IPA

I have brewed a couple of IPAs before. It is a beer that I like to have around for when I want something crisp and refreshing after a long day. I have played around with multiple recipes and hopping schedules and this is my latest attempt, which I must say turned out pretty good.

Brewed 1/21/12

5 gallons, brewed with Andrew

Grain:

13 pounds of Pale 2-Row Malt
1 pound of Caramel 40

Mashed at 152 F for 1 hour

Hops:

Chinook 1 oz 11.9% 60 minutes
Centennial 1 oz 10.5% 30 minutes
Simcoe 1 oz 14.1% 15 minutes
Cascade 1 oz 6.4% 10 minutes

Initial Gravity 1.072

Final Gravity 1.016

Beer moved to Keg once final gravity reached and dry hopped with

1 oz Cascade 6.4%
1/2 oz Hallertau 4.6%
1/2 oz Saaz 4.4%

Bottled using Beer Gun at 2.5 volumes of carbonation

2/11 Tasting

The beer is surprisingly red brown for the small amount of caramel malt that I added. The head retention is poor which is not surprising from how much hops I added and how long it was dry hopped, probably also the reason that it is hazy.

The aroma is very well balanced. You can tell right away that the beer is full of grassy hops with just a hint of citrus and some grapefruit. Also present is a hint of caramel that rounds out the aroma.

The beer starts off sweet with a hint of caramel and finishes easy with a hit of hops right at the finish that cleans the palate from all the sugar leaving you ready for another sip.

Overall I am pretty impressed with how this beer turned out. You would never guess that it is 8%+. I would like a little more bitterness in the taste and a little more citrus in the aroma. That being said I am pretty awed by how drinkable this is and worried that I will put all 5 gallons down before I can share it with anyone.