[rboulier4077@gmail.com]

I'm trying to put together a recipe to put into my own portfolio, i have tried this in the past and failed. So does this make sense?

11 lb pale 2 row
2 lb crystal 10
1 oz chinook (60)
.5 oz Simcoe (10)
.5 oz centennial(10)
.5 oz Chinook (10)
.5 oz Centennial (whirlpool)
.5 oz Simcoe (whirlpool)
1 oz Centennial (7 day dry hop)
1 oz Simcoe (7 Day dry hop)
.5 oz centennial (14 day dry hop)
.5 oz Simcoe (14 day dry hop)
California ale yeast

Mash at a 1.5 ratio at 152F

right now its sitting at 7.31% ABV,  i want an ale that has nice alcohol warmth without overdoing the malt flavor, i really want the hops to shine through. should i up the recipe to 6 gallons because of the amount of dry hops? how much does pellet hops soak in?

Should i use a slightly higher Lovibond of caramel/crystal or add some capapils dextrin?  Should i push this over the edge of becoming a IIPA?

Being that i enjoy highly hopped beers, am i over doing it?  IBU is at 88 for an IPA its high?

Please help.

[natebrews]

I don't know too much about IPAs, but that is a lot of crystal 10.  Be light handed with the crystals.  Half a pound or less is probably where you want to be (I'm sure many would say 0%).  Some portion of munich is pretty common, and will give you some flavor without making it crystally.  With a beer with that high an OG, you won't have to worry about not getting enough body.  If it is plain domestic 2-row, that can be pretty flavorless which is where some munich might be nice.

Others will have to share opinions on the hopping.

[Bob357]

A pound of simple sugar would go a long way in drying it out. You might think about cutting down on the C-10 and subbing in sugar instead. Personally, I don't like Crystal malts in IPAs and use some 10L Munich instead.

[tommymorris]

I don’t think you have enough late hops for an American IPA.

My last IPA (a 2.5 gallon batch) had 1 oz Amarillo at 1 min, 3 oz Amarillo steeped, and 3 oz Amarillo dry hops in the keg.

PS. I also think 15% Crystal malt is too much. I top out about 5% but Sierra Nevada Celebration IPA is supposedly 10% Crystal 60.

[rboulier4077@gmail.com]

-  So would the group agree to half the crystal 10 to 1 lb and add 1 lb of munich malt? Or just get rid of crystal all together and use 2 lb of munich?

-  Also up the late edition of hops to an ounce of each hop? (centennial, chinook, simcoe all at 10 min)

I've never keg hopped either it sounds adventurous. I really enjoy floral piney aromas in a beer, would that help?  wouldn't the hops muddle the beer a little bit?

[denny]

-  So would the group agree to half the crystal 10 to 1 lb and add 1 lb of munich malt? Or just get rid of crystal all together and use 2 lb of munich?

-  Also up the late edition of hops to an ounce of each hop? (centennial, chinook, simcoe all at 10 min)

I've never keg hopped either it sounds adventurous. I really enjoy floral piney aromas in a beer, would that help?  wouldn't the hops muddle the beer a little bit?

I'd say cut the C10 back to a lb. and skip the Munich.

[Bob357]

Either one or the other as far as Crystal and Munich IMO.

[hopfenundmalz]

I will agree that the dry hop charges are low. You might consider an ounce per gallon for both charges, the blend of hops is up to you.

The AIPA I have on now had 26 oz. of dry hops for 10 gallons. That was too much from the process standpoint, the hops were over the racking arm in the conical, so it plugger. Had to manually rack, with some O2 exposure. It is drinking pretty good now.

[rboulier4077@gmail.com]

what about my yeast, is this a good strain for IPA?

[hopfenundmalz]

The Chico/California Ale yeast is probably the most used yeast for West Coast IPAs.