Recipe Check Please. Strong Ipa

[Fat Bastard]

The recipe from my last batch: Was quite happy with this, but felt it was too malty and not hoppy enough.

Bongin Bongin IPA #3
American IPA

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 22.0
Total Grain (kg): 6.650
Total Hops (g): 410.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.072 (P): 17.5
Final Gravity (FG): 1.018 (P): 4.6
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 7.07 %
Colour (SRM): 15.0 (EBC): 29.6
Bitterness (IBU): 59.5 (Tinseth)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
3.200 kg Maris Otter Malt (48.12%)
3.200 kg Pale Ale Malt (48.12%)
0.200 kg Crystal 120 (3.01%)
0.050 kg Black Malt (0.75%)

Hop Bill
----------------
30.0 g B Saaz Leaf (6.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.4 g/L)
30.0 g Pacific Hallertau Leaf (5.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (1.4 g/L)
130.0 g B Saaz Leaf (6.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (5.9 g/L)
130.0 g Pacific Hallertau Leaf (5.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (5.9 g/L)
45.0 g B Saaz Leaf (6.8% Alpha) @ 14 Days (Dry Hop) (2 g/L)
45.0 g Pacific Hallertau Leaf (5.8% Alpha) @ 14 Days (Dry Hop) (2 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------
1.0 g Whirlfloc Tablet @ 10 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66C for 90 Minutes.
Fermented at 19C with Safale US-05


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

I have some Perle Malt and Carared, so i thought I'd try this one:

Bongin Bongin IPA #3a
Imperial IPA

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (L): 20.0
Total Grain (kg): 7.150
Total Hops (g): 410.00
Original Gravity (OG): 1.082 (P): 19.8
Final Gravity (FG): 1.019 (P): 4.8
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 8.27 %
Colour (SRM): 11.8 (EBC): 23.3
Bitterness (IBU): 74.4 (Tinseth)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 75
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
6.000 kg Perle Malt (83.92%)
0.500 kg Carared (6.99%)
0.500 kg Torrified Wheat (6.99%)
0.150 kg Crystal 120 (2.1%)

Hop Bill
----------------
40.0 g B Saaz Pellet (6.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (2 g/L)
40.0 g Pacific Hallertau Pellet (5.8% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil) (2 g/L)
120.0 g B Saaz Pellet (6.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (6 g/L)
120.0 g Pacific Hallertau Pellet (5.8% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil) (6 g/L)
45.0 g B Saaz Pellet (6.8% Alpha) @ 14 Days (Dry Hop) (2.3 g/L)
45.0 g Pacific Hallertau Pellet (5.8% Alpha) @ 14 Days (Dry Hop) (2.3 g/L)

Misc Bill
----------------
0.9 g Polyclar @ 10 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66C for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 19C with Safale US-05


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

These are both my own recipes, I have no idea whet I'm doing, and would like some validation please. It needs to be reasonably drinkable for purposes of doing 2 identical brews for mash PH/water profile experimentation. It's a lot of bad beer to get through otherwise!

Cheers,

FB

 

[fawnroux]

Why the black malt in the first recipe? What are you looking for there?

 

[Kingbrownbrewing]

If you are looking for a better hop profile, I would change the hops you are using.

Try some simcoe, tomohawk, centennial, amarillo, cascade, chinook.

A little of this stuff goes a lot further.

 

[Pennywise]

I'd say he's just after a color adjustment.

For an AIPA that's an odd combo of hops, IMO. The B Saaz would work but not sure I'd be pairing it with Hallertau (though I've never used it, just going by it's description). The IBU looks a bit better in the second recipe, for an AIPA you would be looking to have an IBU just below your OG. Your first recipe is AIPA territory, the second IIPA.
For the hoppyness your after look at using American citrusy hops paired with a nice piney one like Chinook, you want some nice resin going on to go with the citrus.
I'd get rid of the wheat, not a fan in big hoppy beers, I'd also switch some of the base malt & carared with some Munich, about 1.5kg. Drop the cara down to 250g and maybe switch the dark crystal for a medium one and use a little more.
Yeast wise I like US-05, but if you have the chance go for Wyeast 1272 :icon_drool2:

 

[argon]

If you are looking for a better hop profile, I would change the hops you are using.

Try some simcoe, tomohawk, centennial, amarillo, cascade, chinook.

A little of this stuff goes a lot further.

Yes do this... and add to the list centennial.

Also your numbers look a little out for a an IPA. OG 1082 and IBU 74 will have a balance towards the malt, but of course with prominent bitterness. However, you want the IBU/OG balance to be at least 1:1, where i prefer 1.5-2:1. That is, get your IBU higher than your OG by a factor of 1 to 1.5.

So for a big IPA, i'd go OG1075 and 100IBU, using any of those 7 varieties mentioned above.

+1 for dropping the wheat.

 

[Nick JD]

Balancing IPAs is as much to do with controlling yeast attenuation (and the FG) as it is the OG and IBUs, IMO.

An often overlooked point. If you've mashed high, don't underpitch. If you've mashed low then you're on the ball - but don't let the yeast struggle, give 'em the higher part of their temp range or you'll have to compensate for the high FG by adding a lot more IBUs.

Attenuation issues always appear in big beers. Having good control of your FGs is the secret to high % beers.