Recipe advice - Citrusy IPA

[Klaus.101]

Morning all.

I'm after some advice on a recipe I have (hopefully) adapted. The original recipe is here: https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/487187/citrus-ipa, and I have tried to adapt it to increase the batch size to 3 gallons, lower the ABV% slightly and switch the hops and yeast based on what was available at my local shop. The result is as follows:

View attachment 14536

I'm still a newbie so I'd appreciate some more experienced eyes. Are there any errors I've made here or any quantities / timings I should change?

Many thanks!

 

[Klaus.101]

Sorry, the attachment is working so here is the "adapted" recipe:

Original Gravity: 1.055
Final Gravity: 1.014
ABV (standard): 5.46%
IBU (tinseth): 88.36
SRM (morey): 8.67

Fermentables
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
2.20 lb Dry Malt Extract - Light 42 4 51.2%
1.30 lb Dry Malt Extract - Amber 42 10 30.2%
3.5 lb

Steeping Grains
Amount Fermentable Cost PPG °L Bill %
0.40 lb American - Caramel / Crystal 15L 35 15 9.3%
0.40 lb American - Victory 34 28 9.3%

Hops
Amount Variety Cost Type AA Use Time IBU Bill %
0.80 oz Citra (11 AA) Pellet 12.1 Boil 45 min 53.61 34.8%
0.50 oz Simcoe (12.7 AA) Pellet 13.1 Boil 15 min 19.61 21.7%
0.50 oz Simcoe (12.7 AA) Pellet 13.1 Boil 5 min 7.88 21.7%
0.50 oz Citra (11 AA) Pellet 12.1 Boil 5 min 7.28 21.7%
2.3 oz

Yeast
Fermentis - Safale - English Ale Yeast S-04

 

[Craigerrr]

I would be inclined to get those 35 early boil IBU's by using Magnum at 60 minutes, or even first wort. Citra is better utilized in late boil, whirlpool, or dry additions. It does seem fairly dark for the style, and I wonder about the percentage of crystal malt. It may have been a higher percentage in the original recipe due to the higher ABV and relatively high IBU's.
All that said, you could always brew it, see what you think, and make adjustments from there.

 

[Craigerrr]

You could look at the BU/GU ratio on the original recipe, and adjust your hops to get in the same percentage neighborhood. That is bitterness units to gravity units. Your gravity is lower, so that ratio has likely changed.

 

[Donoroto]

I agree, bitter is bitter, use something else and add the extra Citra near the end, or consider dry hopping it at 3 days with that extra Citra.
Mosaic also gives a grapefruity aroma, just a point of reference.

 

[Klaus.101]

Thank you. I forgot to mention. It's only an 11.5 litre (3 US gallon) batch if that makes a difference?

I think I've learnt that something else for bittering would be better and I'll def give that a go next time. For this one though I've only got the simcoe and the citra so I'll give it a try and see how it goes. I'll move the first addition back to 30 mins and reduce to 0.5oz though which will lower the IBU to around 60. I might reduce the crystal a bit given your advice - maybe by 50g or so.

Then try and see how it is!

 

[Bubba Wade]

Yes, save the Citra. Citra is great for dry hopping. I think you would benefit from the dry hop.

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

I use Columbus, Magnum, or Nugget for bitterness. Save the Citra for dry hopping

 

[Craigerrr]

Thank you. I forgot to mention. It's only an 11.5 litre (3 US gallon) batch if that makes a difference?

I think I've learnt that something else for bittering would be better and I'll def give that a go next time. For this one though I've only got the simcoe and the citra so I'll give it a try and see how it goes. I'll move the first addition back to 30 mins and reduce to 0.5oz though which will lower the IBU to around 60. I might reduce the crystal a bit given your advice - maybe by 50g or so.

Then try and see how it is!

I think you can wound two birds with one stone. Enter enough Simcoe at 60 to get the 37 IBU's. Then take the balance of Simcoe and Citra from that 45 minute addition and add them at 5 minutes.
Personally, I would do that and if I could get my hands on more Citra and Simcoe, I would add another oz of each in dry hop.
I dry hop at a rate of at least 1 oz per gallon for IPA's. Takes you from "that's pretty good" to "damn, that's pretty good".

I have to admit though, I have a bit of a reputation here for having a heavy hand with the hops...

 

[Mark Farrall]

Simcoe is supposedly one of those hops that makes it through the boil having added some flavour to the beer. Personally I've only used it at flameout or later.

 

[Donoroto]

For this one though I've only got the simcoe and the citra so I'll give it a try and see how it goes.

No harm will occur. The point we're trying to make is that 'cheap' bittering hops might be financially a better choice than 'expensive' citra for bittering, but it really is 98% just a money thing.(Many of us are cheapskates...)

 

[Craigerrr]

No harm will occur. The point we're trying to make is that 'cheap' bittering hops might be financially a better choice than 'expensive' citra for bittering, but it really is 98% just a money thing.(Many of us are cheapskates...)

I think the word you are looking for is frugal. I have more than one recipe that takes a pound of hops per 21L batch, so I am not cheap. At $20 per pound for Magnum vs. $35 per pound for Citra or Simcoe, it just makes economic sense. At the same time Magnum, in my opinion, is just a really, really good bittering hop.

 

[Klaus.101]

So, I've done the boil and it's now in the FV. It took the bits of advice from you all and, fingers crossed, it will come out okay. Thanks for the help, I've definitely learnt a thing or two for next time!

 

[Craigerrr]

Brew, learn, repeat...