Need help with first IPA

[chalkdust41485]

Hey All,

First time poster here and have received enough info on these forums to give myself the confidence to brew AG a few weeks ago (Belgium Blonde Ale, BIAB) after only one extract brew. So, thanks to all.

I'm still new to recipes, but threw the following together and wanted to get some input for my first IPA.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 4.14 gal
Post Boil Volume: 3.39 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 2.75 gal
Bottling Volume: 2.53 gal
Estimated OG: 1.060 SG
Estimated Color: 12.4 SRM
Estimated IBU: 62.0 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 71.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 85.1 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes
Est ABV: 6.5%

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU
5 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 80.0 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.0 %
8.0 oz White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 3 8.0 %
4.0 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 4 4.0 %

1.0 pkg California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) [35. Yeast 11 -

0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 5 14.8 IBUs
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 6 13.6 IBUs
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 7 14.8 IBUs
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 8 9.6 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 9 5.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 10 3.3 IBUs

1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 12 0.0 IBUs

Mash Schedule: BIAB, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 6 lbs 4.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Saccharification Add 18.32 qt of water at 157.3 F 152.1 F 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

What I'm really trying to learn is the dry hopping.
How can one tell how much to add and what flavors come from the different types of hops and how potent they are? (I know to read the hop description, duh...)
Does the AA of the hop effect the amount of flavor during dry hopping?
Is it possible to over dry hop with an IPA?
Is 2oz too much for a 2.5 gallon batch?

 

[erikpete18]

Welcome to the boards! There's certainly a lot of info here. Trying to wrap my head around your recipe since I'm used to looking at 5gal batches, but its looking pretty good. That might be a bit more crystal than I'd use, but I don't think its going to put you outside of the range that you're shooting for. I'm also not sure what the 4oz of sugar is for, unless its just to make up for differences in efficiency.

As for the dry-hopping, you're right, the only way to figure out what hops are going to taste like is to try them out. There are a few varieties of commercial beers out there that are known for a certain hop flavor, so buying a few of those can give you a idea on a few. But a lot of them you're only going to figure out by trying out. The trouble starts when you start mixing hops, trying to figure out what hops contributed what flavors. If you really want to get a good hold on a particular hop, do a search for SMASH recipes. SMASHes are single malt-single hop, so you can really get a good grip on the flavors that a particular hop is bringing to the table.

As far as your recipe, I don't think you're overdoing it yet! 2oz for a 2.5gal batch might be towards the higher end, but I've definitely seen higher levels. The AA of the hops shouldn't matter much in the dry-hopping, its going to be whatever particular flavors/aromas the hop is bringing that will influence the final product.

 

[chalkdust41485]

Thanks for your reply.

I guess I could just sick with the Citra on the dry hopping then.

Any thoughts on substituting the wheat with something like carapils? I read on some other posts that they used the wheat to help with the head retention, but wouldn't the wheat cause the beer to be cloudy?

 

[erikpete18]

Oh don't get me wrong, the Citra and Cascade dry hop sounds tasty and I'd bet they go quite well together. It just depends what you're trying to get out of the recipe.

I also like a little wheat in my beers for head retention, especially hoppier beers like pale ales and IPAs. Cloudiness you can get from wheat is a result of higher protein levels, but its those same higher protein levels that will give you better head retention. With the amount of wheat you've got, I wouldn't worry about cloudiness though. Especially being malted wheat, it should be fine for what you're aiming for.