First Solid Batch

So I've made about 10 batches so far, some decent, some not-so-great. Until recently the best batch had been a Moose Drool clone that tasted great from the keg, but got tainted on the way to bottles.

My latest recipe was an All-Amarillo IPA/APA(came in a little low on the OG). I did a 10 gal batch and split it into 2 carboys. One was dry-hopped with 1oz of Amarillo - kegged, the other was dry-hopped with 1oz of Amarillo and 1oz of Simcoe - bottled. While the all-amarillo batch is good, the hop flavor is really soft and just doesn't have quite the backbone I like in my hoppy ales(could have also been the OG). Now the Simcoe/Amarillo on the other hand.....

I brought the Simcoe/Amarillo down on a float trip (I bottled a handful of small Mtn Dew bottles) and passed a few drinks around, as well as drank it for the 1st time myself(carbonated). I couldn't believe what I was tasting! It was an incredible beer! Everyone who tried it, really liked it(most of which are bud/miller people) and I was personally in awe that I was drinking my brew! It tasted like a 2 Hearted Ale, which is one of my favorite. It was very smooth and drinkable, with a pleasant hop aroma and flavor, and just the right amount of bite.

After I got home, I went to visit with my Mom's side of the family(where I'm convinced I inherited my beer obsession from) and brought some for them to try. Everybody there loved it also, especially my uncle who is into hoppy beers, and he was convinced it was a SNPA(which is his fav beer).

Anyway, just thought I'd share my excitement with some folks who can relate.

If anyone else has suggestions for any tweaks I can make, let me know. I based mine on this recipe, and just added the dry hops, and 1oz extra addition @ 10min. I'm thinking next time I'll just bitter with Simcoe, as well as dry-hop w/ both, just to save on Amarillo, and hit my IBUs. And next time I'm hitting my OG!! Can't wait to have my AG system calibrated

Congrats. Now that you've made a great beer, you'll be addicted for life.

If you want that "smell it across the room" hop aroma, do an ounce of each hop at flameout.

Thanks. I usually do my flameout hops at -5 min, just a little bit after I kill the flame and turn on the chiller. Do you suggest putting these in RIGHT AT flameout, or like I mentioned, at -5?

I kill the burner, dump the hops in and switch on the chiller pump, stirring them in with the IC. My wort gets down below 180F in about a minute or two, so I don't worry too much about losing aroma. Sanitation-wise is makes me a little nervous to put hops in fresh wort much below 180F, so I don't take the chance and the beer doesn't call for me to change that regimen, I get great hop aroma.

That's a very good point. No point in chancing it. Just gotta make sure I have my chiller/ice bath ready to rock as soon as I drop them. I'm definitely going to do a similar recipe soon, so I'll be sure to try the simcoe/amarillo @ KO. The simcoe definitely seems to bring out the true pale ale taste.

Has anyone done a simcoe, amarillo, centennial, cascade mix? I hear of the 2 with amarillo all the time but rarely simcoe added to the mix.