First Ipa

[carstennoe]

Hello,

Soon I'm going to brew my first IPH (English/American, don't really know the style ).
I'm going for a Fruity/flowery/fresh beer to go with the bitterness from the hops. I've been playing around in Beersmith, (see below), and this is the recipe so far.

Ingredients:
------------

Grains/extract:

1,00 kg Light Dry Extract (10,0 EBC) Dry Extract 25,6 %
0,50 kg Amber Dry Extract (35,0 EBC) Dry Extract 12,8 %
1,50 kg Pale Liquid Extract (11,0 EBC) Extract 38,5 %
0,30 kg Cara-Pils/Dextrine (8,0 EBC) Grain 7,7 %
0,20 kg Biscuit Malt (50,0 EBC) Grain 5,1 %
0,20 kg Candi Sugar, Amber (20,0 EBC) Sugar 5,1 %
0,20 kg Corn Sugar (Dextrose) (0,0 EBC) Sugar 5,1 %

Hops:


35,00 gm Northern Brewer[7,00%] (60 min)
20,00 gm Cascade [7,30%] (60 min)
10,00 gm Tettnang [4,10%] (60 min)

15,00 gm Northern Brewer [7,00%] (30 min)
10,00 gm Cascade [7,30%] (30 min)

10,00 gm Northern Brewer [7,00%] (5 min)
15,00 gm Cascade [7,30%] (5 min)
10,00 gm Tettnang [4,10%] (5 min)

Yeast:

1 Pkgs London Ale III (Wyeast Labs #1318) (0,5L starter)

Mash:
-----

The grains steeps for 30 minutes at 70C in 9.5L water.

Fermentation:
---------------

14 days at 20C in primary fermentor before botteling.

Storrage for 3 weeks at 18C

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 20,00 L
Boil Size: 12,00 L
Estimated OG: 1,058 SG
Estimated FG: 1,016 SG
Estimated Alkohol: 5,6%
Estimated Color: 16,9 EBC
Estimated IBU: 46,3 IBU

If any of you have some clever input/changes i would be very happy :beer:

Regards.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Carsten,

Mate, you aren't going to want to hear this, but German and British hops are IMO, less fruity and within style of an IPA. My honest opinion is that the American style hops are generally more "fruity".

I'll probably start a flame war on this, but I've used German and British hops and, whilst fantastic, aren't very fruity, more aromatic.

For a pilsner or lager style beer - they are the best. I love using Saaz and Hallertauer Mittelfreuh (anglicanised spelling) for a good light coloured beer. And EKG, Styrian Goldings and Saaz have a permanent place in my freezer.

But for American IPA especially, I would be using an American hop like Amarillo, Simcoe, Chinook, Citra, Nelson Sauvin (New Zealand hop, but very American styled) for that big, bold fruity taste.

And using 4-7% AA% hops at 60 minutes is a waste. Better of using a high AA% hop at 60 minutes, as it is more economical and 60 minutes boils don't yield much flavour.

Hope this helps, and sorry if any offense caused, especially to those who love German and British hops.


Goomba

 

[Dazza_devil]

I'm drinking an American IPA that I brewed with Magnum for bittering and Crystal for flavour and aroma.
I can't speak highly enough of the Magnum for bittering, very smooth.
The American Crystal gives a wonderful floral aroma with a bit of spice which I found complements the fruit from 1272 yeast. Crystal is a nobal hop and recommended for Pilsners, Lagers, Belgians etc but it's fantastic in my Little Big Horn IPA which is in the database if your interested. That said perhaps other German noble hops may go alright in this style depending on what your getting from your yeast.

 

[carstennoe]

Thanks for the quick reply,

I already have the tettnang and the northern brewer, but just changed my order of cascade to amarillo (9.5% alpha)

The Wyeast 1318, London Ale III, Should, according to Wyeast's homepage, perform as shown below:

"From traditional London brewery with great malt and hop profile. True top cropping strain, fruity, very light, soft balanced palate, finishes slightly sweet"

Flocculation: high
Attenuation: 71-75%
Temperature Range: 64-74 F (18-23 C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 10% ABV

 

[Dazza_devil]

I found 1028 went well in an English IPA.

 

[carstennoe]

Im a bit indecisive now, would it be best to make a one hop, all Amarillo IPA, or should I finish the boil by adding ex 10-20 gm of tettnang/northern brewer the last 5 minutes.

Ive only made one brew before, so I don't really know how the different styles of hop tastes, and how to mix them to make the flavours supplement each other.

 

[Dazza_devil]

I'm a bit indecisive now, would it be best to make a one hop, all Amarillo IPA, or should I finish the boil by adding ex 10-20 gm of tettnang/northern brewer the last 5 minutes.

I've only made one brew before, so I don't really know how the different styles of hop tastes, and how to mix them to make the flavours supplement each other.

I am by no means an expert or an authority on IPA's but I did find it easier to learn what a specific hop would bring to a brew by doing single hop extract brews to start out. I am also a believer in keeping things simple, that is one reason why I would, for this style, use a single bittering hop and a single flavour/aroma hop. No point confusing the issue and you get the most from each hop by letting it do it's thing, solo.
Just my opinion, other's will vary.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I am by no means an expert or an authority on IPA's but I did find it easier to learn what a specific hop would bring to a brew by doing single hop extract brews to start out. I am also a believer in keeping things simple, that is one reason why I would, for this style, use a single bittering hop and a single flavour/aroma hop. No point confusing the issue and you get the most from each hop by letting it do it's thing, solo.
Just my opinion, other's will vary.

+1 - SMaSH beers are the easiest way to find out what each hop does. OR as Boagsy said, choose one for bittering (high AA% hop) and one for aroma (lower AA% hop). It will also be a more economical way to work with hops.

Simple beers still taste fantastic.

Goomba

 

[carstennoe]

Perfect, a single hop Amarillo itll be then!

Thanks for helping a stupid newbie in his quest for good, homemade beer!!! :beer:

 

[manticle]

If making an english IPA use english yeast and english hops. If making an American IPA use American yeast and American hops. I'd save the tettnanger for another brew - if going amarillo then get some US05 or wy 1272 and save the london III.

The cascade you have will work beautifully with amarillo for an American style. I have only used Northern Brewer as a bittering hop but know at least one other forum user who reckons it's great late too so if you go UK then either stick with that or wack in some EKG or target.

This is not to say that you can't mix up styles and countrys and yeasts etc but if you are trying to learn then roughly staying within a region is really useful - you can then blend the elements later when you know what they do.

Biscuit malt usually needs mashing with other base malt. Candi sugar is an odd addition to an IPA if you're going to use corn sugar as well.

 

[manticle]

And using 4-7% AA% hops at 60 minutes is a waste. Better of using a high AA% hop at 60 minutes, as it is more economical and 60 minutes boils don't yield much flavour.

Seriously disagree with this. Use hops approrpriate to the style you are making or the beer you're after, not economical high aa hops. There are some good neutral bittering hops out there but what you add to your brew will come through even if you boil it for 90 minutes and a bittering addition in a good German style of low aa nobles is more appropriate than wacking in a few grams less of amarillo or centennial.

Sorry for double post - edit option gone.

 

[Dazza_devil]

Seriously disagree with this. Use hops approrpriate to the style you are making or the beer you're after, not economical high aa hops. There are some good neutral bittering hops out there but what you add to your brew will come through even if you boil it for 90 minutes and a bittering addition in a good German style of low aa nobles is more appropriate than wacking in a few grams less of amarillo or centennial.

Sorry for double post - edit option gone.

+1
I've also read, but haven't put it to the test to a major degree, that high AA hops can give a harsh bitterness whereas lower AA hops can give a very smooth bitterness, although uneconomical.
When using hops economy is not a priority for me, I like to brew to style and use the appropriate hop and I don't care how much it takes to do the job.

 

[manticle]

I have used high aa hops as bittering hops with no discernible harshness- just use them in the right beer. A 12% centennial addition in an English style would make its presence known. I can taste hop flavour in my 10% fresh flower PoR lager - delicious but definitely present. Single bittering addition only.

 

[Dazza_devil]

Perhaps the reference suggested that low AA hops can give a smoother bitterness and not that high AA hops can give a harsh bitterness, can't remember.
I'm sure there are some hops that can give a harsh bitterness anyway.

 

[manticle]

I've read the same thing and I have experienced some hops giving a harsher resinous quality so you're not off the mark. Just my experience of some of the higher aa hops suggests that higher aa doesn't automatically equal harsh (I'm aware that's not what you were suggesting so not trying to put words in your mouth.

 

[seemax]

Why not beef up the infamous Dr Smurto's Golden Ale recipe to make it an Amarillo IPA?

 

[Off Ear Beer]

I've made 2 Sierra Nevada Pale Ale clones which rock!

I tried 37.5 grams of perle (60 min)

25 grams of cascade (15 min)

25 grams of cascade (3 min)

12.5 grams of perle to dry hop after 3-4 days fermentation and I ended up with an absolute beauty! Bursting with grapefruit and paw paw aromas.

If anyone wants the recipe... give me a yell.

 

[felten]

I think the harshness is more to do with the cohumulone levels, apparently anyway.. there is a few vagueish references in BSP.

 

[AntCoop]

If you want smooth bitterness with the fruity flavour of American hops I would recomend Simcoe for bittering with Amarillo / Cascade for flavor and aroma additions.

I use this with Dr Smurtos extract recipe and all my mates love it.

Cheers Coops :icon_chickcheers:

 

[Hatchy]

+1 - SMaSH beers are the easiest way to find out what each hop does. OR as Boagsy said, choose one for bittering (high AA% hop) and one for aroma (lower AA% hop). It will also be a more economical way to work with hops.

Simple beers still taste fantastic.

Goomba

I started reading Radical Brewing the other day & he suggests that high AA hops are for bean counters in mega breweries & not for home brewers which surprised me. It certainly isn't a rule that I'm likely to stick to.