What IPA to brew for spring?

[Yooper]

I'm going to brew in the next week or so, but have a dilemma. We have two IPA lovers in the house. One loves a very firm malt backbone with some crystal malt and a firm bitterness (think Surly Furious, Sierra Nevada's Celebration, or even Bell's Two Hearted). The other likes crisp, dry, crystal-less IPAs (think the newest Great Lakes IPA). Both love 'old school' C hops, amarillo, simcoe, etc. Neither big on fruity/hazy/candy flavors.

Help! We need a compromise. Soooo, thinking something like this:

90% Golden Promise
5% crystal 60L
5% Munich malt
Bitter to 50 IBUs with CTZ or the like at 60 minutes
Flavor and aroma hops/whirlpool hops of those we like (probably cascade, simcoe, amarillo)
Dryhop with simcoe/amarillo
OG around 1.070
Finished IBUs calculated at around 85.

What do you think of the idea of a richer basemalt with a smidge of Munich and crystal 60L? Good enough compromise?

 

[Zambi]

You should brew Q2

 

[Megary]

I think you should listen to the one who likes their IPAs less crystal, because that person is right.

j/k

I think it’s a good compromise, though at 5% I don’t think the Munich is going to show. GP is going to dominate. What yeast? Chico?

 

[Donoroto]

Hm. For free beer, I'd think there'd be less complaining...

Brew a pilsner. Or a sierra nevada pale ale. Or a hefeweitzen.

But that recipe will either satisfy both, or perhaps neither. If the latter, stop at Kroger and pick up a couple six-packs...

 

[Yooper]

I think you should listen to the one who likes their IPAs less crystal, because that person is right.

j/k

I think it’s a good compromise, though at 5% I don’t think the Munich is going to show. GP is going to dominate. What yeast? Chico?

Yeah, Chico although my favorite homebrew store doesn't carry White Labs and 001 is still my favorite. I've used Omega (004) and Wyeast, but find that the Wyeast I like best for IPAs tends to be 1217.

 

[Yooper]

Hm. For free beer, I'd think there'd be less complaining...

Brew a pilsner. Or a sierra nevada pale ale. Or a hefeweitzen.

But that recipe will either satisfy both, or perhaps neither. If the latter, stop at Kroger and pick up a couple six-packs...

I wish we had Kroger here! anyway....now I want to make a German pilsner too. I love pilsners.

 

[Craigerrr]

I would suggest that you brew something for me, trouble is I won't be there to enjoy it.
Second suggestion would be to brew a "Crisp Dry Hop Bomb for the Brewer"

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I'm going to brew in the next week or so, but have a dilemma. We have two IPA lovers in the house. One loves a very firm malt backbone with some crystal malt and a firm bitterness (think Surly Furious, Sierra Nevada's Celebration, or even Bell's Two Hearted). The other likes crisp, dry, crystal-less IPAs (think the newest Great Lakes IPA). Both love 'old school' C hops, amarillo, simcoe, etc. Neither big on fruity/hazy/candy flavors.

Help! We need a compromise. Soooo, thinking something like this:

90% Golden Promise
5% crystal 60L
5% Munich malt
Bitter to 50 IBUs with CTZ or the like at 60 minutes
Flavor and aroma hops/whirlpool hops of those we like (probably cascade, simcoe, amarillo)
Dryhop with simcoe/amarillo
OG around 1.070
Finished IBUs calculated at around 85.

What do you think of the idea of a richer basemalt with a smidge of Munich and crystal 60L? Good enough compromise?

This ^ grain bill @ 1.070 doesn't seem like a compromise to me. That's going to be pretty malty. At least for me.
Maybe cut the GP 50% with Pils?

 

[The Brew Mentor]

@Yooper , what did you decide?

 

[Yooper]

@Yooper , what did you decide?

I ordered golden promise basemalt, a tiny bit of Munich malt and about 5% cara munich I. But will bitter firmly, and have about 250 ppm sulfate. Lots of CTZ for bittering, amarillo, simcoe for flavor, aroma, whirlpool and simcoe, amarillo, and cascade for dryhopping. I hope to get enough malt flavor and cara-malt flavor to make Bob happy, but enough sulfate dryness to enhance firm bitterness. We’ll see!

The order just came yesterday, so will brew it up in the next few days.

 

[Yooper]

@Yooper , what did you decide?

Well, the beer is kegged and the flavor flat and uncarbonated is promising! Bob tried a sample and liked it. We’ll see once it’s carbed up and decide then if it suits us both.

 

[Sanctuary Brewing]

Was inspired by this and Brewing a clone this weekend.

I don't like sharing recipes until I've brewed it first.

 

[ACBEV]

I'm not into these new fangled American IPA's. but I agree that less crystal is better!

I tend to go with...

75% Pale Ale Malt
20% Mild Malt
5% Wheat Malt

Hops to around 45 IBU's...

First Gold, Goldings and a smattering of Cascade!

 

[Yooper]

This beer turned out to be really great for both of us. The English ale yeast made it more approachable for Bob, and the high sulfate level and lack of too much crystal malt made it a winner for me.

It's only 6 PM now, but at 7 PM I'll have one. It's really nice!

Full recipe:

Water, mash pH of 5.39:

 

[Sanctuary Brewing]

Turned out pretty delicious.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

This beer turned out to be really great for both of us. The English ale yeast made it more approachable for Bob, and the high sulfate level and lack of too much crystal malt made it a winner for me.

It's only 6 PM now, but at 7 PM I'll have one. It's really nice!

Full recipe:
View attachment 29655

Water, mash pH of 5.39:
View attachment 29656

When I brewed a beer with similar hops, it was good but the Simcoe seems take over what's your thoughts

 

[Yooper]

When I brewed a beer with similar hops, it was good but the Simcoe seems take over what's your thoughts

I LOVE simcoe, especially when combined with amarillo so you may be right but I enjoy it. I also really like chinook, so there is something about that resiny piny citrus that is one of my favorite combos.