Ipa Recipe Advice

[Salt]

Hi guys,
I am about to put down an American IPA...I have the grain bill all sorted and milled and am using the C Hop Blend, which I got from a supplier here in NZ.
Not sure if you guys have it in Oz or not, but here is a brief description...
"New for 2012: A Hop Union blend of US grown hops suited for IPAs Pale Ales, and anything you'd want to use the C hops in. Think Racer 5 from Bear Republic."
AA 9.7%

I just am a bit uncertain as to what hopping schedule to use...
I have mocked up four different recipes with different hopping, from a 10min IPA, continuous hopping etc.

Please feel free to comment on the four hopping schedules. Which one would be the best? I want a nice IPA, solid bitterness, but fairly balanced, and plenty of hop flavour/aroma.

Or if anyone has a better suggestion, I am open to ideas.

I am using Centennial in the recipes which indicates the Hop Blend at 9.7% AA

20Lt batch and I have 250g in total to work with of the Hop blend

Grain Bill
----------------
4.800 kg Maris Otter Malt (82.62%)
0.550 kg Munich I (9.47%)
0.280 kg Carapils (Dextrine) (4.82%)
0.180 kg Caramunich I (3.1%)

Hop schedule A
30.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)
40.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (2 g/L)
30.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)
60.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (3 g/L)

Hop schedule B
30.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)
30.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (1.5 g/L)
40.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (2 g/L)
40.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (2 g/L)

Hop schedule C
10.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)
10.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 50 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)
10.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 40 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)
10.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil) (0.5 g/L)
20.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 20 Minutes (Boil) (1 g/L)
20.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (1 g/L)
20.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil) (1 g/L)
30.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop) (1.5 g/L)

Hop schedule D
150.0 g Centennial Pellet (9.7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil) (7.5 g/L)

Cheers!!

 

[sponge]

Do you chill or no-chill? That will probably determine the outcome a fair bit.

Interested to see how this C hop blend goes. Do you know which C hops are included in it?

Either way, I'd be leaning towards schedule B or D

Should give some real nice flavour and aroma with the late hopping



Sponge

 

[Salt]

Sorry...I did mean to write that I chill using an Immersion Chiller.

Presuming the C Hop blend is a mix of Centennial, Cascade, maybe Columbus or Chinook...sounds good and smells awesome

 

[argon]

Couple of questions first;
What is your target OG?
What is your target IBU?

Personally after quite a few IPAs I now prefer just to do 2 additions. One at 60 and one at 10 minutes (when rapid chilling) or cube hopping if no chill. Then heaps of dry hopping > 3g/L

So IMO 50% of your IBU at 60, the rest at 10, then what ever you have left dry hop. Also makes for a easy brewday, as you're not constantly weighing and adding hops during the boil.

 

[Salt]

OG around 1.060 - 1.065 and IBUs between 50 and 60ish

Cheers for the advice...will have a play around with 30-40IBUs at 60 and make up the rest at 10min...see what I can come up with.

Am really tempted to try a 10min IPA, as i've never done one and heard plenty of peeps on here talking good things about them

 

[argon]

10 min ipas are really good, just be aware that getting all you're bitterness from a late charge will lead to it fading in time. This why a good early addition is good, in order to keep a firm bitterness over time. Of course if you plan to drink it all within a month or 2, (which is a good idea for the style) nothing wrong with that at all.

Edt: for an American IPA at 1060 you'll want your IBU at or over 60. An OG-IBU ratio of >1 is typical for the style. Personally most of my AIPAs are around 1060 and upwards of 80-100 IBU. Remember it's about big bold hoppiness.

 

[Salt]

+1 for the edit...I like your way of thinking...will take that on board

Might go for something like this...

Original Gravity (OG): 1.066 (P): 16.1
Final Gravity (FG): 1.017 (P): 4.3
Alcohol (ABV): 6.48 %
Colour (SRM): 9.6 (EBC): 18.9
Bitterness (IBU): 64.4 (Average)

82.62% Maris Otter Malt
9.47% Munich I
4.82% Carapils (Dextrine)
3.1% Caramunich I

1.7 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
3.3 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 10 Minutes (Boil)
3.3 g/L Centennial (9.7% Alpha) @ 0 Days (Dry Hop)

 

[Maple]

With my AIPAs I bitter to OG (1.065 = 65IBU) at 60 minute addition, then from 15 minutes down, add another 2 IBU every 2 - 5 mintues (you will see amounts go up towards the end of the boil). This gives a firm bitterness, and the whole spectrum of flavour and aroma for the hops in use.

 

[sponge]

Id be tempted just to do a full 10min IPA if you havent tried one already. Gets incredible flavour and aroma, and can always just chuck a little more in for dry hopping if its not aromatic enough - although it normally ends up being sufficient

Or to save a few bob on the amount of hops used, just chuck ~10-20 IBUs @ 45-60min and then do the rest at 10min.

Throwing 40 IBUs @ 60 in a 50-60 IBU IPA is a little excessive IMO

But experiment and see what you enjoy. thats the beauty of this hobby :beerbang:


Sponge

 

[sponge]

And as argon mentioned, just do the 10min IPA if you plan on drinking it reasonably young. Most of my IPA's get drank reasonably quickly which is why I've stuck with the method, although for a couple that ive been aging (black IPA and barley wine) they have had multiple additions to help with stability

Also, keep the BU:GU >1 as previously mentioned.



Sponge