I recently brewed a 6.6G batch of Marmalade IPA. Grist was 82.5% MO, 10.5% Munich, 7% Caramunich. Hops were Pacifica and Mandarina Bavaria. I used a mixture of zested Seville oranges and a jar of marmalade post fermentation.
All was going well prior to kegging - tasted great, but I wasn’t happy with the aroma. No problem, I thought, I’ll just dry hop it some more in the keg (Already dry hopped with 1.7oz Pacifica and 1.7oz Mandarina Bavaria in the fermenter). I thought I’d bang it with a large charge as I was only going to dry hop for 2 days cold, then remove the hop sock once the beer was carbonated. So I added 3.5oz Mandarina Bavaria to the keg via a hop sock, cranked up the pressure to 35PSI at 35°F and left it for 35hrs. When I tasted it after that time it was absolutely undrinkable - seriously disgusting. I realise that 3.5oz of dry hopping was a large charge, especially after already being dry hopped with 3.5oz, but I’m quite amazed at how this beer has turned from something quite delicious to something so bad in 35hrs.
Is Mandarina Bavaria just a bad hop variety? Even now the aroma is still not strong - I’m thinking I’ll never use MB again! Anyone else had this? Also, I’m guessing the foul flavour is coming from suspended hops - will that drop out in a few days and leave me with a drinkable beer?
Hop schedule was as follows:
1oz Magnum @ 60mins
1.7oz Pacifica @ 0mins (5mins whirlpool, another 10min steep)
1.7oz Mandarina Bavaria @ 0mins (5mins whirlpool, another 10min steep)
1.7oz Pacifica dry in fermenter for 5 days
1.7oz Mandarina Bavaria dry in fermenter for 5 days
3.5oz Mandarina Bavaria dry in keg for 2 days @ 35°F
The unpleasant taste has softened a lot today. I would describe it as a strong dirt/vegetal taste. Seems to me like I was pretty much drinking hops before and it will continue to soften as they drop out
I played around a lot with Mandarina Bavaria when it first became available a few years ago. It is a superb hop for tangerine flavor but when overdone can lead to a earthy, pith flavor. To get the same flavors, but mellow it out a bit, I’ve had success combining it with Huell Melon with the amounts slightly flavoring the Mandarina Bavaria. This gave me softer tangerine flavors but distinctly tangerine aromas.
I’m anxious to try Mandarina in a pilsner. It works fine for APAs, but I don’t think I would count on it to be the main flavor/aroma hop in an IPA again.
Not sure about the dirt, but vegetal/grassy can come from very heavy dryhop amounts. As you mentioned it was a heavy charge, and if it hasn’t had time to equal itself out that could be it. Hopefully it continues to improve.
We use Mandarina Bavaria in my wife’s chocolate orange stout and we love it, but it’s a very small amount (1 oz in 3 gallons, no dry hop).
For anyone who was interested to see how this turned out, the beer has mellowed out HEAPS now (4 days after kegging/dry hopping for the 2nd time). It is becoming quite a nice drop. I think we can almost certainly say that it was as I first suspected, that I was pretty much just drinking a mouthful of raw hops initially Everything is much more pleasant now - nice orange aroma and taste with none of the dirt I was tasting before. I don’t think MB is capable of delivering the massive hop aroma that I was wanting, though. I’ll try it in a lighter beer next time, but probably not in an IPA again.
Yeah it is a beautiful hop - I guess I was just expecting the wrong thing from it. As you say, doesn’t have the oil content of other hops typically used in IPA’s.
I get that. Just seems the jump in intensity from Citra’s parentage to Citra is a lot bigger than the drop off from Cascade to Lemondrop. I’m sure the answer lies in our ability nowadays to manipulate genetic factors in forming new hybrids. Pretty interesting regardless.
Everything is much more pleasant now - nice orange aroma and taste with none of the dirt I was tasting before. I don’t think MB is capable of delivering the massive hop aroma that I was wanting, though. I’ll try it in a lighter beer next time, but probably not in an IPA again.