Recipe Critique - not as juicy as I though it would be

[jageraholic]

So I brewed this beer thinking it would be a juice bomb, but the hop flavors are actually a little muddled and tough to pick flavors out of it. Was this just a bad hop combo (I've had citra and amarillo before in a delicious homebrew) or can anyone notice anything else that might be out of place?


Steeped 155 degrees, 25 min:
8 oz White wheat
4 oz Honey Malt

3lbs Pilsner DME 60 min
0.5 oz magnum hops 60 min
5.5 lbs pilsner DME 15 min
0.5 lbs table sugar 15 min
1 oz each Citra/Azacca/Amarillo Flameout
1.5 oz each citra/azacca/amarillo Whirlpool 30 min after flameout (for 30 min)
.5 oz each citra/azacca/amarillo Dry hop 5 days
1 oz each citra/azacca/amarillo/columbus keg hop

Wyeast 1318 London 3
OG 1.076, FG: 1.014

 

[JF_HBrews]

It looks pretty solid. I haven't used Azacca but its description of citrus and tropical fruits should play well with the Amarillo and Citra (and Columbus). And the hop amounts you used seem high enough to get a pretty juicy tasting beer. The combo of hops may be a little muddled but it should be a pretty fruity and juicy mix overall.

Did you use tap or distilled/RO water? Adjusting the water chemistry, higher calcium and sulfate levels, really makes a big difference in the hop flavor and aroma. I would check your water chemistry and use one of the water calculators on your next batch.

 

[m00ps]

I made an article on hop juice IPAs. May be some tips to help, but for the most part, this looks very much like what I would try if I had to do a small extract batch. Did you have your hops constrained in muslin bags?

also, I think most DME has some amount of crystal in it. If I had to do an extract batch with steeping grains, I would use like 15-20% sugar for an IPA to offset the sweetness

 

[jageraholic]

I used tap water, but it water is run through a salt purifier do I really should get a water test done.

During the boil my hops were in a hop spider. In dry hop and keg hop, they were muslin bags

 

[m00ps]

I used tap water, but it water is run through a salt purifier do I really should get a water test done.

During the boil my hops were in a hop spider. In dry hop and keg hop, they were muslin bags

How much room do the hops have? Ive found you cant really put much more than 3oz into the standard small hop socks before things start to get cramped. Is your hop spider very large?

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I used tap water, but it water is run through a salt purifier do I really should get a water test done.

During the boil my hops were in a hop spider. In dry hop and keg hop, they were muslin bags

You'll notice a huge different in your hoppy ales once you start increasing the sulfate amount. Download and teach yourself how to use Bru N Water.

Think about it, your beer is mostly water. Treat it with as much care as you do the rest of your recipe.

 

[Braufessor]

I used tap water, but it water is run through a salt purifier do I really should get a water test done.

During the boil my hops were in a hop spider. In dry hop and keg hop, they were muslin bags

What do you mean by a "salt purifier"? Are you talking about a water softener? If so, water that goes through a softener is not great for brewing.

Water is important in these types of beers. Your hopping strategy looks solid to me. 1.07+ OG is getting up there though, so perhaps some of it is that your hops are having trouble competing with that much malt profile.

I brew a lot of beers along these lines - "Juice bomb" type IPAs - and have been having some good success. Several of us have been doing quite a bit of experimenting with these types of beers and discussing in this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=517721

I can send you my current best attempt recipe if you are interested.

 

[jageraholic]

How much room do the hops have? Ive found you cant really put much more than 3oz into the standard small hop socks before things start to get cramped. Is your hop spider very large?

The hop spider is large, 5 gallon paint bag so it fits them all. When I dry hop with small hop sacks i usually only put 2 ounces in, so the 4 oz final keg hop went in 2 hop sacks.

 

[jageraholic]

What do you mean by a "salt purifier"? Are you talking about a water softener? If so, water that goes through a softener is not great for brewing.

Water is important in these types of beers. Your hopping strategy looks solid to me. 1.07+ OG is getting up there though, so perhaps some of it is that your hops are having trouble competing with that much malt profile.

I brew a lot of beers along these lines - "Juice bomb" type IPAs - and have been having some good success. Several of us have been doing quite a bit of experimenting with these types of beers and discussing in this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=517721

I can send you my current best attempt recipe if you are interested.

yeah, a water softener. I'd love to see the recipe you are planning.

Also, it seems it needed a little age and now its getting juicier. Not crazy bright and vibrant like some tree house beers, but getting a little more like what i intended. I think the water test and then adjusting my profile is the next step.

 

[m00ps]

well an FG of over 1.010 is higher than id want for an IPA. Ive tried adding some saison yeast to my last DIPA and Black IPA with good results. Both got under 1.010, maybe also eliminating or reducing the honey malt may help

Check out the treehouse IPAs thread if you havent seen it already

 

[Braufessor]

yeah, a water softener. I'd love to see the recipe you are planning.

Also, it seems it needed a little age and now its getting juicier. Not crazy bright and vibrant like some tree house beers, but getting a little more like what i intended. I think the water test and then adjusting my profile is the next step.

I have been meaning to get the overall recipe together and post it in the recipe section.... I have been using Citra/Mosaic/Galaxy Combo recently..... It has really become my favorite combo. I will link it here when I get it done.

Just poured a glass of it as we speak.......

 

[Braufessor]

@jageraholic
I just posted the recipe..... Hopefully I did not screw anything up or miss anything - let me know if you have any questions.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7314273#post7314273

 

[jageraholic]

So does your beer clear up after its been in the keg for awhile. Mines been in the keg over a month now and everything has dropped out as far as haziness. Not a bad thing, just wondering if this is normal for the "new england" style ipas.

 

[Braufessor]

They tend to stay hazy throughout. Now, most of the time, they also do not last a month in the keg. And, they do start to clear right toward the end. When I pour a pint that is clear - I know there are only a handful of pints left in the keg.

I think a slightly higher pH (5.4-5.45 in mash/kettle) results in some of this haziness. In general, I think when I hit 5.2-5.3 ranges my beers end up clearer.

 

[Schumed]

you need to use a more natural yeast strain to let the hops shine....scottish or kolsch are my favorites for clean natural profile