American IPA ingredients

Beer Recipes
21

I’ve never really thought of IPA’s using a “grain-to-hops” ratio mentality. I brew lots of different IPA’s, and I generally approach the grain bill/OG, IBU’s and late/dry hops as three different vaiables. I set each of the three with the same goal in mind (whatever I’m looking for in that particular batch), but they are all generally independent of each other.

FWIW, I use about 7-9 pounds of grain for a 2.5 gallon batch (I use 4 gallons final kettle volume in my software to account for wort lost to hops), and use anywhere from 6 to 16 ounces of hops depending on the beer I’m brewing. That is almost all flamout/whirlpool/dry hop additions. 2oz/gallon is the sweet spot for me, but I kick it up to 4oz/gallon when I want to go for broke.

22

The times I’ve used turbinado in beer (although admittedly never in an IPA), I couldn’t pick up any flavor contribution, so I stopped using it.

What I have used in an IPA is D45 Candi Syrup. It adds some color and a light toffee flavor. I’ve kind of used it as a replacement for Crystal malt in beers that I wanted to finish dry, but I wanted a similar flavor contribution (Belgian IPA, Double/Triple IPA, Brut IPA, etc). Although, to be honest, using C20 and subbing table sugar for some of your base malt will work similarly and a lot cheaper. Still, it’s another tool in the arsenal and I like using it from time to time.

23

Lately I’ve been using either Mecca Grade Opal 44 or Great Western Brumalt for that.

24

My last IPA was a “throwback” American IPA.

6 gallon batch at 77% efficiency

  • 88.1% Pale 2 Row (13lb)

  • 6.8% Munich II (1lb)

  • 5.1% Victory (.75lb)

  • 5ml Hopshot 60min

  • 1oz Cascade 10min

  • 1oz Cascade 5min

  • 3oz Cascade whirlpool for 20min

  • 3oz Cascade Dry Hop for 3 Days

Used London Ale WLP013 yeast

A lot of lemongrass came though, really happy with the malt bill. I liked the balance of malt and hop character. It was only about 44 ibu, and the bitterness ratio was .629 - so it wasn’t an over the top IPA. I entered it into NHBC, but disappointed that I won’t be able to see how it would be judged.

25

That’s an old school Harpoon IPA clone if I’ve ever seen one. Great recipe - I’ve brewed very similar to this many times.

26

That does look good.

27

I like your thinking here. I usually go with 1/2 lb sugar and 1/2 lb honey malt in mine.

28

The original New England IPA!  ;D I’m a softie for Harpoon IPA.

29

I think I would break down American IPA into 3 categories: West Coast IPA, New England IPA and “Other Places” IPA (also known as “cheap on the hops” IPA or “Sorta Strong American Pale Ale”).

For West Coast IPA, I think any pale base malt works: British Pale Malt, US 2-row, US “Pale Ale” malt, or even pilsner malt. I know a lot of brewers who like to cut their 2-row with a little pilsner malt. Still, some like to cut it the other way, with a 50/50 2-row/Maris Otter mix.

As for specialty malts, Carapils and Crystal are common additions, though neither is strictly necessary. The more old school you get, the more crystal/caramel flavor there will be. Victory/biscuit is also a common addition, or maybe even melanoidin or aromatic or honey malt (in small amounts). I like lighter or medium crystal malts anywhere from 2-8%. Sometmes a little wheat malt is added and sometimes a little Munich or Vienna malt is added.

For hops, the BJCP guidelines will give you a decent idea on IBUs. I think the most common hop schedules are probably 60-15-0-dry or something like that. Lots of people have moved to FWH-whirlpool-dry or incorporated more complicated schedules. AFAIK, dry-hopping became standard practice in IPA sometime during the W administration. 2-4 varieties of aroma hops are common. For bittering, many will use a clean neutral bittering hop like magnum, but others prefer a rougher hop like CTZ or Chinook – it depends on taste. C-hops are classic, but plenty of people use fruitier new hops. I think the combo of Simcoe-Amarillo is considered “classic” at this point, though neither is a “C-hop.” Expect to use around 10g-30g per gallon of flameout/whirlpool hops and 5-30g per gallon of dry hops.

Standard Old School West Coast IPA Recipe:

12 lbs US 2-row
1 lb C-60
8 oz Carapils

Mashed at 152F
1.065 OG, 60 IBUs

1 oz CTZ 60 mins
1 oz Cascade 15 minutes
1 oz cascade, .5 oz centennial, .5 oz chinook flameout
1 oz cascade, .5 oz centennial, .5 oz chinook dry

WLP001 (though any American yeast or most English yeasts will work)

Not so old school:

8.5 lbs US 2-row
4 lbs US Pilsner malt
8 oz CaraHell
8 oz Carapils

OG ~1.064, 60 IBUs
Mash at 149F

.5 oz Apollo 60 mins
2 oz Amarillo at flameout, then slowly cooled for 30 minutes to 140F
2 oz Amarillo, 1 oz Simcoe, .5 oz Citra Whirlpool 140F for 30 minute “hop stand”
2 oz Amarillo, 1 oz Simcoe, .5 oz CTZ, .5 oz Citra dry

Imperial Joystick or WY1450 (though any American yeast or most English yeasts can work)

I really like the difference between Breakside IPA and Breakside Wanderlust IPA – they are both great west coast IPAs, but the former is more traditional and the latter is a little more modern.

30

You think so? I always assumed Harpoon used maybe 1/3 that much hops, and I only ever had that beer when visiting Boston, so I don’t think my memories are of non-fresh beer. It’s my go-to example of a good “IPA” that is neither West Coast or “New England,” even though it is technically very much from New England. That brewery was fun to visit way back 10+ years ago when it was free and sorta small.

31

There’s definitely more late hops in this recipe, but that’s the grain bill and it is Cascade all the way through. WLP013 is as close as you can get to their house yeast without growing up a culture from UFO.