Beer Forum

I need some help on this one. I've gotten my process down now and want to experiment with different hops. Here's what I want to do tell me what you think.

OG 1.065
IBU 60

grist:
11# MO
.5# victory
.5# wheat
1# sugar

hops:
CTZ 14.5 AA
14g at 60
7g at 30
14g at 10
14g at 5
28g at KO

yeast wyeast 1056
mash 150

please let me know what needs to be changed.
56g DH

We have a pub (Block 15) here in town that always has a single hop IPA on tap. I always have a pint just to taste them but rarely have a second pint. Single hop IPA's just don't taste that good. I have proved to myself something we all kind of know... The High Alpha hops just don't taste that good on their own. One of the IPA's was a Tomahawk hop, which I think is the "T" in CTZ. It was obviously very bitter but also had kind of an onion/cat-piss flavor and smell as well as just being too much of a single note. I did not like it at all.

The best One Hop Wonders I have tried at the pub were made using a lot of the aromatic hops like Crystal, Mt Hood or Willamette. Even the Cascade wasn't too bad. I know it take a lot more hops and they don't come out as bitter but I did like the taste better.

I do think the hop blends make the best IPA's. High Alpha for bittering in the beginning and then a blend of flavor and aromatic hops.

blueberry wrote:I need some help on this one. I've gotten my process down now and want to experiment with different hops. Here's what I want to do tell me what you think.

OG 1.065
IBU 60

grist:
11# MO
.5# victory
.5# wheat
1# sugar

hops:
CTZ 14.5 AA
14g at 60
7g at 30
14g at 10
14g at 5
28g at KO

yeast wyeast 1056
mash 150

please let me know what needs to be changed.
56g DH

I think you're going for a very malty backbone with a lot of character. That can be really nice for drinking purposes. At the same time, if you're looking for the cleanest expression of the hops, I'd switch the MO to 2-row, maybe even the victory to 1# munich. That said, I don't think that will necessarily be the nicest beer. Just the cleanest. I'd personally want a little crystal in there or something.

I think you should up the late hops a bit. Right now it looks more like a pale ale. If you want an IPA you need to increase it. Pluse some varieties are not very aromatic (e.g., palisade). You'll want a lot of late hops as some varieties are not aromatic, if I were you I would do

28g dry hop
28g 0 min
14g 5 min
14g 10 min
14g 15min
14g 20 min
14g 30 min
IBUs to 60-65

This will give you a complete and rounded character from the hop. 28g dry hop (dry hop character can be different than late hop. I find columbus is citrusy/oniony before dry hop and very dank from dry-hop)
Will give you a lot of aroma and flavor. Plus dry-hopping aids head retention. And at 6 gallons you'll get anywhere from

HopRunner wrote:We have a pub (Block 15) here in town that always has a single hop IPA on tap. I always have a pint just to taste them but rarely have a second pint. Single hop IPA's just don't taste that good. I have proved to myself something we all kind of know... The High Alpha hops just don't taste that good on their own. One of the IPA's was a Tomahawk hop, which I think is the "T" in CTZ. It was obviously very bitter but also had kind of an onion/cat-piss flavor and smell as well as just being too much of a single note. I did not like it at all.

The best One Hop Wonders I have tried at the pub were made using a lot of the aromatic hops like Crystal, Mt Hood or Willamette. Even the Cascade wasn't too bad. I know it take a lot more hops and they don't come out as bitter but I did like the taste better.

I do think the hop blends make the best IPA's. High Alpha for bittering in the beginning and then a blend of flavor and aromatic hops.

Go Beavs. I usually take my client to an OSU football game. 20 Tickets this year to the AZ State game. I always get two kegs from Block15 for this function. Look for the school bus of guys this year on Oct 2nd.