yet another 'how's my recipe look' question

[ArcticBear]

Hello everyone,

I've been playing around with BeerSmith2 and trying to formulate my first all grain recipe. I'm looking to create a nice and refreshing IPA that may be a little on the hoppier side. I'm going for a nice dark golden color and a slightly caramel type of malty sweetness to balance the hop additions...

Can someone with a little more experience to recipe construction provide a little guidance? Looking for as much assistance as I can.

Here's what I've put together:

Grain Bill:

- 7.5# Maris Otter Pale Malt
- 2# Pale 6-Row
- 1.5# Munich
- 1.25# Caramel Malt
- 0.5# Honey Malt


Hop Additions:

- 1 oz Centennial @ 60 min
- 1oz Cascade @ 60 min
- 0.5 oz Chinook @ 60 min
- 0.75 oz Centennial @ 30 min
- 0.50 oz Chinook @ 30 min
- 1 oz Cascade @ 15 min
- 1 oz Amarillo @ 15 min
- 1 oz Cascade @ 0 min

Dry Hop:

- 2 oz Amarillo for 7 days
- 1 oz Cascade for 7 days

Likely Mash @ 154 for 60 minutes
Batch sparge @ 168

60 minute Boil, 5.25 Gallon Batch result

Estimated OG: 1.064
Estimated FG: 1.015
ABV: 6.5%
Color: 9.5 SRM
Bitterness: 68 IBU's

I would also likely add 1/2 a tab of whirlfloc to help clear up some of the haze with about 10 minutes left in the boil.

this recipe could be completely awful and out of range for what i'm looking for so that's why i'm looking for some assistance. Thanks in advance to everyone who offers their help!

 

[KraphtBier]

Why 6-row? You won't need any more diastatic power than the Maris Otter and Munich can provide. Second, I would change the 15 minute cascade addition to centennial. Cascade and amarillo are both very citrus fruit forward, adding some centennial (which is also citrusy but in a different sort of way) will bring a floral aspect that it is extremely pleasant. Either that or maybe throw some chinook in there for a bit of "dank" flavor to compliment the citrus flavors of the other hops. I'd consider adding some to the dry hop as well.

 

[ArcticBear]

To be honest there wasn't a ton of rhyme or reason why I threw the 6 row into it... This is my first attempt at a recipe construction and I've tried to research what I can as far as characteristics of specific malts but there is still a ton I've yet to learn.

I see your point about changing the 15 minute addition though.

 

[KraphtBier]

Well mate, the recipe does look pretty tasty to me. I recomend axing the 6-row. Maris otter, munich, crystal, and honey malt will combine to make this quite malty and sweet. If you like, you could replace the 6-row with table sugar in an amount that would get you to the gravity you desire. This will help dry things out and allow the hops to be a bit more pronounced. Best of luck!

 

[ArcticBear]

Thanks for the advice. I added a pound of wheat, dumped the 6-row and bumped up the Maris otter. Designated the caramel to caramel 60. Scaled back the dry hop additions to half and changed the 15 minute addition to centennial like you mentioned.

Gave the recipe to my brew shop tonight and will pick up the grain tomorrow. Hoping to brew Sunday or Monday.

 

[SouthBay]

It may be too late, but the caramel and honey malts will make this a very sweet tasting brew. You'll need to mash low and maybe use some corn sugar to dry it out. I'd suggest cutting the total 'sweetness' malts down to 1# or less in an IIPA. Otherwise, the sweetness can impede the perception of bitterness.

 

[ArcticBear]

I'm trying to balance the bitterness with a sweet and malty back end. I plan on mashing at 154 to leave a little of the residual sugars around to help balance out the large hop profile

 

[SouthBay]

I understand. I still think its more than is necessary to balance the sweetness. Your palate may differ, but for a 1.064 brew, i'd still go with a half pound of any caramel type malt in my own brews. For an IPA, 68 IBUs isnt THAT bitter (more in the nice, hoppy IPA balance).

Since most of your hops are in the bittering end of the brew, it may balance out though. I still would caution mashing at 154. I just bottled a Rye PA that i mashed at 153. My first note i made was to mash at 150 next time, because it was to full of body. But, then again, if you prefer rich IPAs, go for it!

 

[KraphtBier]

I wouldn't mash any higher than 152. With that much crystal you'll have all the body you need. As for dry hop; 1oz Amarillo, .5oz Cascade, and .5oz Chinook sounds perfect. I like at least a 2oz dry hop for my IPAs.

 

[ArcticBear]

Brewed this tonight. Hit my temps and preboil gravity spot on. From what I can see my OG is waaaay too low. Beersmith told me a preboil gravity of 1.047 and a final gravity of 1.067. I hit the preboil gravity but ended up at an OG of 1.054. I'm not pitching yeast until the starter is ready in the morning (I made it when I doughed in). I'm going to take an OG reading in the morning to verify when some of the trube settles out (hops and hot break chunks could be throwing off my refractometer)....


Regardless I'm excited to see how this turns out. I go on vacation Tuesday but will be back in two weeks to dry hop for a week and then it hits the keg and I find out if my first recipe is a flop.

Side note: this was my shortest all grain brew day to date. Started at 6:30PM and was finished (and ready to pitch just waiting on the starter) by 11PM. So in 4.5 hours I made my 5 gallon batch. Woot. Good day all around

 

[ArcticBear]

Oh and I mashed in for an hour at 152 and batch sparged for ten minutes at 168. On the nose

 

[ArcticBear]

kegged this last night... unfortunately i dry hopped this for 2 weeks because i was unable to get to it last week.

strong hop aromas and flavor, nice darker color... seemed to lack a little bit in complexity in the malt character though... tried to force carb and pull a pint but it wont be able to tell if its truly good until its cold and properly carbed