Newest Threads

kyleslattery · 04-05-2012, 08:36 PM

You might want to try dry hopping, as well as moving some hops to 0 minutes, so you get a strong hop flavor/aroma.

amandabab · 04-05-2012, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SONICYOUTH

Bitter, flavor. I crave that grapefruit flavor but I just don't get it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SONICYOUTH

. I've done as much as three ounces of hops the last 15 minutes.

I know citra is popular now, but try pouring on the cascade.

2 oz. Cascade ( 60 min.)
1 oz. Cascade (, 45 min.)
½ oz. Cascade ( 15 min.)
½ oz. Cascade (aroma)

tonyc318 · 04-05-2012, 08:48 PM

Even .5oz of warrior in a full volume boil @60 doesn't bring the IBU up into the 40's. Go with a full 1oz of that if you want an increase in bitterness. Personally, I prefer not as much bitterness and then hop burst right in the 10-0 range. Have you tried centennial with some cascade for more of that citrusy note?

cjb · 04-05-2012, 08:55 PM

Agree w/ the last two as well - despite the name, in my experience Citra is more tropical fruity and less citrusy than Cascade or Centennial.

BunzoBrew · 04-05-2012, 08:57 PM

Definitely try dry hopping. When I first started brewing I was seeking the same thing and the dry hop gives it that extra ooomph of flavor. You should up the bittering hops as well like stated try .5 oz of warrior.

***Yooper*** · 04-05-2012, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SONICYOUTH

I did forget to mention, I use 5.2 stabilizer. But how would I make the water better then?

Actually, 5.2 works for very few people. But it can mess up your water and not fix it. So the first thing I'd do is get a water report. I paid $16.50 for a full report from Ward Labs. You need to know what's in your water, if you plan on using it.

Or you could try one batch with all reverse osmosis water. Add 1 teaspoon calcium chloride and 1 teaspoon gypsum to the water and see if it's better. If it is, you know it was your water.

**Qhrumphf** · 04-05-2012, 10:25 PM

I don't know for sure about Arlington, but I know a lot of Alexandria gets it water sublet through Fairfax Water, which has data available here: http://www.fairfaxwater.org/water/imar.htm. I'd confirm with your water company if they source through Fairfax Water.

Edit: Whoops, read the Arlington report, and it's sourced elsewhere, but I'd imagine the figures should be relatively similar.

muthafuggle · 04-05-2012, 10:55 PM

Also, using gelatin can actually knock a lot of the hops out of solution. I'd suggest dry hopping, using a tea ball full of hops in the top of the keg and skipping the gelatin. If you are one of those maniac "my beer hasta be clear or somewhere someone kills a kitten" guys, I'd suggest some kettle finings e.g. Irish moss. -and still be prepared for dead kittens, because a truely huge hops bill can result in hazy beer from all those late additions.

I'm also a fan of first wort hopping... FWH tastes like a 10-minute addition, but smoother.
:edit:
try 14 days in primary... let that hops trub get a good soaking and compact your yeast cake a bit. -it might make the difference.

Well, that and the water corrections Yooper suggested.

dwarven_stout · 04-05-2012, 11:03 PM

Something else that no one has mentioned- how are you chilling your wort?

I noticed an awesome increase in hop flavor and especially aroma when I switched from 30-40 minutes of immersion chilling to 7 minutes of plate chilling.

***Yooper*** · 04-05-2012, 11:27 PM

Both of those last two posts have great points! Gelatin can strip out some particles, true, making clear beer but it can also strip out flavor. And I totally didn't think about the chilling! If you routinely take more than about 15-20 minutes to chill your wort, you're effectively not really doing late additions and instead maybe 30 minute additions if the wort stays hot past flame out.