Looking for piney hop flavor with low bitterness

I'm making a blonde ale, and I'm looking for a piney flavor/aroma in the beer without making it too bitter. I know Chinook and Simcoe hops tend to have piney flavors and aromas, but they also have relatively high alpha acids. With typical hop additions, these hops would make my beer way too bitter.

Should I reduce the amounts to roughly .25 oz. per addition? Should I reduce the boiling time? Should I do both? Or should I substitute a lower AA hop for the first addition?

This is what I'm thinking so far:

.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 45 minutes
.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 20 minutes
.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 5 minutes

Total IBU: 21.4 according to beersmith

Are these additions too small to get the piney flavor I'm looking for?

Try a FWH addition. That will give a similar flavor as a 20 min addition, and the IBUs of a 60 min addition. The difference is that the bitterness is much, much smoother bitterness, which would probably fit what you're looking for.

Then, use the remaining hops for late additions, like 15-0 min. Aroma has a lot to do with flavor too.

I think Chinook and/or Simcoe might give you what you're looking for. Pliny the Elder, for point of reference, uses Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial.

I'd take out the 20 minute addition and go with .5 oz at flameout and 1 oz dry hop.
Remember, early additions for bitterness, later in the boil (15 mins and under IMHO) for flavor and dry hop/very late additions for flavor/aroma.

Jakemo said:

Try a FWH addition. That will give a similar flavor as a 20 min addition, and the IBUs of a 60 min addition. The difference is that the bitterness is much, much smoother bitterness, which would probably fit what you're looking for.

Then, use the remaining hops for late additions, like 15-0 min. Aroma has a lot to do with flavor too.

I think Chinook and/or Simcoe might give you what you're looking for. Pliny the Elder, for point of reference, uses Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial.

Click to expand...

Would it be okay to have a FWH addition of only .25 oz? This is what I'm thinking (if I use a FWH addition):

.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) FWH
.75 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 5 minutes

Total IBUs: 20.7

Is this still too little?

Chabutna said:

Would it be okay to have a FWH addition of only .25 oz? This is what I'm thinking (if I use a FWH addition):

.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) FWH
.75 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 5 minutes

Total IBUs: 20.7

Is this still too little?

Click to expand...

you can have as small of a bitter add as you'd like. the hop bursting technique doesnt even use a bittering add: http://www.mrmalty.com/late_hopping.php

Jakemo said:

I think Chinook and/or Simcoe might give you what you're looking for. Pliny the Elder, for point of reference, uses Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial.

Click to expand...

Per my trip to RR Brewery yesterday, PtE uses five hop strains...
Warrior, Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade and Columbus

Just got a pound of the father variety to cascades from freshops.com... serebrianka. The smell very cascade like with a 3.5% alpha.

Jakemo said:

I think Chinook and/or Simcoe might give you what you're looking for. Pliny the Elder, for point of reference, uses Columbus, Simcoe, and Centennial.

Click to expand...

+1 I was thinking Simcoe with a late addition and big dry hopping with Columbus, Centennial and Simcoe.

In-n-Out said:

Per my trip to RR Brewery yesterday, PtE uses five hop strains...
Warrior, Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade and Columbus

Click to expand...

Awesome! My info was from second-hand repetition of the Zymurgy clone recipe .

Chabutna said:

Would it be okay to have a FWH addition of only .25 oz? This is what I'm thinking (if I use a FWH addition):

.25 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) FWH
.75 oz. Chinook (11.9 aa) @ 5 minutes

Total IBUs: 20.7

Is this still too little?

Click to expand...

What OG are you shooting for?