Brewing an extract IPA tomorrow

Not used to seeing fractions like that. Anyway, I'd advise dry hopping in primary...skip secondary. Personally, I wouldn't use brown sugar in an IPA, but that's totally up to you.

 

Vienna malt needs to be mashed, it should not be steeped.

 

This was the first thing I noticed too. If you can steep, you can do a mini-mash. use about 1.25 quarts per pound of grain. Make sure temp stays at around 150-155 for at least half an hour.

beersmith does do fractions, but I think unless it's a specifically common fraction, that you should put your recipe's weights in grams. I'm pretty good at math, but I am not visualizing immediately what 1/3 plus 1/5 plus 1/5 of an ounce is adding up to (and I ain't adding no fractions to figure it out). But I'd say it seems quite light on the hops for an IPA, particularly for nine pounds of LME.

 

What is the point of the brown sugar? Color? Extract recipes will be darker than mash anyway . It will also bump you abv.

 

The temp is important as is the water to grain ratio (1.25-1.5 qts/lb is a good starting point). Rinsing (aka sparging) is not strictly necessary, though you can if you want.

 

The length of time in the water is also a defining difference between the mash and a steep, isn't it? I've always looked at 30 minutes being the absolute minimum amount of time to have a successful mash, but a steep can get away with a just 20 minute session. Maybe a steep adds more to the flavor than it does sugar?

 

I would add the .4 ounces of each hop to the 5 minute addition. And use at least 2 oz's of dry hops. Also centennial works great for dry hopping.

 

The length of time can certainly affect the efficiency and the fermentability of a mash. But a short-ish mash does not a 'steep' become.

 

The water to grain ratio ensures your enzymes are concentrated enough to convert the sugars present. 1.25-1.5 lb/gal is going to give you a good concentration of enzymes and will ensure conversion. Yes, 6 gallons to one pound (or in your case, a half pound of grains that actually have enzymes) won't be appropriate, and will leave starches in the wort (starches = bad).

I would also add more dry hops and use all of your remaining hops as a late addition. Ipas-for-life's suggestion is right on the money. If you're gonna make an IPA, hop it like an IPA. Use MOAR hops.

Bulk hops are cheeper if you're going to do any significant amount of brewing.

 

That hop schedule needs a little work, not really an IPA hop schedule if thats what your leaning towards.

How many IBU's did beersmith calculate?

 

I'm a big cascade fan too. 2-3 oz should world nicely.

 

Well, IPA's would be hoppier. You've got some IBU's there from a centennial 60min addition obviously, and then not much else there hop wise.

.73 ounces added each from 20, 10 and 5, will leave not a whole lot of hoppy goodness, and very little aroma, coupled with not even a half ounce of hops for a dry hop.

Willamette plays well with those hops, it's a good combo I think so stick with it.

I would suggest a good bittering charge at 60, shoot for the same 50-60 IBU's if thats where you like it. You'll use less at 60, if you pound it late with other hops.

I'd make your additions starting at 10 minutes or so. Use an ounce of Centennial, and an ounce of Cascade. If you want to be frugal, atleast do half an ounce of both at this addition.

5 minutes, I'd toss in Centennial at an ounce, and then willamette at an ounce.

Flame out- Kill the boil, and you have a couple of options. Add hops immediately, give you some isomerization and some IBU's ( very little ), chill it down to around 170 and add hops, and let it stand for 20-30 minutes, or do both. Some early, some late.

I like to do both. Do a little early and alot late.

Personally, I'd do atleast half an ounce of all 3 hops there for a hopstand, and would up one hop that I really want to shine. I'd probably do Centennial myself, but it's not my beer.

Do a dry hop with atleast an ounce of say.. cascade and willamette.. for 7-14 days at room temp and get it ready to drink!