Improving my IPA

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by ghostinthemachine, Jan 10, 2016.

Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    I just wanted to share some thoughts on improving an IPA I brewed.

    88% two row
    6% torrified wheat
    4% cara 40
    2% acid malt (for mash ph)
    US05
    The og was 1.070 and it finished at 1.012 for about 7.8% ABV. It is right on the line of a IPA and a DIPA.

    I bittered with magnum to 55 IBUS. At 5 minutes I threw in 3 ounces of galaxy. At 1 minute I threw in an ounce of Citra and an ounce of Amarillo. I dry hopped with an ounce of citra and an ounce of Amarillo.

    I am really pleased with the malt/hop balance of the beer. There is a clean bitterness up front then a lingering, fruity explosion at the finish. Not much in the middle of the palate.

    I was going to proportionally up my grain bill to give this beer another percent or so of alcohol (or add some sugar). I was also wondering what I could do to give this beer some middle palate hop flavor. Would some smaller earlier additions of one of my hops work? I was thinking of taking an ounce of citra and add at quarter ounce at 30 minutes, a quarter at 20, a quarter at 15, and a quarter at 10. Would this do anything?

    Overall I am very pleased with this IPA (it was my first). It has a silky smooth mouthfeel and the color is a bright orange. People who tasted it at the LHBS asked if I had orange in it. The only thing I don't like is flirting the line between two styles and the lack of any hop flavor in the middle.
     
    #1 ghostinthemachine, Jan 10, 2016
    inchrisin likes this.
  2. Tin_Soldier

    Tin_Soldier Initiate (0) Oct 6, 2015 Tennessee

    You're proposing hop bursting, as I've seen it described here on BA threads that should kill two birds with one stone. What I mean is generally speaking you'll take care of the flavor additions that way and also contribute slightly to your aroma, but probably not enough to warrant pulling back on your late additions any.
     
    #2 Tin_Soldier, Jan 10, 2016
    ghostinthemachine likes this.
  3. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Yes, a little sugar and a 15 min addition should help on a ~IIPA
     
    #3 GreenKrusty101, Jan 10, 2016
  4. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Less bittering hops. More flavor hops from 15-0. Same IBU.
     
    #4 Brew_Betty, Jan 10, 2016
    DrMindbender likes this.
  5. Mohican88

    Mohican88 Initiate (0) Jan 20, 2010 Ohio

    I recently brewed an Simcoe, Mosaic, Galaxy IPA that I did bittered at 60 minutes with an ounce of Columbus and then did not add any other additions until after flameout. I added an 1.5 ounces of each hop at 195°F and held the temperature for 30 minutes and then reduced the temperature to 170°F added an ounce of each and held it for another 30 before cooling and pitching. I dry hopped it with an ounce of each, which in my case in in the keg.

    This beer has a bracing, clean bitterness that carries through and a wonderful aroma and fruity/tropical hop from start to finish of each sip. For what you're looking for I'd try some whirlpool/steeping hops to maintain some of those hop oils in the wort rather than boiling them off.
     
    #5 Mohican88, Jan 10, 2016
    ghostinthemachine likes this.
  6. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Finally, he's unhappy with his IPAs. Welcome to the club. :slight_smile:

    Great IPAs and IIPAs are won by dumping 90% of your hops into the 10, 5, KO, and Dry Hop additions.

    I'm not great at the styles, but I've notice that if you overdo it with the KO and Dry Hop addition things become kind of overwhelmingly juicy. It's not a terrible thing, but the beer rounds out with time and becomes incredibly drinkable when you have a solid hop charge for the bittering units. ^^^ You might find that you're a touch low on IBUs for the beer to peak right out of the gate. Give it time, and you'll fall in love.
     
    #6 inchrisin, Jan 10, 2016
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2016
  7. scottakelly

    scottakelly Maven (1,487) May 9, 2007 Ohio

    I usually shoot for around 30 IBUs from my 60 minute addition and then try to get the rest from my late additions. You should get more hop flavor and aroma that way.

    I think you should consider adding some Vienna or Munich malt to the grain bill too. That keeps a dry fermentation profile while adding some additional maltiness to balance out the hop flavors.
     
    #7 scottakelly, Jan 10, 2016
    DrMindbender and pweis909 like this.
  8. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I agree; I like to get some malt flavor in there for my APAs and IPAs. 20% Munich worked well for me. Currently my glass is full of an extra hoppy pale ale (by my standards, anyhow) that has 40% Golden Promise. Maris otter also is useful in this way. I hesitated to bring it up because the OP seemed to be about hop-focused improvements, but adding malt may help you not miss those middle palate hops?
     
    #8 pweis909, Jan 10, 2016
    ghostinthemachine likes this.
  9. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    honestly...after drinking this IPA again today...I don't think I will change a thing other than up the malt bill proportionally to put it safely into the DIPA range. I swear this beer is a fraternal twin to the Ghost in the Machine by Parish.
     
    #9 ghostinthemachine, Jan 11, 2016
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.