Help improving Citra IPA Recipe

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thisispants

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Hi, So I've been working on an IPA recipe and I'm getting close, but would like some imput from people more knowledgable than myself.

Here's the recipe I've got....

Recitralous IPA (American IPA)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.061 (°P): 15.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.015 (°P): 3.8
Alcohol (ABV): 5.99 %
Colour (SRM): 6.2 (EBC): 12.2
Bitterness (IBU): 62.3 (Average)

78.87% Pale Ale Malt
14.08% Munich I
7.04% Wheat Malt

0.4 g/L Citra (13.2% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
3.8 g/L Citra (13.2% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
2.3 g/L Citra (13.2% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
3.8 g/L Citra (13.2% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)


Single step Infusion at 67°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

This is a tasty beer, however the beer was lacking body big time....and was a bit pale in colour for my liking. What could I add / change to this recipe that will give it more body. I really like the amount of hops this beer has.....would I need to add more hops after increasing the body and mouthfeel of the beer?

Thanks in advance!
 
cara pils and maybe some wheat malt will help with body, id also add some light crystal for flavour and colour .. also try dry hopping.. an addition of Amarillo may also be nice for a little more complexity in hop aromas
 
You have a few options:

  • Add some crystal malt. A darker crystal will give you some colour and will add some sweetness or even raisin character if you use a really dark crystal. This will up your colour as well. You don't need much. 4 or 5% will make a difference.
  • Add more Munich. I start at 20% in my IPAs cause I love it. It will give a bready character, rather that sweet
  • Rye! This gives a slickness and spicyness in the mouthfeel. I love it! I use around 20% in my Rye IPAs.
  • Change your base malt. If you use a Marris Otter or even vienna as your base rather than you should get more "body".
  • I couldn't see what yeast you are using so I'll assume US05 or similar. You can get a different result if you went with a different yeast, say WY1469 but I try the above options first EDIT: Noting you can get stone fuit esters from 1469 so you'd need to ferment low if you wanted to minimise these.
There's probably more others can suggest

I certainly wouldn't recommend mashing an higher as 67 is already high for an IPA. I normally go for 65. That's already a good amount of hops. I wouldn't add any more.
 
I'm trying to get a good IPA happening too, my understanding is you can go more crystal than say an APA because your going higher IBU and ABV

so based on my standard APA recipe of 35-38IBU's 5% ABV and 5% Crystal, i'm thinking 65IBU 6.6% and 10% crystal though maybe some dex and carapils to make up another 5% leaving 85% ale malt in the end
 
I am a big fan of Citra, typically use it in conjunction with Mosaic and/or Cascade in APAs or IPAs. Works very well in session (3-4%) IPAs too. For IPAs I aim for 60IBUs in Beersmith and start adding hops around 10-15 mins before the end of the boil, adjusting time/quantity to match the AAs.

I avoid Maris Otter as a base malt for my American IPAs due to the breadiness and aroma, and for some reason it seems to reliably produce a cloudier beer than other base malts in my brewery. Also it's more expensive than BB or TF ale malt so I stick to that as a base ~80%.

Use a mix of light and dark crystal to make up 15%, then 5% carapils. Don't use any Munich or wheat in stock IPA recipe, only when doing specialty/UK IPAs. Get plenty of body mashing at 67, and have had acceptable results mashing at 66. Depending on batch size and environmental factors this makes a 5.5-6% quaffable IPA (IMO).
 
If you simply want more body and you're happy with how close that recipe is, increase the Munich to 20 - 25%, leave the wheat at 7% and drop the base to 68-73%.

And to up the colour use my above suggestion and sub Munich II for the Munich I.
 
^^ +1 to mckenry.

I'd up the Munich and make it Munich 2. I'd be tempted to get the wheat to 10%. I'd keep the crystal out. I like crystal in some beers but not in IPA.

What you have already should provide enough "body" or mouthfeel. I assume when you say body you mean more specifically malt backbone?
 
Colour?

I use 30 to 40 grams of Chocolate Wheat in mine.
 
I made a Citra Rye IPA recently, drinks WONDERFULLY. 15% Rye.
 
Biscuit or Victory malt can go well in an IPA / APA
 
Nullnvoid said:


Recipe: CitRyePA
Brewer: Grumpy
Style: American IPA

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------

Batch Size (fermenter): 23.00 l
Estimated OG: 1.069 SG
Estimated Color: 24.4 EBC
Estimated IBU: 67.3 IBUs

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

4.75 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston)
1.00 kg Munich II (Weyermann)
1.00 kg Rye Malt (Weyermann)
0.20 kg Caraaroma (Weyermann)
0.01 kg Gladfield Roast Barley
15.00 g Pride of Ringwood [8.70 %] - First Wort Hop
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) Fining
70.00 g Azacca [12.20 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20 min
70.00 g Citra [12.80 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20 min
30.00 g Centennial [10.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20 min
50.00 g Citra [12.80 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop


BIAB, No Chill, mash at 64°c.
 
Ok, thanks guys.... here's what I'm going with...


Citra IPA 3 (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.052 (°P): 12.9
Final Gravity (FG): 1.013 (°P): 3.3
Alcohol (ABV): 5.11 %
Colour (SRM): 7.2 (EBC): 14.2
Bitterness (IBU): 65.8 (Average)

74.07% Pale Ale Malt
14.81% Munich II
7.41% Wheat Malt
3.7% Crystal 40

0.4 g/L Citra (13.1% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
3.8 g/L Citra (13.1% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
2.3 g/L Citra (13.1% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
3.8 g/L Citra (13.1% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Aroma)


Single step Infusion at 67°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 18°C with Safale US-05
 

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