Can I bitter an IPA-to-be batch with Hercules Hop (17%)?

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Elysium

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I am wondering if I could brew an IPA using a normal recipe (all the required malt types for the taste) but create the bitterness with a small amount of highly acidic (17%) German Herkules hops?
 
For bittering, using a ultra-high %AA hop like Hercules should be entirely possible in an IPA. I would run it through a brewing program like BeerSmith or ProMash to get the estimated IBUs, because with that strong a hop, a small difference in the amount used could swing the .bitterness too low or too high.
 
Elysium said:
I am wondering if I could brew an IPA using a normal recipe (all the required malt types for the taste) but create the bitterness with a small amount of highly acidic (17%) German Herkules hops?

There is really no flavor or aroma profile associated with the first buttering additions, so, yes, just calculate the desired IBUS you're loping for and use them
 
There is really no flavor or aroma profile associated with the first buttering additions, so, yes, just calculate the desired IBUS you're loping for and use them

Duboman...could you explain this to me? I am still learning...so there are several steps of putting the hops in? Where could I learn what each steps achieve?

Thanks
 
For bittering, using a ultra-high %AA hop like Hercules should be entirely possible in an IPA. I would run it through a brewing program like BeerSmith or ProMash to get the estimated IBUs, because with that strong a hop, a small difference in the amount used could swing the .bitterness too low or too high.

Hi there.
Can you give me a link to those calculators? I'd really appreciate that. I cant find them using google.
 
Type in Promash in google, then press enter. Its the first link. They have a free trial version.
 
Hi there.
Can you give me a link to those calculators? I'd really appreciate that. I cant find them using google.

Sure, here are a few different ones:
http://beersmith.com/
http://www.brewtarget.org/
http://www.promash.com/

Oddly enough, I was able to find them without any trouble using Google. Go figure.

Of them all, I would most recommend BeerSmith; while ProMash is said to be better in some ways, it hasn't been updated in eight years. Both have free trials you can test out. If you can't afford BeerSmith, or your running a Linux desktop other than Ubuntu, then check out Brew Target - it is almost as good, though I find it a bit confusing in some ways personally.
 
I like brewersfriend.com. They have several handy calculators.

Duboman...could you explain this to me? I am still learning...so there are several steps of putting the hops in? Where could I learn what each steps achieve?

Thanks

There are some good books that explain this but basically the first addition at the 60 minute mark is for bittering. The late addition hops at 15 mins and later are for hop flavor and aroma. The different amounts of time in the boiling wort change what the hops contribute to the finished product.
 
LovesIPA said:
I like brewersfriend.com. They have several handy calculators.

There are some good books that explain this but basically the first addition at the 60 minute mark is for bittering. The late addition hops at 15 mins and later are for hop flavor and aroma. The different amounts of time in the boiling wort change what the hops contribute to the finished product.

+1

In the most basic form any additions from 60-30 are primarily bitter and as you go from 30-0 you mover from flavor to mostly aroma. The time spent in the boil has to do with the hop utilization and how all the different hop compounds react with the boiling wort.

This is a very basic explanation. If you search hop utilization you will find all the science behind it.

Also, when researching hops they will generally be categorized as being for flavor/aroma or buttering and in some cases both
 
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