All grain help

[BDawg]

Here's a rule of thumb for setting hopping levels:

bu = bittering units => #ibu's
gu = gravity units => the rightmost digits in your OG : 1.060 = 60 gu's. 1.080 = 80 gu's

Then divide the bu's by the gu's to get the bu/gu ratio

Go for a .6-.75 bu/gu ratio for pale ales.
Go for a 1.0-1.2 bu/gu for IPAs.

Of course, it's only a rule of thumb, but it keeps you in the ballpark.
See Ray Daniels' "Designing Great Beers" for more info. The book may be getting kind of dated, but the concepts are still
relevant.

HTH-

[Klickitat Jim]

Here's a rule of thumb for setting hopping levels:

bu = bittering units => #ibu's
gu = gravity units => the rightmost digits in your OG : 1.060 = 60 gu's. 1.080 = 80 gu's

Then divide the bu's by the gu's to get the bu/gu ratio

Go for a .6-.75 bu/gu ratio for pale ales.
Go for a 1.0-1.2 bu/gu for IPAs.

Of course, it's only a rule of thumb, but it keeps you in the ballpark.
See Ray Daniels' "Designing Great Beers" for more info. The book may be getting kind of dated, but the concepts are still
relevant.

HTH-

For non mathematics folk like me

APA = GU x .6-.75
IPA = GU x 1-1.2

So an IPA with 1.060 gravity would be 60-72 IBUs. Or 100 if you want to get famous.

[Klickitat Jim]

IPA: (3 gal batch)
5.5 lbs pale american 2 row
0.25 lb crystal 40
0.25 lb Flaked Barley
O.G. 1.045 (missed my target by quite a bit)

0.5 oz columbus 50 min boil time
1.00 oz cascade 10 min boil time
1.00 oz cascade 2 min boil time
2.00 oz cascade dry hop 5 days
Total IBU about 60

California Ale V (WLP051)

Pale Ale:
5 lbs pale american 2 row
0.5 lb crystal 20
0.5 lbs cara-pils
O.G. 1.057

0.5 oz simcoe boil time 20 mins
0.5 oz simcose boil time 5 mins
1.00 oz cascade boil time 2 mins


I just tasted these two side by side and they do taste slightly different. I guess I was just thinking the IPA would be a hop bomb and it didn't really come out that way.

Ok so I know you missed your target OG on the IPA, but that can play a part. When you calculate ibu to a higher gravity, then undershoot by that much... anyway, you should have had plenty of bitterness but you were probably short on aroma and flavor.

Next time let's assume you hit your OG. Try getting about half of your IBUs in early (bittering) and then the rest of the IBUs late where they will hit the flavor/aroma side. Then on top of that try 1-2 ounces per gallon dry hop.

[BrewLikeMike86]

I have the beer bottled.

These are 3 gal batches so I figured that 2 oz of hops would be plenty. not enough?

[Klickitat Jim]

Well "enough" is up to you, right? If you dont think it has the aroma you wanted, then you need more. You used 2oz so maybe try 4 next time.

A lot of the top commercial IPA brewers (famous ones) say something similar to "we use hops at every opportunity". So you might try to use too much hops just to see where that is. If your base recipe is solid, then do some at 60, some at 15, some at flame out, some during whirlpool, and when you think its all fermented out and the yeast is settled drop in 4-6oz for 5-7 days. Then bottle and enjoy as soon as they are carbed

[BrewLikeMike86]

Thanks for the info all! it will go to good use