[CObrewguy28]

Hey all, so this is my third attempt at my IPA recipe and its getting better, but I hope you pro's can help me dial it in a little more. I've already brewed and fermented within 2 points of my final expected gravity, cold crashed, dry hopped and slow carbbed for a week. The bitterness is kinda high for most to enjoy and I'll adjust it on the next try but the biggest issue I'm noticing is a lack in body and head retention. My first thought is that the .5lb of flaked wheat just isn't enough to get the result im looking for but im sure there is a better alternative. Any recipe advice is greatly appreciated. F.Y.I. the Joe White light munich isn't the actual malt i used; only what my phone's app had. Doubt it makes big difference but it was weyermann light munich. Also i did make a two stage yeast starter to ensure a good pitch rate. Thanks in advance   

Style: American IPA   OG: 1.073   
Type: All Grain   FG: 1.020   
Rating: 0.0   ABV: 6.94 %   
Calories: 239   IBU's: 70.64   
Efficiency: 66 %   Boil Size: 7.00 Gal   
Color:   10.0 SRM     Batch Size: 5.50 Gal   
Preboil OG: 1.057   Boil Time: 70 minutes   
 
Fermentation Steps
Name   Days / Temp
Primary   21 days @ 68.0°F
Bottle/Keg   21 days @ 40.0°F
 
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount   Percentage      Name   Time   Gravity
13.00 lbs   80.00 %      Pale Malt (2 Row) Bel   60 mins   1.037
2.00 lbs   12.31 %      Joe White Light Munich   60 mins   1.038
0.75 lbs   4.62 %      Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L   60 mins   1.034
0.50 lbs   3.08 %      Wheat, Flaked   60 mins   1.035
 
Hops
Amount   IBU's      Name   Time   AA %
1.00 ozs   39.09   Citra           60 mins   13.20
2.00 ozs   19.73   Cascade   20 mins   5.50
2.00 ozs   11.82   Cascade   10 mins   5.50
1.00 ozs   0.00      Cascade   0 mins   5.50
3.00 ozs   0.00      Palisade   0 mins   7.50
3.00 ozs              Cascade   7 days   5.50
 
Yeasts
Amount   Name   Laboratory / ID
1.00 pkg   American Ale   Wyeast Labs 1056
 
Additions
Amount   Name   Time   Stage
1.00 tsp   Irish Moss   15 mins   Boil
2.50 tsp   Yeast Nutrient   15 mins   Boil
0.25 tsp   Gypsum   60 mins   Mash
 
Mash Profile
Full Body Infusion In   60 min @ 156.0°F
 

[dannyjed]

I like my IPA's to finish drier than 1.020...more like 1.010. I realize that this might just be your setting on your brewing program with attenuation set low. I also think that 1 smack pack of yeast for a beer this big is not enough. Are you going to make a starter? I like your grain and hop selections.

[Stevie]

I'm surprised you find a lack in body with an IPA that starts at 1.073 and ends at 1.020. My go to IPA grain bill is 90% 2-row, 6% c20, 2% dextrin malt, and 2% simple sugars (cane, corn, brown, raw, whatever is available in the pantry), and it finishes at a perfect 1.010-1.014 (og dependent) for my tastes. That said, what you have doesn't look bad for your goals.

Other than the gypsum, what else are you doing about your water?

Your hops can use some adjustment IMO. Citra, while I am not a fan, is wasted at 60, and I like to blend more for the later additions. I too am a fan of the 20 minute addition, but I exclusively use Columbus there. Throw some mosaic, simcoe, Galaxy, centennial, or any other west coast hop in with the cascade to give a more layered hop profile towards the end. I almost always have at least a smidgen of Columbus at 0 at dry for that dank hop flavor.

[dannyjed]

Also i did make a two stage yeast starter to ensure a good pitch rate. Thanks in advance   

Sorry, I didn't see that at first.

[HoosierBrew]

I like my IPA's to finish drier than 1.020...more like 1.010.

Yeah, 1.010 is the sweet spot for me.

[majorvices]

There's no need for flaked wheat in this recipe. Hops are great head retention enhancers. If you are having poor head retention it is probably a fermentation flaw, most likely fermenting too warm or not enough yeast (or both).  Keep fermentation temp, which will be several degrees warmer than ambient during peak high krausen due to exothermic activity, in the low to mid 60s. Make sure you pitch enough yeast, one smack packn will not be even close to being enough without an adequate sized starter. Stick with US-05 dry yeast and pitch 2 packs if you don't feel like messing with starters.

As was also said, the citra at 60 min is a complete waste. I'd go with something like Columbus (CTZ) or Warrior or other high alpha bittering hop.

I have never heard of "Joe White" brand malt before, interesting. Normally I find for the best Munich malt flavors a good German Munich malt does the trick.

[CObrewguy28]

As far as my water profile goes I basically mixed filtered water from the grocery store and Denver tap water at a 50-50 ratio for the mash and basically a 30-70 ratio for sparge. Not exaclty sure what my PH is... my meter was incorrectly calibrated the day of apparently. Based off the report my PH sits around an 8, obviously high. After finding this out i was in a pinch during brew day so i just went with the gypsum amount as a small go-to. As for attentuation that was my calculated attenuation after fermentation was over. Not sure what else i can do to get that a little lower other than adding some cane sugar after high krausen like in belgians. At first i was skeptical about the citra at 60 too but figured with it's high alpha% it would be a decent bittering hop and as said in the original post i will adjust that to either a smaller amount or different lower alpha hop for initial bittering hop.

[CObrewguy28]

Also for fermentation it was in a fermentaion chamber with a johnsons control temp controller in conjunction with a thermowell at 68* for the two weeks in primary and as said before i did a two stage yeast starter. i know for sure i had proper viability and count and was well within temp range. I used brewersfriend.com's yeast calculator for my starter volumes and rates. I'm sure my issue has to be in recipe. Maybe torrified wheat instead or maybe add carapills, although ive heard mixed feelings about carapills.

[a10t2]

What does "slow carbed for a week" mean? Is the beer fully carbonated?

[CObrewguy28]

according to the chart i used it means that. 13psi at 40 degrees F for 5-7 days to get 2.5 volumes. more or less. it does seems a little flat though.

[a10t2]

Definitely not going to be carbonated yet. More like 2-3 weeks without any agitation. That could be the whole problem.

[majorvices]

Also for fermentation it was in a fermentaion chamber with a johnsons control temp controller in conjunction with a thermowell at 68* for the two weeks in primary and as said before i did a two stage yeast starter. i know for sure i had proper viability and count and was well within temp range. I used brewersfriend.com's yeast calculator for my starter volumes and rates. I'm sure my issue has to be in recipe. Maybe torrified wheat instead or maybe add carapills, although ive heard mixed feelings about carapills.

Sorry I missed the part about the yeast starter. Glad to know you are using a temp controller, personally I think you'd be better off starting much cooler, like 64, and raising to 68-70 near the very end of fermentation. You really shouldn't need any carapils or torrified wheat to assist in your head retention, especially when using a heavy amount of hops. Hops are excellent foam contributors. As Seas has pointed out, you most likely need more carbonation.

[BrodyR]

Recipe wise I'd probably target a drier beer as well by mashing lower than 156f or choosing a different yeast - weird that 1056 left so much on the plate after 2 weeks. Then again I'm used to brewing lower gravity wort and mashing lower.

Personally I've started using all my hops at FWH/60m then a 170f hop stand for an hour or so and about an oz/gallon dry hopping and abandoned the mid boil additions. So far I like it a lot more. I also like more like 90-100% pale malt in my IPAs with maybe some oats or wheat. But again, that's personal preference.

Probably the carbonation level causing your head issues - I have real low head retention too when pulling samples before it's finished up.

[toby]

Recipe wise I'd probably target a drier beer as well by mashing lower than 156f or choosing a different yeast - weird that 1056 left so much on the plate after 2 weeks. Then again I'm used to brewing lower gravity wort and mashing lower.

Personally I've started using all my hops at FWH/60m then a 170f hop stand for an hour or so and about an oz/gallon dry hopping and abandoned the mid boil additions. So far I like it a lot more. I also like more like 90-100% pale malt in my IPAs with maybe some oats or wheat. But again, that's personal preference.

Probably the carbonation level causing your head issues - I have real low head retention too when pulling samples before it's finished up.

^Pretty much all of this^

I mash American IPAs at ~149 for 75 minutes.  I want a super fermentable wort.  I also have gone to only 3 additions: First Wort for bittering, Flameout/Whirlpool/Hopstand/*pick your favorite term* for a little bittering and more flavor, and dry hop or keg hop for aroma and flavor.  I do add about 1/2 pound carafoam per 5 gallons, but typically the hops will help a lot also.  My IPAs tend to have excellent head retention with the two combined.

[CObrewguy28]

Ok so consensus is to mash lower and let it carbonate for longer. I'll let it carb more and check it periodically to see. As for the mash at a lower temp and for longer from what i've read i thought the higher temps denatured beta amalayze allowing for a "thicker" mouth feel sense alpha can't convert as much of the larger "branch" starches. This was my approach for the recipe but what does a drier beer offer in this case?