IPA hoppiness question

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BmoreHoppy21

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Just bottled my first brew...a rye pale ale minus the rye (I don't like rye beers but it was a recipe I received as a gift). I couldn't resist having a little taste as I was bottling and wondered if it will taste hoppier after sitting in a bottle for 2 weeks? I'm not even sure that makes sense but I'm asking anyway. Thanks!
 
Depends - was the hoppiness overwritten by a sweetness? If so, it's possible that you aren't comepletely fermented out - if that's the case, then in the bottle the yeast will finish up and some of the sweetness will disappear... this would allow your hops to come through a bit more.

Otherwise, no. you will not find hop flavors magically appear - if they aren't there to begin with, they're not going to show up. Quite opposite actually; almost all flavors in beer mellow out with time, hop flavors included.
 
Well, since you were bottling, you likely didn't have any real carbonation. If you are looking for bitter, the carbonation might give a stronger perception of bitter. However, if you just mean straight hopiness, likely not.

Either way, let it condition for at least a few weeks. Even if it doesn't get to the hopiness you were looking for, it will likely taste a lot better than it did at bottling.
 
There was a bit of a sweet taste to it but I didn't take over the hops. I poured about 5 ounces into a glass as I was bottling. I tasted it immediately the again about 10 minutes later. At that 10 minute mark, it tasted stronger (alcohol-wise) and a bit hoppier too. I'm assuming it will taste even more different in 2 weeks when I drink it? Any good tricks of the trade when brewing IPA's? I'm a big fan of beers like Troegs IPA and PA and want to try and get lose to that without actually cloning them. Thanks for your first reply.
 
Good info guys...I figured the beer wouldn't taste "true to form" when snagging a taste during bottling! If it doesn't come out as hoppy as I would like, what else would I have done to it to make it be more hoppy? I added hops twice in the boil and dry hops in the carboy...3 rounds of hops seems like it would get the job done? Different/stronger hops?
 
Different hops will contribute different flavors
Longer boil times on the hops will contribute more bitterness at the cost of aroma


Dry hops are usually the key to getting really fantastic fresh aroma. Longer on those dry hops, more of them, or using whole leaf vs pellet may all contribute differently.

If you're feeling especially mad-scientist-like, you could employ hop extract -- i believe that gives lots of aroma and no bitterness since you're not boiling the hop oils to isomerize them.
 
Honestly, it is very difficult to judge a flat, warm, unconditioned beer...especially if you are talking about a sample that had added priming sugar to it. Give it time - carbonation can do wonders for a beer, especially in terms of hop aroma - the carbonation aerosolizes the hop aroma so it may smell more hoppy then. Patience.
 
BmoreHoppy21 said:
There was a bit of a sweet taste to it but I didn't take over the hops. I poured about 5 ounces into a glass as I was bottling. I tasted it immediately the again about 10 minutes later. At that 10 minute mark, it tasted stronger (alcohol-wise) and a bit hoppier too. I'm assuming it will taste even more different in 2 weeks when I drink it? Any good tricks of the trade when brewing IPA's? I'm a big fan of beers like Troegs IPA and PA and want to try and get lose to that without actually cloning them. Thanks for your first reply.
Click to expand...

many of troegs hoppier beers are run through a hopback system...

i am attempting a troegs pale recipe i made up this weekend. i'll pass it on if it works out.
 
JLem said:
Honestly, it is very difficult to judge a flat, warm, unconditioned beer...especially if you are talking about a sample that had added priming sugar to it. Give it time - carbonation can do wonders for a beer, especially in terms of hop aroma - the carbonation aerosolizes the hop aroma so it may smell more hoppy then. Patience.
Click to expand...

JLem-what would be your recommendation as to how long I should leave it in the bottle before drinking it?
 
BmoreHoppy21 said:
JLem-what would be your recommendation as to how long I should leave it in the bottle before drinking it?
Click to expand...

I'd let it bottle condition for 2-3 weeks at room temperature and then stick it in the fridge for a week. After that, you'll have a better idea of how it really turned out.
 
Hops will come out a lot more with carbonation. Those little bubbles do a lot more then make little bubbles.

However the one thing people miss when trying for hoppy beer is their water profile and is it set up FOR hops. If your water is lacking sulfate it'll be tough to get that super hop flavor/aroma you are looking for.
 
TTB-J said:
I'd let it bottle condition for 2-3 weeks at room temperature and then stick it in the fridge for a week. After that, you'll have a better idea of how it really turned out.
Click to expand...

^ this, though I often am too impatient to wait for a week in the fridge. I'm lucky if I can give it a few hours (which is why I throw 2-3 in the fridge). Once you know the beer is carbed up, you can/should get the others refrigerated. Cooler temps keep beer good longer.
 
I keep reading things that say, "when your beer has carbed up." Besides actually cracking one open, is there another way to tell. BTW-I feel a bit silly even asking this?
 
The best way to know your beer is carb'd is to give it 3 weeks at 70 degrees. If you're in a northern climate, don't put the beer on a concrete floor in your garage or basement - it'll be closer to 55 than 70.

Read this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/blogs/revvy/patience-bottle-conditioning-159/

watch this:

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=FlBlnTfZ2iw[/ame]

Good luck with it. Patience = better beer.
 

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