Low ABV NZ IPA recipe - any comments/suggestions?

[Sean Monaghan]

Hi guys,

Looking at brewing this brew on Friday and just after any comments or suggestions on how this could be improved. This will be 31L to the fermenter. OG 1.045 (80% efficiency), IBU 46.

Malt bill:

5.05 kg Gladfield American ale

0.3 kg Gladfield biscuit malt

0.24 kg Gladfield red back malt (mainly for colour)

0.18 kg (3%) Gladfield sour grapes

Hops:

25 min - 24 g Nelson Sauvin 10.9%

20 min - 45 g Motueka 6.8%

15 min - 50 g Motueka 6.8%

5 min - 50 g Motueka 6.8%

Flameout - 50 g Motueka 6.8%

Flameout - 10 g Nelson Sauvin 10.9%

Single infusion mash for 60 min at 68 deg C, followed by mash out and fly sparge. All late hop additions so only planning on a 40 min boil.Fermenting with Pacman yeast at 17 degrees, primary only.

Thanks in advance.

[Sam DT]

What's your FG? I wonder if 45 IBU might be a bit high for your OG, I'd possibly drop it back to 40? NS and Mot are a great combo. I'd still boil for 60 to boil out the DMS.

[Sean Monaghan]

Is DMS an issue with pale ale malt? I thought it was a pilsner malt thing? FG 1.013. Dialing down the IBU makes sense. Cheers for the feedback.

[Sam DT]

No worries, yeah you're probably right - I read somewhere that you should boil your IPA's for 90 minutes even if you do 60 minute additions to avoid DMS but could just be an urban legend, good write up here: http://brulosophy.com/2015/03/11/the-impact-of-boil-length-ale-exbe....

An FG of 1.013 might be ok with 45 IBU - That's what I run for my NZ Pils but I drop back to 40 for pale ales, both have FG's of 1.013.

Good luck!

[Sam DT]

I also didn't read the title of your post so if you're going for an IPA (I was thinking PA) then 45 IBU would probably be spot on. - basically ignore everything I've said haha.

[Sean Monaghan]

Haha no worries, I've ordered the ingredients and stuck with 45. Will up my boil back to 60 min though, as you suggested. I'm a huge fan of Brulosophy btw

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

What do expect your ABV to be?

[Sean Monaghan]

4.3ish. Ideal crate day percentage.

[Crusader-Rob]

mash nice and high, 68 is probably ok.

45 ibu is ok too i think. but i'd suggest getting most of your ibu from late additions, with a nice hop stand

[Peter Church]

maybe include a bit of crystal to help keep it balanced

[Sean Monaghan]

I've used crystal in most of my IPAs to date but wanted to try one without it, hence the biscuit. I did a SMaSH with just Gladfield American Ale malt (and sour grapes for pH adjustment) and NZ Cascade hops last month and it was great.