Wet hop ale - suggestions?

I'm pretty pleased and surprised by how well my first year Cascade and Chinook plants did. I've got probably 30 Chinook cones and well over 100 on my Cascades. Two rhizomes each.

I'm thinking about making a harvest IPA with them. I was figuring I'd use the 'Hoppiness is an IPA' base recipe that came with my GABF tickets, but sub in the wet hops from my plants.

Any suggestions as to how much wet? I've read that about 2 oz. wet = 1 oz. dry.

Any advice on using wet hops vs. dry? Is there anything different that I need to do, or just throw them in like normal?

Thanks!

I'm in the same situation that you are, so I have no first hand knowledge of this, but from what I have read its more like 4:1 or 5:1 for wet hops to dry hops. Let us know how it turns out.

Also, is the IPA recipe you mention posted somewhere on this site?

I have a link I need to find but it has a document from Vinnie at Russian River. He gives an example of a 10g wet hop IPA. I will post it once I find it.

I'm doing a wet hop rye pale ale this year with my nugget harvest. Probably going to use Denny Con's recipe for the basis.

Ditto on the 5:1 ratio for using wet hops. I've read that in several publications. Note that the 5:1 is 5x as many wet whole cone hops as you'd use whole cone dried. Pellets are much more efficient, so the ratio of wet hops to pellets would be even greater. In a book called Homebrewer's Garden they indicate these ranges of ratios as a guide to know when your hops have dried enough.

Nothing special about use, other than the 48 hour limit. 5:1 is the correct ratio, so if you are short, I'd bitter with something else and save the fresh hops for flavor/aroma.

I talked to the folks at our LHBS, and they agree with the 5:1 ratio. Good to get confirmation here, though.

The IPA recipe came with my Great American Beer Fest tickets. If you're not going and don't have tickets, you're not allowed to brew this one. Sorry.

Actually, 'Hoppiness is an IPA' comes from Brewing Classic Styles. Great book.

What's the 48 hour limit? It didn't see reference to that anywhere else.

To help you set your recipe up 100 cones off my mature casade plant is right around an ounce dry. I can't speak to chinook as I've never grown them but I just wanted to help you get stuff going because right off the bine into the kettle would be awesome!!

I've got my GABF tickets, but I can't find a IPA recipe. Wanna post it just for me?

Here is the one I was talking about .. Music City Brewers • View topic - Wet Hop Ale from Russian River

Here's that IPA Recipe. Sorry it took two weeks. It's from Palmer and Zainasheff's Brewing Classic Styles.

Hoppiness is an IPA

OG: 1.065
FG: 1.012
IBU: 64
SRM: 7
ABV: 7%

12.74 lbs American Two-Row
.75 lbs Munich
1 lb Crystal 15L
.25 Crystal 40L

Horizon 13% 60 min.
Centennial 9% 10 min.
Simcoe 12% 5 min.
Amarillo 9% 0 min.

WLP001 or US-05

Mash at 149 for 60 - 90 minutes depending on conversion.

You guys have solved my conundrum.

I have been growing Willamette for a few years with moderate (2 or 3 oz dried) results. Last year I founds 3 Cascade plants which I grew in pots with good results.
I had the chance to visit family in Portland OR last year and took the opportunity to drive through hops country in the Willamette. It inspired me to build a much more dedicated hops yard.
So, my yield, especially the Cascades was AWESOME. I decided to do a fresh hop ale. The Recipe:

Harvest Ale 2009
American Pale Ale


Type: All Grain
Date: 8/23/2009

Batch Size: 5.75 gal
Brewer: Darren McLellan
Boil Size: 6.92 gal
Boil Time: 90 min

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.75 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 76.47 %
2.50 lb Caramel Malt - 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM) Grain 19.61 %
0.50 lb Carafoam (2.0 SRM) Grain 3.92 %
1.25 oz Cascade (Fresh) [1.00 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)
1.25 oz Williamette (Fresh) [0.95 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)
0.13 oz Cascade (Fresh) [4.00 %] (Dry Hop 14 days)
0.50 oz Williamette (Fresh) [4.00 %] (Dry Hop 14 days)
2.00 oz Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (60 min)
1.50 oz Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (40 min)
1.00 oz Williamette (Fresh) [0.95 %] (15 min)
0.50 oz Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (5 min)
1.00 oz Williamette (Fresh) [4.80 %] (5 min)
2 Pkgs Safale US-05 (DCL Yeast #US-05) [Starter 50 ml]


Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.049 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.045 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.014 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.56 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.17 %
Bitterness: 23.5 IBU Calories: 200 cal/pint
Est Color: 7.0 SRM Color:

Mash Profile
Single Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out Total Grain Weight: 12.75 lb

So, as I am brewing, I am sampling and the bittering is no where. I kept adding hops until I had, as one can see, over a half pound of wet hops in 5 gallons! After primary, there is still a lack of hopiness.

This thread solves my conundrum. Using the 5 to 1 ratio I have about .80 oz of dried hops in the whole brew. At this point, I sure hope the dry hopping, with dried hops from this years harvest, will give it a nice finished hop aroma.

Time will tell...

CEMaine said:

You guys have solved my conundrum.I have been growing Willamette for a few years with moderate (2 or 3 oz dried) results. Last year I founds 3 Cascade plants which I grew in pots with good results.I had the chance to visit family in Portland OR last year and took the opportunity to drive through hops country in the Willamette. It inspired me to build a much more dedicated hops yard.So, my yield, especially the Cascades was AWESOME. I decided to do a fresh hop ale. The Recipe:Harvest Ale 2009American Pale Ale*Type: All Grain*Date: 8/23/2009Batch Size: 5.75 gal*Brewer: Darren McLellanBoil Size: 6.92 galBoil Time: 90 min IngredientsAmount *Item *Type *% or IBU9.75 lb *Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) *Grain *76.47 %2.50 lb *Caramel Malt - 10L (Briess) (10.0 SRM) *Grain *19.61 %0.50 lb *Carafoam (2.0 SRM) *Grain *3.92 %1.25 oz *Cascade (Fresh) [1.00 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)1.25 oz *Williamette (Fresh) [0.95 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)0.13 oz *Cascade (Fresh) [4.00 %] (Dry Hop 14 days)0.50 oz *Williamette (Fresh) [4.00 %] (Dry Hop 14 days)2.00 oz *Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (60 min)1.50 oz *Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (40 min)1.00 oz *Williamette (Fresh) [0.95 %] (15 min)0.50 oz *Cascade (Fresh) [1.10 %] (5 min)1.00 oz *Williamette (Fresh) [4.80 %] (5 min)2 Pkgs *Safale US-05 (DCL Yeast #US-05) [Starter 50 ml] **Beer ProfileEst Original Gravity: 1.049 SGMeasured Original Gravity: 1.045 SGEst Final Gravity: 1.014 SG *Measured Final Gravity: 1.013 SGEstimated Alcohol by Vol: 4.56 % *Actual Alcohol by Vol: 4.17 %Bitterness: 23.5 IBU *Calories: 200 cal/pintEst Color: 7.0 SRM *Color:Mash ProfileSingle Infusion, Full Body, No Mash Out *Total Grain Weight: 12.75 lb*So, as I am brewing, I am sampling and the bittering is no where. I kept adding hops until I had, as one can see, over a half pound of wet hops in 5 gallons! After primary, there is still a lack of hopiness.This thread solves my conundrum. Using the 5 to 1 ratio I have about .80 oz of dried hops in the whole brew. At this point, I sure hope the dry hopping, with dried hops from this years harvest, will give it a nice finished hop aroma.Time will tell...

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Another option is to look for wild hops locally.* Drive the back roads, use craigslist, and talk to local farmers.* There should be some wild hops to be found where you are and could be dried before you need to dry hop your PA.

drez77 said:

Here is the one I was talking about .. Music City Brewers • View topic - Wet Hop Ale from Russian River

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This one turned out great with my hops.

CEMaine said:

Darren McLellan

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wtf? not too many spell McLellan like we do.....