Hop blending in an IPA

OK, brewers, I could use your help…I’m writing a section of the book about experimenting with Am. IPA.  I’m interested in blends of the newer “tropical fruit” hops with some of the more traditional varieties like Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Amarillo, Simcoe, Columbus.  And what kind of grist you use to tie it all together.  Please let me hear your thoughts and what you’ve done.  The best ideas and recipes will get printed in the book and you’ll get the credit for them.  Ideas, please!

Denny

i’m kegging this next week:

1.065/75 ibus

70% 2 row
25% MO
5% Caravienne
mash @ 150-152df

Warrior for bittering
2oz each Galaxy and Mosaic @ 20min
2oz each Galaxy, Mosaic & CTZ @ 0 - whirlpool at 180df for 30 min

2oz each Galaxy, Mosaic and CTZ dryhop 10 days

i was completely blown away by the sample when I started the dryhop.  I had one of those “holy crap” moments and i can’t wait until I get it dryhopped and on tap.  Will report more once that happens.

Thanks, Paul.  Please keep me informed on what the hop character is like.

I’ll get back to ya. Kegging one in a couple days.
9 lbs Washington Select
2 lbs Munich
1 lb crystal 10L
2oz Simcoe FWH
1oz Amarillo 10 min
1oz Mosaic 10 min
WY1056
2oz Mosaic 2oz Amarillo dry in keg 7 days

Should be sample time in ten days or so

Hey Denny - great topic!  Recently a friend and I brewed an attempt at a Sierra Nevada Torpedo-like IPA.  I brewed 10 gal. and split the batch to experiment dry hopping with some of the newer varieties on half of the batch.  Keeping with the Torpedo theme, they were named Warhead and Peacehead IPA.

The grain bill was:

92% 2-row
4% Crystal 60
4% Carapils

Target OG 1.069 / IBU 69.  Mash at 152.

The kettle hops were:

Magnum, 56 IBU, 60 min.
Crystal, 4.5 IBU, 20 min.
Crystal, 1.5 IBU, 5 min.
Magnum, 4.5 IBU, 5 min.
Crystal, 1 oz., Hopstand at 170 deg. for 20 min.
Magnum, 1 oz., Hopstand at 170 deg. for 20 min.
Citra, 1 oz., Hopstand at 170 deg. for 20 min.

Warhead was dry hopped for 5 days with 1 oz. each of Citra, Crystal and Magnum
Peacehead was dry hopped for 5 days with 1 oz. Meridian, 1 oz. Mosaic and 2 oz. Simcoe

Warhead came out similar to Torpedo in flavor (balanced hop/malt and restrained sweetness) and Citra aroma came shining through.  Peacehead aroma reminded me of Hill Farmstead S&S#5 with citrus, grapefruit, some tartness. Flavor was fantastic and hop bitterness danced on the tongue.

We had a club taste-off for NHC first round entry fees and Peacehead won the IPAs, but alas did not advance past the first round.  Will try again next year!

I have also used the Meridian/Mosaic dry hop combo on an IPL (all Hallertau kettle hops) that our club served at club night, which was a big hit.

Denny,  I bet that the use of those spider plots of hop character could be useful in your quest.  Mitch Steele presented versions of them in his 2013 NHC presentation that you missed.  I’m curious if overlaying hop character plots for the various combinations that you will receive in this thread show any promise of predicting or explaining why combinations work or don’t work.

Just an idea.

My Newest IPA:

7 lbs 2-Row
5 lbs Maris Otter
1 lb Carapils
1 lb Victory
0.5 lb C15
WLP099
:60 1oz Galena
:15 0.5 oz each, Calypso, Mosaic, Simcoe
:00 0.5 oz each, Calypso, Mosaic, Simcoe
30 min hop stand
Dry Hop after 7 days for 4 days with 0.5 oz each, Calypso, Mosaic, Simcoe
Dry Hop after 11 days for 4 days with 0.5 oz each, Calypso, Mosaic, Simcoe

My last (and best) of the IPAs I used Mosaic in :

1.063 OG
70 IBU

80%  2 Row
15% Munich
5% Crystal 40

Mash - 150F

WY1056

Bru’nWater Pale Ale profile - 300ppm CaSO4

Warrior - bittering
1.33 oz each  Mosaic, Amarillo, Centennial - 15 min
1.33 oz each Mosaic, Amarillo, Centennial - 0 min  (45 min hopstand)
1.5 oz each Mosaic, Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus - dry hop 7 days

Denny - I feel that mashing low and limiting crystal helps limit the sweet impression that can occur when using a fruity hop like Mosaic, as does the dankness of Columbus. I’ll brew it again as is.

Wow!  Great tips everybody!  Keep 'em coming!

This IPA that I made in June won an IPA competition best out of 28 (our club’s first comp.) It’s basic and uses Citra at a smaller ratio to the other hops.
OG 1068
FG 1011
5 gal

12 lbs Two row
.75 lb Crystal 40
mashed at 154 for 60 min and 75 min boil
.75 oz Warrior @ 60 min
1 oz Nugget @ 15 min
1oz Cascade@ 15 min
1.5 oz Cascade @ 0
.5 oz Citra @ 0
1 oz Cascade dry hop
.5 oz Citra dry hop
.5 oz Nugget dry hop
Wyeast 1056/US-05

comments from a judge who is the head brewer @ Maumee Bay Brewing Co. “tropical/stone fruit citrus, pine, lots going on with the hop character…pleasure to drink…nice light malt body with many layers of hops. Great job!”

I really think using Citra in this way adds nice character to classic hops like Cascade and Nugget hops. I used this same hop combo in a Belgian IPA and it is great as well.

Did this one this weekend. I’ll let you know in 3 weeks or so (hope that’s not too late)…
I’m in Labor Rye IPA
Batch Size (fermenter): 13.00 gal
Boil Size: 15.50 gal

25 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) 85.0 %
3 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) 10.0 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Carafoam (1.5 SRM) 5.0 %
4.00 oz Nugget [14.50 %] - Mash 60.0 min 18.7 IBUs
3.00 oz Simcoe [11.90 %] - First Wort 60.0 min 28.8 IBUs
3.00 oz Mosaic [12.70 %] - Boil 20.0 min 22.8 IBUs
3.00 oz Mosaic [12.70 %] - Boil 10.0 min 13.5 IBUs
3.00 oz Mosaic [12.70 %] - Aroma Steep 30.0 min 0.0 IBUs
3.00 oz Mosaic [12.70 %] - Dry Hop 10.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
2.0 pkg SafAle American Ale (Fermentis #S-05)

Est Original Gravity: 1.064 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014
Bitterness: 83.8 IBUs
Est Color: 5.6 SRM

Big +1 to this. It’s kind of weird to think of hops as sweet instead of bitter, but these hops leave a sweet impression on the palate. Any residual sweetness left in the beer can lead to a syrupy, almost saccharine sweetness. I like to think of hops with a sweet fruit character (El Dorado, Belma, Meridian, etc.) as the Crystal Malt of the hops world. I don’t think I would ever want to use them without some citrusy hops to help balance them out. Sort of like adding a squirt of lemon juice to balance out sweetness when cooking.

I just made a session IPA.  10lbs of grain w/ Chinook for bittering, 50/50 centennial/mosaic for flavor, aroma, and dry hop additions. It’s almost ready to drink, but the hop character at kegging was great. Nice combo of citrus and berry. I’ll follow up when it’s carbonated.

Batch Size: 5.00 gal Style: American IPA ()
Boil Size: 7.22 gal Style Guide: BJCP 2008
Color: 6.1 SRM Equipment: Brew-n-Stein
Bitterness: 40.5 IBUs Boil Time: 90 min
Est OG: 1.054 (13.3° P) Mash Profile: Single Infusion, Medium Body 154F, Batch Sparge
Est FG: 1.012 SG (3.1° P) Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage
ABV: 5.6% Taste Rating: 30.0
8.0 oz Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 2
4.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3
4.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 4
3.0 oz Aromatic Malt (26.0 SRM) Grain 5
8 lbs 13.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 6
0.8 oz Chinook [12.1%] - Boil 60 min Hops 7
1.0 oz Centennial [8.7%] - Boil 2 min Hops 8
1.0 oz Mosaic [12.7%] - Boil 2 min Hops 9
0.5 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Steep 0 min Hops 10
0.5 oz Mosaic [12.7%] - Steep 0 min Hops 11
1 pkgs Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 12
0.5 oz Centennial [10.0%] - Dry Hop 0 days Hops 13
0.5 oz Mosaic [12.7%] - Dry Hop 0 days Hops 14

Interesting finding from my club meeting last night.  Mosaic isn’t the garlic bomb that I thought it was.  Let me explain.

Several weeks ago, I sampled an all Mosaic pale ale that was on tap at my LHBS.  They serve it in tiny cups and there isn’t much to do other than sample it quickly.  Well, it was an oniony garlic bomb.  I was less than impressed.  Last evening, one of my clubmates served his all Mosaic pale ale and I found the same response…garlic bomb.  But since we were dealing with larger cups and a longer time to sample, after a few minutes the garlic aroma dissipated and the wonderfully fruity Mosaic aroma and flavor came through for me.  So the lesson here seems to be that those oniony garlic components are quite volatile and they disappear with enough beer surface area and time.  I’m on board with Mosaic now!

I’m now curious if other oniony, garlicy hops also dissipate that character with enough time?  Anyone else have this experience?

Thanks, Martin.  I have had the same experience with Summit hops.  Out of the bag, and even after a short time in the fermenter, there was a heavy onion/garlic aroma.  A few weeks later, that turned into the most amazing tangerine aroma and flavor.  Some people shun them, but they’ve become a staple around here.

Generally time is a brewers friend

I recently brewed a five gallon batch with 3 oz Summit at 60 minute. It’s finished with 5 oz mosaic and 5 oz of Simcoe between 0 min and dry hop… I think. I wasn’t a fan of it due to the explosion of garlic. I hadn’t tried it in a couple weeks. My uncle texted me last night and said, that it was the best IPA he’s ever had. So I’ll hit it again this weekend. I have the recipe posted under “The Gargoyle” in the recipe thread.

Actually here

60 minute - 3 oz Summit
30 minute - 2 oz Simcoe
15 minute - 1 oz Mosaic
0 minute - 2 oz Simcoe & 2 oz Mosaic
Dry Hop - 2 oz Simcoe & 2 oz Mosaic

I got a lb of Summit hops through the local brewey. After trying my buddy’s APA with Summit, I haven’t used them because of the garlic/onion flavor I got from it.  I think I might have to give Summit a chance if it mellows into tangerine over time.

Maybe I should give the Summit another go (maybe).  I made 2 IPAs with it, one paired with Cascade back in the day, and another with Centennial.  The Cascade one eventually faded into the nice tangerine after starting as an onion /garlic bomb. Liked it.  The other never got better than 80:20  tangerine:onion/garlic.  I’m a big believer in getting the IPA on tap quickly, and with all the hop choices out there now, I just hate to sit and wait for the Summit to mellow while all my other non -onion aroma hops are diminishing.

amen to that.