How Many Hops?

I've noticed that most recipes, kits, etc typically have only one or two hops varieties in them. Why is that? Does more than say two hop varieties complicate the taste too much? Hop prices taken it's toll on making beers that way? Or am I wrong all together and people do it all the time?


I was making a recipe that would include additions of Amarillo, Summit, and Cascade. From what I've read and tasted, these would seem to complement each other in a brew.



Thanks,

Less is usually more. Vary rarely will you see a beer with more than 3 kinds of hops, although the hop addition schedule may be more indepth. Same goes with the grain bills, its not hard to make good beers with complex flavors and simple ingredients.

I've done seven types in a batch, but the highest I have in a standard recipe is five. I've found that you can get more hop flavor & aroma from small additions of multiple hops, instead of massive amounts of one type.

Also, in kits, they usually package the hops in 1 to 2 oz packages, not in the exact amounts you need for the actual recipe. They are not going to want to package five different kinds of hops for one kit. It's too much work on their part, and proabably way too many hops when added up total.

Parker36 said:

Less is usually more. Vary rarely will you see a beer with more than 3 kinds of hops, although the hop addition schedule may be more indepth. Same goes with the grain bills, its not hard to make good beers with complex flavors and simple ingredients.

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+1

seems everytime i try to use a complex grain bill, or many different typs of hops, i just make an ok beer at best. the ones that i keep it simple, are always winners (most of the time).

maybe if you have been brewing for years and are just really good, you can probably pull off complex bill/hop.