Recipe Critique - Leftovers IPA

[RedBeardBrewer]

Hey Brewers!

I thought I'd put this recipe out for critique to try and improve on what is a reasonable base. I'm calling this one Leftovers IPA. The reason for this is that I had some pelleted hops laying about and I wanted to get use out of them before they started to go off or get stale. Let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
2 × 1.7kg Cooper's Pale Ale LME
1 × 1kg Light DME
1 × 1kg Dextrose
45g Mosaic pelleted hops
50g Amarillo pelleted hops
55g Cascade pelleted hops

Method:
• Steriliser everything
• Bring 3L of water to boil
• Once water is boiled, add 2 × 1.7kg Coopers Pale Ale LME, 1kg Light DME, 30g Mosaic, 30g Amarillo, 30g Cascade. Bring temp down to simmer and simmer for 30 mins.
• Add 1kg of Dextrose and stir untill dissolved.
• Add wort to fermenter and top up with cool water up to 23L.
• Once temperature is between 18-23°C, pitch yeast sachets that came with Pale Ale LME tins.

Day 4
• Add 15g Mosaic, 15g Amarillo, 15g Cascade.

Day 7
• Add 15g Cascade, 5g Amarillo.

OG was recorded at 1090
FG is yet to be determined as I broke my glass hydrometer.

Next time I'd add some Irish moss at the end of the boil for clarity. There's a strong resinous mouth feel and taste, but there's also some reasonable tropical aromas as well.

This is obviously a starting point that could either be improved or simply never be brewed again and burn all evidence that there was ever any attempt.

Let me know what you think.

Cheers!

 

[RedBeardBrewer]

Just an update on the ABV%

I still don't have a hydrometer so I can test the FG, but after 5 or 6 pints, my face is feeling slightly numb and I've got that toasty feeling if that helps at all.

Cheers.

 

[kadmium]

How's it taste? 90g of hops at 30m is a fair whack considering the LME is hopped?

1.090 even down to 1.020 is around 9% so its on the strong end.

 

[RedBeardBrewer]

How's it taste? 90g of hops at 30m is a fair whack considering the LME is hopped?

1.090 even down to 1.020 is around 9% so its on the strong end.

The taste isn't horrible. Quite a resinous mouth feel and taste and distinct tropical aromas. Certainly something that can be improved upon, just not sure how.

 

[golfandbrew]

A couple of things to note straight away. The LME is already sterile so no need to boil it.

The DME and sugar should absolutely be boiled to sterilize. 10 minutes is more than sufficient.

Also agree the OG is high. Maybe run your recipe through an online calculator (Brewer's Friend or Brewfather are good) and target a gravity of 1.060 - 1.065. maybe start by backing off the dex to 200g and DME to 500g.

You didn't mention anything about the bitterness of the beer. I agree with the above that was probably a bit high. Although your OG and FG were too so maybe not as easily picked up.

It wasn't a particularly high dry hop charge, especially the second one. Maybe just combine into a single dry hop.

Also no mention of what you did with your yeast. For such a big beer you would certainly want to get a good healthy pitch.

 

[RedBeardBrewer]

You didn't mention anything about the bitterness of the beer...

Also no mention of what you did with your yeast. For such a big beer you would certainly want to get a good healthy pitch.

Honestly, the malt characteristics were still stronger than the bitterness of the beer. This is likely due to using 2 × 1.7kg Cooper's Pale Ale LME tins. I think the amount of hops are fine, though maybe adjusting the times during the boil and as you mentioned, just limiting to one dry hop charge would be better.

I used the 2 yeast sachets that came with the Pale Ale tins. They certainly did some work, though maybe using a more premium yeast that highlights the hop profile would be better suited?

 

[yankinoz]

Mosaic is one of the best bittering hops. I'd use it alone at -30, add the Cascade and Amarillo after knockout (maybe at 95-96 d) and do a 30 minute hopstand. If that cuts the bittering too much, you could double the water in the boil. Re the yeast, you're in NEIPA territory with that recipe. Among dry yeasts I've used Danstar East Coast with good results, but it has a low cell count and you'd need 3, maybe 4, pkts. Their Verdant yeast is having good reviews (I haven't tried it yet) and you'd get away with two pkts.

 

[golfandbrew]

Notty, S-04, or US-05 will all produce good results. If you don't have temp control it's getting warm enough you could use kveik as well.

 

[RedBeardBrewer]

Mosaic is one of the best bittering hops. I'd use it alone at -30, add the Cascade and Amarillo after knockout (maybe at 95-96 d) and do a 30 minute hopstand. If that cuts the bittering too much, you could double the water in the boil. Re the yeast, you're in NEIPA territory with that recipe. Among dry yeasts I've used Danstar East Coast with good results, but it has a low cell count and you'd need 3, maybe 4, pkts. Their Verdant yeast is having good reviews (I haven't tried it yet) and you'd get away with two pkts.

I think next time I'll try your times for adding the hops. I was also thinking instead of using a 2nd Cooper's Pale Ale, I'll use a Morgan's Extra Pale malt extract. In terms of yeast, something that will produce compact sediment and highlight the hops