Hops/Magnum/Bittering/Paring

Making an WCIPA and using magnum hops for the first time on this beer at least, for the bittering charge. Also would like opinions on how it pares with citra & el dorado (whirlpool) then citra & mosaic at dry hop.

Magnum for bittering is very neutral so Can be used with most any other hops.

idea is that magnum grown in different places has different aromas. i believe i recall some lightly tropical fruity notes when i smelled from the bag, but none of it made it through in any way i could pinpoint in any of the many beers ive used it in.

i intend to switch back to magnum for bittering once i get rid of the pound of bittering hop i got this year. its really neutral and reliable in bitterness

THIS

I love Magnum as a bittering hop and use it in almost every beer I make, unless I run out.  Agree with the comments above that it is very neutral when used this way and it provides a very smooth bitterness.

However…the one beer style where I might consider using something other than Magnum to bitter is a WCIPA.  Maybe all top of the boil IBU’s are the same, but I have convinced myself that something like Chinook or Columbus gives me that firm, crisp bitterness that I’m looking for in this style.  I don’t know.  I don’t make a lot of IPA’s so I could just be fooling myself.

I agree with that assessment. IMO, Magnum is too understated for what I want in WCIPA

That all make sense to me but I might be missing the (this) hop brings crisp bitterness. I’ve not perceived bitterness as crisp or really any description other than bitter. Help me understand what you mean please.

Hard to answer really.  I’m no wordsmith.  :-[

But I would describe a “crisp” bitterness as sharp and dry, with an obvious hop bite in the finish.  Others can describe it as they wish.  Imo, the best WCIPA’s give me this impression.

The bitterness I get from Magnum is much smoother, less sharp, less biting.  It’s a fantastic hop and like I said before, I use Magnum to bitter almost every beer I make.

There are so many recipe and process variables at play here that I don’t want to dismiss using Magnum in a WCIPA.  Certainly it can work and work well.

Cheers.

Not that this helps the conversation much, but this is the way the BJCP describes ’crisp’:

Great description

Lately, I have been using Magnum to bitter WCIPA and APAs. I agree the bitterness is less assertive and it doesn’t linger as long. But, I like that.