Advice on an English IPA

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I am planning on having a go at a decent IPA, not one you might find in your local pub, but also not a 7% - 8% jobby as I don't really enjoy beer that strong.

Heres my current recipe, any pointers would be appreciated.

Brew Length 40 Litres

O.G 1052
IBU 41

Grain Bill

Maris Otter Pale Malt 8.8 kg
Crystal Malt .550 kg
Caramalt .275 kg (I would have used more CaraMalt in place of Crystal but this is all I have)

Mash at 66C

Hop Schedule

Target 45g @ 60 mins
Fuggles 50g @ 5 mins
EKG 50g @ 5 mins
Fuggles 50g @ 1min
EKG 50g @ 1 min

Split into 2 fermenters, probably one half Nottingham and the other S-04

Target of 44L at end of boil to allow for losses to hops.

Any advice appreciated, should I put some of the hops in earlier to increase the Bitterness maybe, maybe some additions at 15 and 10 mins also? I have more Fuggles and EKG available.

[richc]

My immediate thought would be to merge the 5min and 1min additions and add in a 15 minute addition to give more hop flavour. I'd also be tempted to weight the Fuggles towards the earlier additions and the EKG towards the end, that's just my preference though....

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Yes good point.

I deliberately left the hops late as I didn't want to add too much more bitterness, but completely overlooked that they have such a low AA that it won't have that much effect on the bitterness anyway.

As a slight change to the hop schedule

Target 45g @ 60 mins
Fuggles 75g @ 15 mins
EKG 25g @ 15 mins
Fuggles 25g @ 5min
EKG 75g @ 5 min

[De-Geert]

Are you not dryhopping?

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I wasn't planning on it, I haven't Dry Hopped anything yet so it will be a new one for me.

How much, and what would you recommend.

[De-Geert]

I think an IPA should always be dryhopped.
I wouldn't go to high in an English IPA, around 1g/l or so. EKG would be "standard" but I would prefer Target or Fuggles of the varieties you mentioned.
Challenger or Pilgrim are also nice.

[GrowlingDogBeer]

Thanks. I plan on splitting the brew into 2 seperate fermenters, the 2 kegs, mainly as I can't get 40 litres in one fermenting fridge, so it will be split between 2.

I might Dry Hop one of them, but not the other, then I can see what difference it makes.

[De-Geert]

Good plan! But do ferment it with the same yeast than.
You could also dryhop with different hops, but your idea is also very good.

[trucker5774]

You say you don't want it too bitter................of the top of my head the Target will give you around 50 IBU on their own.................oh and it won't be an English IPA it will be EPA

I love this style of beer, looks like a winner, keep us posted

[dave-o]

oh and it won't be an English IPA it will be EPA

Wouldn't that depend on whether he's planning to export it to India or not?

[GrowlingDogBeer]

I could bottle a few and get my mate to take it back to Mumbai with him when he goes home later this year, It won't have spent 6 months in a barrel on a ship but it'll be close. Oh, it won't have been brewed in Burton-on-Trent either (is anything brewed there now?), it will have been brewed in Essex, these are however minor details.

In all seriousness what I meant is I wanted an IPA, but not looking to recreate an 8% American IPA.

[trucker5774]

Definitely EPA...........Essex Pale Ale