Belma hops IBUs wrong?

Wondering if anyone else has experienced this. I did an IPA with Belma for bittering that came out tasting cloyingly sweet with no balance. I use Beersmith to calc the exact IBUs so should have had the same IBUs as I usually have for this recipe. I've used different bittering hops for this in the past, but this seems different, so much so, I'm thinking of adding a hopshot to the keg or something. (Or passing it off to non-hophead friends)

Bumping my own thread

I bittered with it in an IPA, and I thought it did a great job.

How many IBU's did you give for the bittering charge? How about all together?

What was the grain bill?

I did just 20 IBU's for the bittering addition alone with the Belma. While my IPA isn't mouth puckering bitter, it's average; roughly 55 IBU's. Planned for a Pale, went a little over.

It's a "creamy" tasting hop, so that might be the case maybe?

Recipe? What's your alpha acid. I assume we all have the same 12.1. Havent used it yet but I'm planning an ipa this week. Right now I'm thinking .8 oz at 60 min for about 30 ibus initially. Curious of your recipe. Maybe I should up mine now.

Sorry for not replying sooner, I forgot about this thread.
My AA is the same as everyone elses, 12.1(I think), as it all comes from the same farm.

In my recipe, I found out I used this as First Wort Hops. That generally adds a bit of flavor compared to a strict 60 minute addition, kind of like a 20 minute addition would do. That coupled with my finishing very high for this recipe (1.016+), coupled with the Strawberry -like flavor made it too sweet for an IPA, IMHO. I dry hopped for many weeks in the keg now, however, and the Amarillo, Chinook, Cascade, and Citra in the dry hop has matured to the point it disquises much of the Strawberry. Much better.

Moral here is (for my taste, YMMV): don't use Belma for taste additions for an IPA. Next time I'll try to a 60 minute bittering only addition and get my mash temps in order.

BTW, anyone interested in my grain bill for this IPA - it's almost identical to the "My Two Time Award Winning IPA" recipe over in the IPA section, by Enohcs. This recipe uses all late hopping (30 minutes or less), so naturally has much less harshness from the bittering hops. I unfortunately used the Belma as a FWH, which similarly reduces harshness. I won't be doing that again.

I think the very high finishing gravity is your problem.. 1.016 or higher for an IPA?

OUCH.

I have never tried it myself but I thought FWH added more bitterness? I remember Jamil talking about this in a brew strong pod cast.

And 1.016 is a little high for a IPA FG, but Ive had IPA's finish at 1.020 that were just fine. A little heavier bodied but still a nice hop bomb

I just kegged my Belma and Columbus ipa. The uncarbed sample tasted promising. Definitely getting a little strawberry mixed with Columbus flavor and i kind of like it. Tasted maybe a little sweet. Og 1.064 fg 1.014... A little high. I used .8 oz at 60 minutes and the bitterness is smooth. Of course this could all change when it's carbed up. Also I'm not much of a hop expert. I think I'll try Belma in a blond or American wheat next.

I'm adding just a touch of Belma to my "White Wine Siason" tonight.. Mainly for the slight beer and the addition of the wheat I have in there, this bad boy with have a head so thick you could sleep on it.

Calculated IBUs are always wrong. That being said, I think Belma is sweet in the same way as Nelson Sauvin. I'm not sure, but this may have to do with the wort pH. I brewed a dry, hoppy beer that still seemed slightly sweet because the ph was too high.

I forgot one other thing that may have contributed to the "sweet" flavor. I balance my water using TH's spreadsheet, and may have had the balance to accentuate hops less. (More calcium chloride, less gypsum), which I do for some beers. So I had three different things working against me. (Or four, as I have trained myself to dislike sweet, which helps with the waistline)