I’m trying to make my best Session IPA, I’ve done some research, and found out that adjuncts are more common in this style than I’ve thought.
So I’m including Rye Malt 5%-10% and Flaked Oats 5-10% besides Wheat malt 10%, I’m thinking of using Pale Ale Malt and Munich as Base Malts, and add some Crystal 40 just to adjust color.
Speaking of Hops, I’m seeking something exotic, so I’m thinking of a mix of Simcoe, Citra, Azacca, Mosaic, Amarillo, Nelson Sauvin, and Mandarina Bavaria, (as you can see, I want it complex but sessionable and drinkable).
hey, i recently did a sessionish hop-focused bitter, i think with a lower OG you should definitely add some specialty grains (adjuncts). mine was 90% MO, 3% crystal 60, 3% amber, 2% acid, 2% black malt, and it has an aspect of thinness/lack of maltiness. hops were EKG/hull melon and i cannot complain about the hops
I made a few very low cal, low carb IPAs last summer. That’s not exactly what you are going for but the general idea of bumping up malt/mouthfeel is the same. I agree you are on the right track with specialty malts and have had good luck with rye. I also recommend WY1450 for the yeast, it makes a low gravity beer a bit fuller and silkier IMO.
I brew a lot of lower ABV beers around 4-5% and don’t always use adjuncts. For a lot of styles it isn’t necessary because the style calls for a lighter or crisper feel. Hoppy ales seem to benefit from a little more heft from either adjuncts or crystal malts (or both). It’s easy for those session IPAs and even leaner pale ales to feel too tannic or thin without a little help. Maybe that is just from drinking classic APAs I have that impression but I remember a lot of those session IPAs when that was a thing were just thin and rough going down. On that point I also think too many of those beers suffer from bittering too aggressively especially without the benefit of a little crystal malt and/or adjuncts.