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Author Topic: Imperial IPA Ideas  (Read 4968 times)

Offline In The Sand

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« on: November 28, 2012, 06:04:28 pm »
I'm planning on brewing this Saturday.  My questions is on the hop bill.  What to use where.  I've been doing a lot of SMaSH beers to try to get the hop flavors down, so this will be a little different.  Let me know what you think:

Batch Size: 5.00 gal     
Boil Size: 5.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.086 SG
Estimated Color: 9.0 SRM
Estimated IBU: 93.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount       Item                                                   Type         % or IBU
14.00 lb      Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM)            Grain        90.32 %       
1.00 lb       Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM)     Grain        6.45 %       
1.00 oz       Warrior [15.00 %]  (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops         45.3 IBU     
2.00 oz       Cascade [5.50 %]  (45 min)                Hops         27.7 IBU     
2.00 oz       Cascade [5.50 %]  (20 min)                Hops         18.3 IBU     
1.00 oz       Amarillo Gold [8.50 %]  (2 min)           Hops         2.0 IBU       
1.00 oz       Amarillo Gold [8.50 %]  (Dry Hop 7 days)  Hops          -           
0.50 lb       Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (at flame out)          Sugar        3.23 %       
2 Pkgs        US-05 Ale Yeast             Yeast-Ale                 
Trey W.

Offline majorvices

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2012, 07:22:33 pm »
You aren't using any where near the amount of flame out and last minute additions. You almost can't use enough. Think 4 oz Amarillo, or more, at least. And load up the dry hops, 4 oz at least. The hop bill should be ridiculously top heavy toward flame out. It's about aroma and flavor, not necessarily bitterness.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2012, 07:24:14 pm by majorvices »

Offline majorvices

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2012, 07:23:20 pm »
I also like to sub out some table sugar for the basemalt. Dry is good here. But not too dry.

Offline In The Sand

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2012, 07:50:08 pm »
Thanks
Trey W.

Offline jamminbrew

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2012, 10:39:53 pm »
Here's my recipe, I won a gold medal at the Colorado State Fair with this...
And +100 on the huge late hop additions...

12 lbs American 2-row
1 lb 20L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1 1/2 lbs white table sugar  10 mins

1 oz chinook   FWH
1 oz Chinook   60 min
1/2 oz each  of Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  at  15, 10,5,0 min
1 oz each Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  Dry Hop.


11 oz of hops.  Not a cheap beer to make, but holy crap does it taste and smell awesome!  I am very pleased with this.  Go with hops you like, but definitely load up on the late additions. Your results will be great!
« Last Edit: November 28, 2012, 10:42:24 pm by theantipunk »
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2012, 06:51:18 am »
I would use a lot more at the end, but not at 2 minutes, put them in after the boil is done, then let them steep or whirlpool. It will add a lot of flavor. The aroma comes from the dry hopping, use more there too.
Jeff Rankert
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BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline blatz

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2012, 08:48:23 am »
what Jeff said, plus I wouldn't use anything higher than C-20L, nor would i use that much - 3-4% tops.

and .75-1 oz per gallon dryhop would be more appropriate.  or maybe do a two stage dryhop at .5oz per gal each.

finally, I would add a variety or two - Amarillo and Cascade are kinda in the same vein.  Simcoe would be a great addition, or Centennial, Crystal or Chinook maybe.
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2012, 10:09:26 am »
For an IIPA you really want a nice bite to the bitterness. I'd recommend adding an extra 60-minute addition of something like Columbus or Chinook (or maybe Nugget). Having a FWH of Apollo and a 45-minute addition of Cascade might not bring enough "oomph". Make sure you have enough sulfate in your brewing water as well.

I also agree with bumping the sugar (5-10% maybe), keeping the Crystal malt under 5%, and using massive late/dry hops with at least 3 different hop varieties. Citra, Simcoe, Columbus or many of the NZ/Aus varieties all go really nice with Cascade & Amarillo.
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline majorvices

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2012, 07:59:48 pm »
+1 - I love columbus for my bittering. Chinook works nice, too. Nugget is great for dark beers to my taste, might be worth trying in a IIPA. Also agree with the blending hops suggestion. All amarillo at flame out would be nice, but I think you will find it a little one dimensional compared to a beer that you blended two or three or four hops. Think outside the box, too. I love blending Crystal or French Strisselspalt in my IIPA flame out/WP additions.

Offline In The Sand

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2012, 08:22:30 pm »
I also like to sub out some table sugar for the basemalt. Dry is good here. But not too dry.

Did you mean use more base malt and less sugar, or the other way around?  Also, when would be the best time to add the sugar, end of boil?

Here's my recipe, I won a gold medal at the Colorado State Fair with this...
And +100 on the huge late hop additions...

12 lbs American 2-row
1 lb 20L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1 1/2 lbs white table sugar  10 mins

1 oz chinook   FWH
1 oz Chinook   60 min
1/2 oz each  of Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  at  15, 10,5,0 min
1 oz each Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  Dry Hop.


11 oz of hops.  Not a cheap beer to make, but holy crap does it taste and smell awesome!  I am very pleased with this.  Go with hops you like, but definitely load up on the late additions. Your results will be great!

Nice looking beer.  Unfortunately, I have no LHBS, nor do I have one near me, so everything I've already ordered thinking I knew what I was doing.  So, I have 2 oz Warrior, 4 oz Amarillo, & 4 oz Cascade to work with and I'm brewing Saturday.  I'm just trying to figure out where to work them.
Trey W.

Offline andrew000141

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2012, 09:37:22 pm »
Im just throwing in my imperial ipa hop schedule for consideration. i recommend using lost of different hop varieties instead of just a few, i find it helps mix up the flavors and makes it more palatable

1oz centennial 11.4% - FWH
1oz columbus 11.1% - 60
1 oz cascade 7.5% - 20
2 oz centennial - 15
1 oz chinook 11.8% - 15
1 oz chinook - 10
1 oz centennial - 10
1/2 oz cascade - 5
1/2 oz columbus - 5
1/2 oz cascade  - whirlpool
1/2 oz columbus - whirlpool
Fermenting:
Cherry melomel

In Kegs:
Saison
Irish Red
Thanksgiving Cider
Rye Pale Ale
IIPA
Ayinger Maibock clone
Moose drool clone

Bottles:
Mead

Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble will come to you

Offline hoser

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2012, 10:01:12 pm »
I also like to sub out some table sugar for the basemalt. Dry is good here. But not too dry.

Did you mean use more base malt and less sugar, or the other way around?  Also, when would be the best time to add the sugar, end of boil?

Here's my recipe, I won a gold medal at the Colorado State Fair with this...
And +100 on the huge late hop additions...

12 lbs American 2-row
1 lb 20L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1 1/2 lbs white table sugar  10 mins

1 oz chinook   FWH
1 oz Chinook   60 min
1/2 oz each  of Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  at  15, 10,5,0 min
1 oz each Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  Dry Hop.


11 oz of hops.  Not a cheap beer to make, but holy crap does it taste and smell awesome!  I am very pleased with this.  Go with hops you like, but definitely load up on the late additions. Your results will be great!

Nice looking beer.  Unfortunately, I have no LHBS, nor do I have one near me, so everything I've already ordered thinking I knew what I was doing.  So, I have 2 oz Warrior, 4 oz Amarillo, & 4 oz Cascade to work with and I'm brewing Saturday.  I'm just trying to figure out where to work them.

You might want to consider scaling it back to an American IPA, or just waiting?  10oz of hops is not a lot for an IIPA.  Hell, it's barely an APA anymore.

With that amount of hops, I would go:
95% 2-row
5% crystal
1.064 OG

About 40+ IBUs of warrior at 60m
1oz Amarillo at 10m
1oz Cascade at 10m
1oz Amarillo at 0m
1oz Cascade at 0m
2oz Amarillo Dry Hop
2oz Cascade Dry Hop

Just my $0.02

Offline majorvices

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Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2012, 05:27:15 am »
My bad, I see you have a half pound of sugar in there (missed it on the bottom). The basemalt as is looks pretty good. You might lower the amount of crystal or raise the amount of crystal and sub out more sugar for the 2 row on the next batch depending on what you are shooting for but I think you have a good base grain bill to start with.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2012, 05:32:01 am by majorvices »

Offline bluesman

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2012, 05:34:53 am »
I use a hopback right before the chiller for all of my flameout additions. This keeps most of the aromatic oils from vaporizing in the kettle. If you don't use a hopback or don't have a CFC, then a whirlpool/chiller is also a great option. Flameout additions are key for this style of beer IMO.
Ron Price

Offline In The Sand

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Re: Imperial IPA Ideas
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2012, 07:45:52 am »
I also like to sub out some table sugar for the basemalt. Dry is good here. But not too dry.

Did you mean use more base malt and less sugar, or the other way around?  Also, when would be the best time to add the sugar, end of boil?

Here's my recipe, I won a gold medal at the Colorado State Fair with this...
And +100 on the huge late hop additions...

12 lbs American 2-row
1 lb 20L Crystal
1/2 lb Carapils
1 1/2 lbs white table sugar  10 mins

1 oz chinook   FWH
1 oz Chinook   60 min
1/2 oz each  of Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  at  15, 10,5,0 min
1 oz each Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo  Dry Hop.


11 oz of hops.  Not a cheap beer to make, but holy crap does it taste and smell awesome!  I am very pleased with this.  Go with hops you like, but definitely load up on the late additions. Your results will be great!

Nice looking beer.  Unfortunately, I have no LHBS, nor do I have one near me, so everything I've already ordered thinking I knew what I was doing.  So, I have 2 oz Warrior, 4 oz Amarillo, & 4 oz Cascade to work with and I'm brewing Saturday.  I'm just trying to figure out where to work them.

You might want to consider scaling it back to an American IPA, or just waiting?  10oz of hops is not a lot for an IIPA.  Hell, it's barely an APA anymore.

With that amount of hops, I would go:
95% 2-row
5% crystal
1.064 OG

About 40+ IBUs of warrior at 60m
1oz Amarillo at 10m
1oz Cascade at 10m
1oz Amarillo at 0m
1oz Cascade at 0m
2oz Amarillo Dry Hop
2oz Cascade Dry Hop

Just my $0.02

That looks pretty good.  I may scale it back a touch, then next beer I'll be more aware of what I want to do for an IIPA.

My bad, I see you have a half pound of sugar in there (missed it on the bottom). The basemalt as is looks pretty good. You might lower the amount of crystal or raise the amount of crystal and sub out more sugar for the 2 row on the next batch depending on what you are shooting for but I think you have a good base grain bill to start with.

Thanks.
Trey W.