Questions about building an IPA grain bill

[Neptune]

Planning my next IPA and it seems that the general consensus is to stay away from crystal/caramel malts (or at least keeping them under 5% of the grain bill). So I'll be skipping them this time around.

I came across a couple articles (like this one and this one) that recommend using alternate base grains for maltiness and mouthfeel. Things like Vienna, Munich, Marris Otter, Carapils, etc... The recommended amount seems to be in the 10% to 20% neighborhood. Now, I've also seen it recommended that flaked oats or flaked wheat be used in a similar manner and in similar amounts (this article from m00ps comes to mind).

I'm assuming that the idea would be to use one or the other, not both... You wouldn't use 20% of an alternate base grain in addition to 20% flaked wheat for example, would you? Or would you?

Also, it seems that adding simple sugar or dextrose is a technique for drying the brew out a little bit (along with mashing at lower temps). 5-10% I think is what I've seen as the recommendation for this (in addition to the other ingredients). Does that sound right? I've never used sugar in an IPA so I want to try it out.

Am I missing anything else?

Oh, and one more thing... I've been paying attention to water chemistry a little more lately and I can't see where to add flaked oats or flaked wheat to my grist in the brewers friend water calculator. Any idea what impact those ingredients would have on mash pH?

 

[m00ps]

Wow, that 2nd article made me feel like I stole half of the tips for my one since its older than mine. I've actually never seen homebrew reddit


Id go with both if you want. I've made session IPAs with about 50% of the grain bill being 2-row and the rest a mixture of other things to boost body. Ive played with using some munich or vienna in a regular IPA, but ive realized I dont really want any appreciable malt flavor. I just need something to carry that hoppy goodness to my face

Sugar is always a good idea for a standard IPA and a must for a drinkable double IPA, at least to my tastes

Whatever you decide, im sure itll turn out great since you've done your homework

 

[cantrell00]

The two best IPA (not double IPA) grain bills that I have brewed are;

2 Row-
10% Munich
2% Dextine/Carapils

&

88% 2 row
12% English C40

The second is Sierra Nevada Celebration.

I think the "must stay below 5% crystal malt" IPA grain recipe is a bit overblown in my opinion.

I'd experiment with both & see what you like best.

 

[cyanmonkey]

I've been on the dry side of the side lately. Generally something like:

2-row
~10% C20

Has been turning out awesome assuming you get your water right.

 

[Redhawk96]

My favorite IPA grain bill looks like this:

82% 2-row
10% Vienna
3.0% Carapils
3.0% Honey Malt
2.0% C20

I mash low, at 148-150, and usually get 80%+ attenuation with US-05. With a SG in the 1.060-1.065 range, my final gravity ends up at 1.008-1.011.

I have experimented with using sugar for up to 10% of the grain bill, but I find for my personal taste, I don't like it quite as much as the grain bill above. I think is totally a personal taste issue, the grain bills with sugar were good, just not as ggod for my palate.

 

[PeteNMA]

My go to at the moment is 12lbs of 2-row, 1.5lbs wheat malt and 4oz of carastan. Mashed at 154 goes from about 1.060 to 1.012 or so using Wyeast 1318

 

[Hanglow]

My standard hoppy base is 90%- 100% british pale ale malt and up to 5% torrified wheat and up to 5% simple sugar. That's for anything from a 4% golden ale to a 6.5% or so modern hopped IPA. Although I wouldn't put any sugar int he golden ale Neutral yeast of your choice, hop the cock out of it

 

[JKaranka]

My standard hoppy base is 90%- 100% british pale ale malt and up to 5% torrified wheat and up to 5% simple sugar. That's for anything from a 4% golden ale to a 6.5% or so modern hopped IPA. Although I wouldn't put any sugar int he golden ale Neutral yeast of your choice, hop the cock out of it

This and hops! :rockin:

 

[Neptune]

Thanks for the replies... To those of you that do, what kind of sugar are you using?

 

[cyanmonkey]

Thanks for the replies... To those of you that do, what kind of sugar are you using?

Not that I use it often, but table sugar works just as well as any sugar for increasing abv and lightening body.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I Just did my first IPA two days ago. This what I brewed.

For 5.5 Gallons (20.82 L)
11.0 lb (4.99 kg) U.S. pale two-row malt
1.75 lb (0.79 kg) 10° L Munich malt
0.75 lb (340 g) 75° L crystal malt
Target Mash Temp: 150 for 60 mins
Do a 60 minute boil.
0.5 oz (14 g) Nugget pellets, 13% a.a. (60 min)
2.0 oz (28 g) Citra pellets, 12% a.a. (15 min)
1.5 oz (28 g) Mosaic pellets, 12% a.a. (15 min)
1.0 oz (28 g) Citra pellets, 12% a.a. (steep 10 min)
.5 oz (28 g) Mosaic pellets, 12% a.a. (steep 10 min)
Whirlfloc tablet (10 min)
S-05 two packages
Strike Water 4 1/2 gallons at 162 degrees

Original Gravity: 1.066
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV: 7%
IBU: 60-66
SRM: 10

 

[m00ps]

Thanks for the replies... To those of you that do, what kind of sugar are you using?

plain old white table sugar is the most economical. You can really use anything from brown sugar to dextrose, from honey to invert syrup. A very slight flavor may come through depending on how much and when you add it, but mostly you just need to concern yourself with the contribution to the OG