Help hopping a MO SMaSH

I have a few questions about hopping an ordinary bitter. I wanted to try out Northern Brewer's new Marris Otter extract, so I picked up a 3.15 lb container and 2oz of Kent Goldings hops to try it in a small batch. I used beercalculus and came up with this recipe:

8-A Standard/Ordinary Bitter

3 gallon batch

Original Gravity 1.038
Final Gravity 1.011
Alcohol 3.6%
Bitterness 29.4 IBU

Fermentables:
3lb 3oz Marris Otter LME

Hops:
0.5oz Kent Goldings (5%) @ 60min
0.5oz Kent Goldings (5%) @ 20min
1oz Kent Goldings dry hop

Yeast:
Danstar Windsor

I've never used Goldings before (nor dry hopped), so I was hoping to get some input on the best hop schedule to use from someone with some experience. What addition times would really let the character of the hops shine through without being overly bitter? How long should I dry hop (if at all)? Do I have enough hops, or should I order more?

Thanks!

Are you going for "style appropriate" or just a tasty beer? A traditional bitter doesn't usually emphasize late hop additions or dry hopping. It's just a nice, smooth bitterness to balance the malt.

If you do want to dry hop, just wait for fermentation to wind down. You can keep it in the primary or rack to a secondary if you prefer. Toss in the dry hops and leave them about a week. You can just let the free float or use a sanitized hop bag to contain them. I wouldn't use more than on once since the hops aren't supposed to dominate the style.

If I were to stick closer to the style, how should I proceed? I'm thinking drop to 0.25 oz @ 60 and 0.75 @ 20, or would that give too much hop flavor for the style? Would it be closer to style to just hit the bitterness with the 60min addition?

Of course, I'm not dead set on the style guidelines, it just seemed like a good place to start. Would a little more hop flavor really help this beer? I know that hops like Citra and Amarillo really shine on their own, but I've never had a beer that featured Goldings prominently.

I guess in the end I'm really just looking for a tasty beer

eesteve said:

I guess in the end I'm really just looking for a tasty beer

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1.25 @ 60
.75 @ 10
Works very well for my 2.5 G Marris Otter beer.

I'm a hophead, but adding a bunch of extra hop flavor to a bitter is basically making a sessionable IPA. Nothing wrong with that, but it's a very different beer.

I'm sure you've had an all goldings beer - eg guinness. They are a smooth, slightly sweet hop. It's the traditional hop for most of english/irish styles.

billl said:

I'm sure you've had an all goldings beer - eg guinness.

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Well then, I guess I have but just didn't realize it. Gonna have to pick up some guinness and compare.

I'm not looking for a sessionable IPA, so I'll adhere closer to the bitter style. Should I just stick with the 60 min hop addition, with no flavor/aroma additions?

Thanks for the input!

I just did a Scottish 60 using all kent goldings. Wasn't MO, but it was similar to yours. OG 1.034 1/2 oz @ 60 and @ 15. It was good. Really smooth and light flavored. Bitterness was just enough for this low OG and a slight hop finish that didn't overpower in any way. I would say a similar schedule should work for your bitter. Mine was a 5 gal batch but a bitter should have a touch more in the way of hops than a Scottish anyway. I would also ditch the dry hop, although you could always split the batch after the primary ferm. and dry hop one and not the other and compare.

guldalian said:

I just did a Scottish 60 using all kent goldings. Wasn't MO, but it was similar to yours. OG 1.034 1/2 oz @ 60 and @ 15. It was good. Really smooth and light flavored. Bitterness was just enough for this low OG and a slight hop finish that didn't overpower in any way. I would say a similar schedule should work for your bitter. Mine was a 5 gal batch but a bitter should have a touch more in the way of hops than a Scottish anyway. I would also ditch the dry hop, although you could always split the batch after the primary ferm. and dry hop one and not the other and compare.

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This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!