galaxy IIPA recipe critique

I don't think the high gravity yeast is necessary for this beer. I would just use US-05/001/1056.

 

I believe US-05/001/1056 are tolerant up to around 11%. Just make sure to pitch enough cells for healthy fermentation.

 

I think that will be a fine super hoppy double ipa that will age gracefully. The thing you want to focus on with a big beer like that is proper pitching rate. Consult mrmalty.com for pitching rates and if you don't have the ability to do a starter your gonna need to pitch multiple vials/packs of yeast but mr malty can be a great guide. Good wort aeration prior to pitching will help also maybe a yeast nutrient addition will help also.

 

I might drop one of the late hop additions so you can dry hop it with 2oz instead of one, but that's just personal preference. The recipe as is should be plenty tasty.

 

Depending on whether or not your DIPAs on the dry side, I would think about substituting sugar for LME to dry it out a bit.

 

No, it will be fine. I usually ferment my PA/IPA/IIPA for 10-14 days in primary, cold crash the primary for 2 days, dry hop in primary for a week or so at room temp, and then keg with a second load of dry hops while the keg is chilling and carbonating. Sometimes I leave the second load of dry hops in the keg for the whole time I'm serving it.

 

Maybe someone with more experience with Extract DIPAs can chime in on this. I do know it is pretty standard to have sugar in DIPAs to dry it out, and since you are using LME and cant control the mash temp, it is more important. I would do at least a pound and a half for an OG this high with extract.

 

1.019 is a bit high for a dry DIPA. If you want it dry, shoot for 1.010-1.012. 10-15% corn sugar will get you there (Looks like your updated recipe is there); you can cut your crystal in half (and replace with more golden extract) if you'd like to further drop the FG. Your golden light extract does contain carapils (and you'll get a good deal of body from the hops), so no need to really worry too much about it coming out thin.

 

Not to hijack, but while I know that extensive use of hops will add to head retention and lacing, this is the first time I've heard someone say that hops can add body to a beer. Can you explain this phenomenon further?

 

Meant head retention and lacing.

 

Only 2 oz. of hops for dry hoping...weak imo I dry hop with at least 4 to 5 oz. @ 14 days, dry hop the hell out of it!!

 

Could be the fact that you are using extract as well. Some claim there is a threshold in some cases of the dreaded .20 point finish in big extract beers.

Your calculator should be taking into the account of adding the sugars in there.