended up starting with 0.52oz Chinnok at 60" and 0.35oz at 40", afterwards 0.55oz Centennial at 10" and 0.35oz Centennial at flameout (whirlpool). As per Brewers Friend Calc. it has jumped to 46.73 IBU. I've attached the revised file.

Also, for my surprise, I was able to have a high efficiency on the mash (70%) and the OG was 1.063. Hopefully the US-05 will do his miracle and pull this beauty down to 1.011.

About the IBU calculated by Brewers Friend, I noticed it doesn't consider Dry Hopping. That is because DH doesn't add any IBU to the wort or it is something difficult to be calculated?

 

[Cevan65]

Lol. I'm using 7 oz in a 3 gal batch. Maybe I have a problem.

 

[thehaze]

Dry hopping does not add bitterness, so no IBUs will be calculated for dry hopping. This is a general statement, which you can easily adopt, but doing your own experiments will tell you how your " brain " perceives it.

Dry hopping works best at 68-74F, so no isomerization will happen, meaning no IBUs will be added. Now there has been talk and some experiments done, and apparently dry hopping does add a bit of bitterness. A great amount of hops during dry hopping can and will add perceived bitterness, at least for me. I have had it happen for me a few times.

But it should not affect the final brew too much. You are not using a lot of hops, which means dry hopping bitterness, if any, should not be one of your concerns with this beer.

 

[Lperes27]

Lol. I'm using 7 oz in a 3 gal batch. Maybe I have a problem.

lol

Dry hopping does not add bitterness, so no IBUs will be calculated for dry hopping. This is a general statement, which you can easily adopt, but doing your own experiments will tell you how your " brain " perceives it.

Dry hopping works best at 68-74F, so no isomerization will happen, meaning no IBUs will be added. Now there has been talk and some experiments done, and apparently dry hopping does add a bit of bitterness. A great amount of hops during dry hopping can and will add perceived bitterness, at least for me. I have had it happen for me a few times.

But it should not affect the final brew too much. You are not using a lot of hops, which means dry hopping bitterness, if any, should not be one of your concerns with this beer.

Got it! I didn't think about the isomerization and it makes perfect sense!

About the dry hopping adding a bit of bitter taste regardless of adding IBU, I believe I had the same sensation as you, it does help hiding the sweetness. My friend made a very sweet APA and divided it in two batches. One he added 1oz Cascade DH in 5 gallon and one without DH. It was very clear the difference, as the one without DH was almost not drinkable and the other was on perfect balance.

Hopefully my 2.8oz of DH will hide any side of sweetness coming from the 1.063 OG. Airlock is on full power!!

 

[ProblemChild]

Not my biggest - but my current batch (5 gallons) had 5 oz in sub-170°F and 6.5 oz dry hop (just added). This on top of 3.5 in the boil.

once the temp gets below 170°F, add tons of hops!!!!

 

[Spawn-Inc]

Not my biggest - but my current batch (5 gallons) had 5 oz in sub-170°F and 6.5 oz dry hop (just added). This on top of 3.5 in the boil.

once the temp gets below 170°F, add tons of hops!!!!

Took me a second to realize you didn't mean negative 170f....

Found a session ipa recipe with a pound of hops i plan to make once my hop basket arrives summit and cascade.

 

[Lperes27]

Not my biggest - but my current batch (5 gallons) had 5 oz in sub-170°F and 6.5 oz dry hop (just added). This on top of 3.5 in the boil.

once the temp gets below 170°F, add tons of hops!!!!

Took me a second to realize you didn't mean negative 170f....

Found a session ipa recipe with a pound of hops i plan to make once my hop basket arrives summit and cascade.

Well, I certainly have learned that I shouldn't be afraid of adding too much hops after boil.

I made the first hydrometer proof yesterday and found out it has attenuated from OG 1.063 to 1.011, which from my perspective is what I was looking for. off course I drank the proof to know how it is going and I was glad that all the initial over sweetness has gone. However, despite being very tasty, there is a noticeable lack of aroma that I was expecting from the Chinook/Centennial.

I will rise the temperature to 72F and let sit for two days and afterwards Dry Hop will go in action. Hopeffuly it will give me a distinct aroma from Ekuanot and Mosaic, going from Pine to Citrus. I will keep posting the results..

 

[Lperes27]

Folks,

For whom is interested of the outcome of this recipe, please find below a picture of what I've proved yesterday.

Results:

Aroma - A light passion fruit aroma in first finishing with citrus at the end;
Flavor - Medium bitter bite that goes away fast at the beginning, leaving a very tasty floral and citrus notes. No sweetness overwhelming nor bitterness at the end;

I was fearing the sweetness, most because of the low amount of bittering hops I've used, but it didn't happend and resulted in a well balanced sweet/bitter beer. However, certainly I've sensed a lack of hop flavor and aroma and this clearly shows I should have put more hops during the last few minutes and also in flameout. I'm not sure if doing this I should then compensate adding few less bittering hops at the beginning.

Anyhow, it was a good experience and certainly I will try again adjusting the recipe! I believe the 32 bottles won't last for too long.. lol

 

[brew703]

From my experience, calculated IBU's on the homebrew level doesn't match what the calculators show. Once I determine what IBU i want, i increase 10-20 IBU's. So now most of my pale ales are in the 50-60 range however they drink more like a 40-45 IBU.
I also dry hop with .75-1 oz/gallon which i find is the sweet spot for me.