When it comes to picking hops for an IPA, I want it all. I have a hard time picking a hop, and I usually change my mind at the last minute.
Besides google searching, is there some definitive resource for this that I just don’t know about?
If I’m researching a specific style, I’ll find a BYO article on it and it’ll point me in the right direction. But, for IPA - I just get baffled and can’t make a decision.
I’ve got a recipe that I want to use, and picking hops is the worst part.
13lb 2-row
1lb Munich II
.75lb Victory
60min bittering
10min
5min
Whirlpool
Drop Hop
Yeast that adds esters
I’ve done Cascade. I could do citra, but that seems too lame. Mosaic would be good, but I’ve used that before and want something new. Right now i’m looking at Summer, but i’m not sold on it yet.
While there are some very good single hop IPAs out there, most of the great ones rely on a combination of 3 or more hops for their their signature flavor and aroma.
As a homebrew example, my house IPA uses Chinook, Centennial and Crystal hops. Admittedly, I’m biased toward C hops but, hopefully, others will chime in with combinations they use in their favorites.
Tandem hop blends such as Amarillo and Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial, Chinook and Columbus, Columbus and Centennial, Citra and Simcoe, and Citra and Amarillo have been known to work in American style ales.
Columbus-Simcoe-Mosaic, Chinook-Amarillo-Cascade-Simcoe, and Amarillo-Simcoe-Citra are common triple hop combinations.
i don’t think there is a way of knowing how to pick hops other than brewing with a bunch whether its smash brew/combos and eventually find what you like. i personally like combos like Amarillo,Simcoe,centennial,Columbus but thats just me
The good thing is, I don’t think there are any bad hop combos. Some are probably better combos than others, but if you have enough hops then you have an IPA.
For choosing a combo, it definitely helps to know what each hop variety brings on its own. Then you can think about complementary flavors, just like you would for putting together a meal.
Some of my favorite combos:
Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Meridian, Motueka
Caliente, Centennial, Motueka (with estery English yeast)
I generally try to blend hops that are disparate. Something very citrusy with something very tropical-fruity and something more herbal/dank. Like Amarillo-Galaxy-Columbus. I have never brewed that particular blend, but I have a good idea that I would like it because I understand what each hop brings to the table. Summit-Nelson Sauvin-Simcoe was a good blend for me once, following the same logic and it is not a blend I have ever seen in a commercial beer (of course Summit is only citrusy some of the time, but I guess I was lucky).
I’ve been trying single hop beers to check out new (to me) hops. I might use a little of high AA to get the bitterness if I don’t have a larger amount of the hop.
Newer ones I’ve tried.
Michigan Chinook - a pineapple bomb, I like it.
Strata - fruit and berry flavors, liked it.
Sabco - will tap this soon.
Zappa - will brew this soon.
This gives me an idea of what they do, and how they would play with other hops.
Is there any way to purchase Michigan Chinook? I get pineapple flavor from the Centennial hops used in Two- Hearted Ale which I seldom get from the Centennial hops that I get.