How to determine Fermentation Temp

[Brewer #230611]

I'm still working on my first recipe.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/817828/smashbomb-atomic-inspired-ipa

A few people have tried to clone the same beer:

https://beersmithrecipes.com/viewrecipe/22149/flying-monkeys-smashbomb-atomic-ipa-

and this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/smashbomb-atomic-clone.320685/

The part I'm still trying to understand is how to "whirlpool" and "dry" hop. For whirlpool, it sounds like I can just dump in the hops when I start the chill process... cause it takes me about 20 minutes to do that. does this sound right?

For dry hops, I'm planning on adding during the secondary fermentation period... for 7 days.
I've been reading this article: https://byo.com/article/dry-hopping-techniques/. it sounds like maybe I'm overhopping? Any comments about my plans or the amount of hops?

Regarding the temperature I should maintain during primary and secondary fermentation - the handful of store bough recipes ive tried seem to start at lower temps like 64F for the 7 days... and finish at 68F for the secondary. But those were for darker beers. How does one decide? Any guiding princples or rules?

Lastly, per their website http://www.flyingmonkeys.ca/smashbomb-atomic-ipa/
they use the following malts and hops:
- Pale Malt, Weyerman’s Munich Type II, Weyerman’s Melanoidin Malt, and Great Western Crystal 60.
- Citra, Citra, and more Citra. Dry-Hopped.

(then later on the same page, they say they use " mad additions of Victory and Crystal specialty malts" and a concoction of Citra, Centennial, and Cascade hops)

Here are my questions:
Is citra just a generic term for a family of hops that centennial and cascade falls into?
similar questions with the victory malt. wondering which item in their ingredients list would be classified as a victory malt?

I'm trying to create this "clone" as a gift for someone who loves smashbomb atomic. tall order for a newbie, I know. But it'd be cool if i could pull it off.

If there's anything else you see about my recipe that needs fixing ... please let me know! I'm all ears.

Thanks!

 

[4Bentley]

I would put more in the whirlpool. I chill the wort to 180 degrees before whirlpool, and then dump in the hops.
I don't believe you will get that much out of dry hopping, so moving hops to whirlpool may get more flavor. I usually dry hop for 3 days. They say within 24 hours the hop flavor has been extracted.

For temperature I set the controller for 67 degrees which keeps it between 67 and 68. I quit doing a secondary, so couldn't advise. Several days after fermentation stops I cold crash and then let it sit at room temperature for a day before bottling.

 

[Brewer #230611]

I would put more in the whirlpool. I chill the wort to 180 degrees before whirlpool, and then dump in the hops.
I don't believe you will get that much out of dry hopping, so moving hops to whirlpool may get more flavor. I usually dry hop for 3 days. They say within 24 hours the hop flavor has been extracted.

For temperature I set the controller for 67 degrees which keeps it between 67 and 68. I quit doing a secondary, so couldn't advise. Several days after fermentation stops I cold crash and then let it sit at room temperature for a day before bottling.

Ok. thanks for the response. And would you use all citra? or should i try adding /mixing in some centennial and cascade into the whirlpool stage? This is my first IPA brew... and I don't even really drink IPA! So... i'm not familiar with the different flavors / scents etc.

 

[4Bentley]

I love Citra. It is its own variety different than centennial or cascade. I usually do about a 50/50 mix of Citra and Mosaic, which gives a nice lighter hop flavor. I haven't tried that beer but the reviews say there is a pine taste. If that is what you are looking for you might want to add some Simcoe or Chinook. Citra by itself will be predominately lighter or citray. Depending on what you are looking for.

 

[Craigerrr]

Smashbomb Atomic IPA is 6%, you will need to increase your grains to get there.
Unless of course you want a Smashbomb Atomic Lite IPA.
Some who are more experienced than I may comment on your grain bill percentages.
I love this beer, but haven't tried to clone it. I'm not that smart
As noted above whilrpooling is post boil at a desired temperature (interrupt cooling at X degrees), stirring for X period of time will work.
Bittering with Magnum is good, bittering with Citra will give you more of a dank, piney, cat pee mix, which is great if that is what you are going for.
Ferment temperature needs to be in the range of what the yeast desires, US-05's range is 54F to 77F.
With US-05 I typically start off around 66F for a week, then warm it up to 68, then 70.
I normally add dry hops 7 days in after fermentation has slowed, or even stopped, some add during active fermentation to help expell any oxygen that may have been introduced.

Do you have a means of controlling fermentation temperature?

 

[Brewer #230611]

Smashbomb Atomic IPA is 6%, you will need to increase your grains to get there.
Unless of course you want a Smashbomb Atomic Lite IPA.
Some who are more experienced than I may comment on your grain bill percentages.
I love this beer, but haven't tried to clone it. I'm not that smart
As noted above whilrpooling is post boil at a desired temperature (interrupt cooling at X degrees), stirring for X period of time will work.
Bittering with Magnum is good, bittering with Citra will give you more of a dank, piney, cat pee mix, which is great if that is what you are going for.
Ferment temperature needs to be in the range of what the yeast desires, US-05's range is 54F to 77F.
With US-05 I typically start off around 66F for a week, then warm it up to 68, then 70.
I normally add dry hops 7 days in after fermentation has slowed, or even stopped, some add during active fermentation to help expell any oxygen that may have been introduced.

Do you have a means of controlling fermentation temperature?

So there's something funky going on with the recipe tool because when I finished writing it days ago and printed it out, it had a 6.87% ABV (I'm looking at the printout). But when I see it now, it shows lower. ?? I'll have to play around. I haven't changed it.
That aside...

Yes, I have a way of controlling the temp. I got a fermentation jacket for my fast fermenter.. and will be adding ice packs / blocks to control.

 

[4Bentley]

That is probably where the pine flavor is coming from on the reviews. I usually don't use Citra for bittering. Relatively speaking this recipe is heavier on the bittering side by todays trends, so the traditional citrus and fruity flavors will be subdued. It all depends on what you are looking for.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Depending on you brew-house efficiency, you'll need somewhere in the range of 12 pounds of base malt to make a 6% beer.
The yeast attenuation will also come into play, but most Cali ale yeasts have about 80% attenuation.
I thing more hops in the whirlpool, starting at 180° for 30 minutes would serve you well and start off with 2 oz. as a dry hop.
You can always change, but this should be solid.
Make sure you pitch enough yeast. If you think you have enough, you probably don't,
Aerate well and keep cool for at least the first few days. Then raise up to 70° for a D-rest.
Good luck!
Cheers,
Brian