Session IPA-first draft

[Beer-lord]

I'm just about finished with the recipe for my first session IPA that Redbeerd and I are doing on Memorial Day. We're gonna do my first 11 gallon batch, with each grabbing as close to 5 gallons and using slightly different yeasts.
My question, based on trying 3 different and recent session IPA's is, shouldn't I mash at 156 and go for a full bodied taste in place of a mash at 152? Based on my tastes, i felt those I've tasted lacked body and I was thinking maybe splitting the temp and mashing for 70 minutes at 154.

Opinions---I know ya got em!

[BigPapaG]

I'll vote diplomatically... 155...

[BlackDuck]

I've got my session IPA recipe set with a 152 mash temp. After doing a lot of research on these, I think it's really going to come down to brewing it and see what happens. What I mean by that is, it seems like these are very difficult beers to get right, so I'm pretty confident that the first go around may not be what we are looking for. I found one thread (on HomeBrewTalk I think) where a guy brewed his like 5 or 6 times before he got it right.

So, you might as well go with it at the 156 and see what happens....

One thing that I'll add after looking at your recipe....what is your IBU/Gravity ratio? I bet it's pretty darn high with an IBU rating like you've got. Mine was originally around 85 IBU's, which gave me a ratio of almost 1.8 . So I changed my thinking and adjusted my hops to the ratio instead of the IBU number. I brought the ratio down to 1.159 (which is still huge), this put my IBU's at 52.5. It seems like 52.5 isn't enough IBU's but when you look at the ratio, it really is. I hope to get to my recipe on Memorial Day too. I'll post it in a new thread.

[Beer-lord]

Mine IBU/SG is 1.493 so, 1.5. Yeah, I have to admit part of me is trying to get to 85 IBUs and the other part of me says to use some of the hops I have in the freezer. i have a ton in 2 dry hops with some whirlpooling so I hope it's smooth. I was thinking about doing half of the 60 minute addition at FWH but its going to be a brew time decision. And, I'm not starting as early in the day as usual since I'll be out late Sunday.

Some of my hops have a few months on them so they may have lost a tad of the zing. Most are relatively new and I've used my new, vacuum seal machine to keep them even fresher. But jeez, I still have so many to use.

[BlackDuck]

Well....if your trying to use up some hops, then put more in for goodness sake!!!!

[Kealia]

If you are going for more body than the ones you've tired, then I would mash higher, yes.
But then, are you really brewing a session IPA? Or just an IPA-light? Hmm....

I don't doubt that whatever you brew will be high hop, either way. Just keep in mind (and I thought about this a lot during my IPL recipe) that you have a lighter body on this beer so the hops are really going to be more prominent than in something like Hop Juice or even your standard IPAs.

[mashani]

I think it depends on if you are going for body or maltyness. If I was just going for more maltyness so I could bump up the hop load and still seem "balanced" I'd use some Vienna or Munich and mash as I normally would. Adding a good bit of Vienna or Munich will make it seem much less of a "light beer with lots of hops" from a flavor perspective then just using 2-row. More body mash higher. Or just throw in some carapils or add maltodextrin to the boil.

EDIT: I'd even consider using 100% Vienna for the base malt for a session IPA. It's something I've been meaning to try.

[Beer-lord]

I like the idea of adding Carapils. I know this but never even thought about it.
I'm not looking for maltiness, just more body. I think I'll bump up the mash to 154.


EDIT: on second thought, I think I'll live it like it is and just see how it comes out. I have a number of these beers set for the summer so I can tweak as I go. I think it important to start this way then adjust but I may try 152 now, 154 next time and then add some carapils and play with the grain bill.

[Beer-lord]

Final, final, final recipe. I'm so use to IPA's with much more crystal in it and want something with a bit more body but not affecting the hops and I read up more on red wheat so I'm toning down the red wheat and increasing the Vienna as well as reducing the C80 which I was afraid may sweeten things a bit too much.
Shhhh, don't say anything or I'll have to change it again and you all don't want that.

[Gymrat]

Where is the munich?

[Beer-lord]

I've used Munich in many of my last recipes and decided to leave it out this time. I do have Munich in one of my future session brews not yet finished.
I do like Munich very much and have a decent supply on hand. I'll miss the color it will bring to the beer and hope the C80 will do more good than harm.

[mashani]

I've made English ESBs and IPAs with 80L and they were tasty. But English.

[Beer-lord]

This is done! It was a hot day and I feel it but overall, doing 11 gallons was just a bit more work. I 'm glad the evil twin was there to help.
Of course, the refractometer was right on but the hydrometer was a bit higher. We got about 10.5 gallons in 2 fermenters. We should be close to our mark when done. This isn't going to hang around for 3 weeks before going in the keg.

[Beer-lord]

Do you smell that? Sure you do! That's the smell of a zillion hop pellets spreading their love after flirting with the yeast. They have given birth to a glorious aroma that paints the air around them.

How'd I do Ron? Can I at least do the forward in your book?

[Beer-lord]

1 week in I'm at 1.010 where the FG should be. I'll wait a few days before hitting it with the first dry hop. I can say it tastes just mehhhhh. The lack of body is very similar to Stone Go To and Founders All Day. So, I guess it's where it should be. Not too bitter which surprised me.
It's pretty clear but I'll ruin that with dry hops.

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