Chinook hops

Ingredients
1

I need help.

In the spring when I did my hop ordering, I picked up two pounds of Chinook whole leaves.  My intent was to get a good variety and range of Alpha% so I could brew most anything.  Well, I’ve used the cascades, willamettes, ammillos, simcoe, EK goldings, but am yet to even open the foil bags on the chinook.

What is a good beer for chinook hops?  I know I could add to anything, but is there a beer that “shows off” this variety of hops?

2

This is and old tried and true recipe that uses a good amount of Chinook for bittering.  It is still winning awards.
http://www.realbeer.com/hops/sister.html

Arrogant Bastard Ale is said to be all Chinook, so you can do a search for a clone recipe.

3

Perfect, thanks loads.

4

I have a pound of chinook from last year that I never got to, similar to you.  The SSoS is still on my list to brew.

Russian River Blind Pig IPA is said to use Chinook for bittering, so you could search for a recipe of that one.

5

My clone recipe doesn’t use chinook, nor did I find info on that it did, at least when I was looking at that stuff (albeit it was almost 2 years ago)

6

I’ve not brewed an english ipa, but some looking around reveals they are widely used as a bittering hop.  Understandable with its very clean but sharp bitterness… (the first two recipes are strikingly similar!!)

http://wiki.homebrewersassociation.org/BlitzkriegHops

http://www.realbeer.com/hops/sister.html

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=3364.0

7

Pliny also used to have Chinook for bittering, but as they switched to hop extracts, Vinny has tweaked the homebrew recipe to use Columbus hops (supposedly more similar to the extracts).  That aside, I still use part Chinook for bittering.

8

An English IPA is traditionally going to use… English hops. Of course, in America, you can do whatever you want, but Chinook definitely tastes a bit American.

9

There are many Blind Pig recipes out there.  This one without the oak would be closer to todays.
http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=11499&hilit=blind+pig+recipe

10

I agree in theory, but the historic practice was to imprort Ameican hops for bittering way back when, along with American malts for part of the grist.  They import high alpha hops today, as the British hop production acreage has become small.

11

That is an interesting point. Never considered that. I’ll go out on a limb and say that Chinook wouldn’t make an English IPA taste American necessarily. There’s more factors involved.

As far as Arrogant Bastard is concerned this is invaluable:

The Brewing Network (Can You Brew It- Arrogant Bastard)

I thought Chinook’d be piney-er & punchier when I first brewed with them in 08. A ridiculous failed clone attempt at an AB. Have about a pound now and I’m thinking of doing an IPA split between Nottingham and Windsor. See which is better.