Hoppy low ABV brewing (session beers) tips

I am really interested in creating a non watery low ABV hoppy beer. As has been discussed before, the major downfall of session IPA's is they are often completely void of any body. I love the idea but I have not enjoyed most of the execution. So rather than trying to replicate the bone dry, non-malty base that I want from a 6-7% IPA I am going for a maltier pale ale with a lot of late addition hops. I am hoping the sweeter more interesting malt profile fights against the lower amount of grain used.

If you have been on a similar quest to make the perfect hoppy session ale, please share any tips you have with me! This is the recipe I am thinking of brewing in the next week or so. I am new to creating my own recipe so I am certainly open to suggestions.

Brew Type: All Grain BIAB
Style: Session Pale
Batch Size: 5.25 gal
Boil Volume: 7.25 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.0 %

Est. Stats
Est. Original Gravity: 1.040
Est. Final Gravity: 1.012
Est. Color: SRM 5.5
Est. Bitterness: 38 IBU
Est. ABV: 3.7%

Grain
3.00 lb 2 Row 37.5%
2.00 lb Light Munich Malt 25%
1.25 lb White Wheat 18.8 %
.75 lb Flaked Oats 9.4%
.5 lb Cara-pils 6.3%
.25 Caramel 40L 3.1%

Hops
.4 oz Citra 20min
.6 oz Citra 10min
1.0 oz Citra 5 min
1.5 oz Citra 0 min
2 rounds of dry hopping at 1.0 oz each

Yeast
Wyeast American Ale 1056

Mash
Mash temp: 160 deg
Mash length: 60 mins

 

Thanks! The Munich says it is between 5-7L - so it is fairly light? In my research I have come across heavy use of MO and GP in session beers but I don't have those on hand but plan to pick some up. I am few hours from a LHBS so I will give this next batch a go with what I have. With that said, I will change the amounts, or remove stuff all together if it makes a better recipe. So, maybe the oats and the amount of Munich are overkill? I really want to contribute to the body of the beer but I don't want sweet tea...

 

Thanks for the insight Jack. I fully admit that I may have come out of the gate a little too strong in search for the illusive session IPA body... haha. I think I will dial back the diversity and amount of these sweeter/body grains. I guess I have taken several tips on producing session beers and ended up lumping them all together, which could be a little much and little muddled.

But here is my theory for the grain. I am using less grain so I want my grain choice to "go further" so to speak in both flavor and body. The lesser ratio of grain to water will no doubt create a waterier beer if I don't use more flavorful malt. But like you pointed out it could very well be too much.

As far as mashing high, I am very interested in experimenting with very high mash temps in the vein of this Brulosophy experiment. With the end results, tasters could not distinguish between a 4.4% blonde and a 3.4% blonde. That is my goal: for a 3.7-4% pale to taste like to a 5+% pale.

 

Yep!

I will report back with an updated recipe that I go with and how it turns out. I am excited about this beer in the warmer months if I can really dial it in.

 

RECIPE UPDATE

This is what I think I will brew next week (after I wash my London III yeast)

Note: This is what I have on hand. I will experiment with the recipe in the future when I have more ingredients available (Golden Promise, honey malt, flaked wheat, lactose, different yeasts etc.) So I can't try some recipe advice now but these are great ideas for future brews, so if you have more, keep 'em coming.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Grain: Simpler, yet more complex than my other pales/ipas

5 lb 2 Row 62.5%
1.5 lb Light Munich 18.8%
1 lb White Wheat 12.5%
.5 lb Flaked Oat 6.3%

Yeast: Lowest attenuating strain I have on hand.

Wyeast London III.

I will have to wait since I need to wash it from my NE IPA when its done in primary (another 5-7 days). I was going to go with WY1056 since I have some washed on hand but I think L3's lower attenuation will help achieve what I am going for.

Mash
With the yeast change, I'm going to shoot for 156-158 rather than 160.

 

Good call on the SRM, I agree darker could provide more complexity to a beer this small.

I love the idea/challenge of brewing a low ABV beer I actually want to drink. Personally I am getting burnt out on the ABV strength of my favorite style (APA/IPA's). I love the thought of being able to enjoy a delicious beer for the flavor and have it not affect me. I don't drink many beers in one sitting, so it's not about drinking several without getting drunk it's about having a beer on hand that I can drink 1 or 2 with no buzz. So I am really exploring sub 4% and maybe I will get really crazy and try something sub 3%. So I am seeking some advice/tips on how to do that.

For the grain suggestions I appreciate them as advice for this thread (for others and for my future brews) but I personally can't do it this time around (I live in a rural place with no LHBS).

As far as Citra, I have made a zombie dust clone in the past. Citra is one of my favorite hops and Citra is all I have on hand.

 

Oh and as far as the wheat, I like the subtle breadiness it provides without too much sweetness, I am going for more malt complexity to try and make a very light beer interesting. Not sure if it is "needed" but at this point I am in the experimental phase.

Thanks for he input!

 

Yes, this article was an inspiration for my "journey", hence my initial heavy use of light Munich. I plan to pick up some Vienna, Marris Otter, and Golden Promise to go for the type of beer he brewed.

If you don't mind these questions, what was your ABV and how would you describe the beer? Did you feel like the hops had a good malt backbone? Did it come out too sweet and toasty for an "IPA?" Or was it still fairly watery. I just don't know what to expect from these types of beers since I have never had anything lower than 4.5%

 

Thank you! I hadn't heard of these guys, but I just looked them up on Youtube.