Recipe Check (IIPA)

[slcmorro]

Hop Hammer (Imperial IPA)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.092 (°P): 22.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.020 (°P): 5.1
Alcohol (ABV): 9.40 %
Colour (SRM): 8.1 (EBC): 16.0
Bitterness (IBU): 90.8 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

66.27% Pale Malt
18.07% Liquid Malt Extract - Light
7.23% Dextrose
6.02% Wheat Malt
2.41% Caramunich I

1.4 g/L Magnum (12.5% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Citra (14% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Cluster (6.2% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Citra (11.1% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Cluster (6.2% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 65°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 19°C with WLP007 - Dry English Ale

Thoughts? Never done an IIPA. Using Extract to boost ABV as my BIAB system is probably limited to 6kg grist, and the Dex as I've read that it helps with that drier finish while contributing more alcohol. Don't misinterpret my intentions here... ABV doesn't bother me in terms of 'getting pissed', I'm not out to make a blinder, just trying to keep to style if I can.

 

[indica86]

I love an IPA and have had several very good brews with 60 minute additions and then flameouts.
30 minutes and you will probably no get heaps of flavour, so if you can move the hops to 0 minutes and increase the amount you may have a better experience.

 

[slcmorro]

Thanks mate, I'll take that into account. So you're thinking just Magnum for bittering (I don't have many big American hops atm) @ 60 and then everything else at flameout to 90IBUs, plus dry hopping?

 

[indica86]

That is what I do in my IPAs. Sometime omitting the dry hop too.
Works well.

 

[slcmorro]

This is an IIPA though mate, does this mate any difference to your thoughts?

 

[indica86]

What's the difference?
My last IPA will be 9% with 144g of hops @ flameout.
Not saying what will work for you, but what has worked for me.
Try stuff and see.

 

[dammag]

Citra and Cluster should be interesting.

I'm drinking a Citra / Chinook IPA at the moment and it is great. I think the harsher Chinook bitterness offsets the Citra nicely.

I've never brewed with Cluster but have drunk plenty of XXXX. Where did the Cluster idea come from?

I also agree with Indica. A good early bittering charge then a heap of hops late.

 

[Dan Pratt]

What's the difference?

IMO........I have found there to be a distinct difference from an IPA and an Imperial IPA.

The IPA will usually (not always) have a 20-40ibu bittering charge at 60mins and then maybe 1 or 2 late kettle additions for the rest and then with your dry hopping around 5-6g/L. Where as your IIPA is an intense overload of hops throughout the boil and combined with the much higher ABV gets a balanced beer, oh and the insane amount of dry hopping that will be 2 or 3 loads during that phase (sometimes but mostly about 8-10g/L)

Using the same hoping schedule of a IIPA on a IPA doesn't seem to hold together as well when the abv is at the 6 - 7% range, but when you move that to >8% or >9% those hops really fill the beer with the use of the 45m, 30m, 20m.

If your going to make a Hop Hammer.

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/hop-hammer/

Try this recipe. :icon_drool2:

P.s if you decide to stay with the recipe you have, Id recommend replacing the cluster with Crystal, that hop has a slight sharpness with its aroma and somehow makes the aroma with Citra much better than just citra.

 

[slcmorro]

Cluster came from what I have on hand. I don't have any Crystal

 

[moodgett]

Off the top of my head my ipa gets about 46 ibu at 60
Then additions at 10 and flameout for a total of 65-70 ibu and approx 7%

 

[Dan Pratt]

Off the top of my head my ipa gets about 46 ibu at 60
Then additions at 10 and flameout for a total of 65-70 ibu and approx 7%

And for a IPA that hop schedule is suitable.

 

[donald_trub]

My 2 cents... Don't change the recipe. This is based on the Pliny the Elder recipe so I'd be brewing it as is so I get to taste one of the most sought out examples in the world of the style!

 

[WitWonder]

I agree with Pratty1 - not enough hops. Take note of the link he posted - the beer in question had calculated 284IBU's - your hopping schedule is similar to what I'd do for a standard APA. Double those hop amounts. I'd also question the malt bill and suggest more munich/crystal for some balance. Yes this should be a hop-dominated beer but it also needs supporting with malt.

 

[Dan Pratt]

My 2 cents... Don't change the recipe. This is based on the Pliny the Elder recipe so I'd be brewing it as is so I get to taste one of the most sought out examples in the world of the style!

??? Don't change which recipe.

 

[manticle]

I agree with Pratty1 - not enough hops. Take note of the link he posted - the beer in question had calculated 284IBU's - your hopping schedule is similar to what I'd do for a standard APA. Double those hop amounts. I'd also question the malt bill and suggest more munich/crystal for some balance. Yes this should be a hop-dominated beer but it also needs supporting with malt.

The idea of 248 ibu is pure fantasy (or science fiction - take your pick).

 

[Dan Pratt]

Lets not start that IBU debate.

 

[slcmorro]

I agree with Pratty1 - not enough hops. Take note of the link he posted - the beer in question had calculated 284IBU's - your hopping schedule is similar to what I'd do for a standard APA. Double those hop amounts. I'd also question the malt bill and suggest more munich/crystal for some balance. Yes this should be a hop-dominated beer but it also needs supporting with malt.

Can I ask why? All I've read about Imperial IPAs (granted, never made one so I'm just taking it on face value) is that the malt is meant to be a background characteristic with the hops and the overall dryness being a bigger factor in the beer than anything else. The guidelines I read are -

"An intensely hoppy, very strong pale ale without the big maltiness and/or deeper malt flavors of an American barleywine. Strongly hopped, but clean, lacking harshness, and a tribute to historical IPAs. Drinkability is an important characteristic; this should not be a heavy, sipping beer. It should also not have much residual sweetness or a heavy character grain profile. Less malty, lower body, less rich and a greater overall hop intensity than an American Barleywine. Typically not as high in gravity/alcohol as a barleywine, since high alcohol and malt tend to limit drinkability. A showcase for hops."

 

[Dan Pratt]

That malt bill slc....just add 3% more Caramunich, the pale is right, the dextrose is right and the wheat is here nor there, it could be dropped but I see why its in there. When you make a IIPA load up the hops to the point where you think it too much...then add some more, its the beauty of this style. The high abv will balance the beer instead of the malt, if you fail to overload with hops the abv will be the show and you don't want that warming character with this beer, that's a barleywine.

 

[Grainer]

No dry hop additions????

 

[Dan Pratt]

did you get aorund to making your IIPA?