Severely over hopped

I just finished brewing my second batch ever. I made the Papazian Righeous Real American Ale. The recipe was :

4.5 lbs amber malt extract
1.75 oz Cascade (60 min)
.75 Willamette hop pellets finishing hops
English style ale yeat(I pitched two packs dry and it is already bubbling away)


Unfortunately, I accidentally added 1.75 of Willimette finishing hops. Also, the recipe was for a 2.5 gal. boil and I did a full 5 gal boil. I knew that would create higher hops utilization, but I figured it would be close enough. Now I have added over double the finishing hops the recipe called for. What should I do? I brewed this as a second batch b/c my first batch was a kit IPA that will be best after 6 months, and I wanted something ready fast. Papazian says that it should be ready to drink after 10 days in the primary and four days in the bottle. He also says "relax, enjoy a homebrew," but if it's ruined, I'd rather get something else going to be able to enjoy a homebrew. Should I leave in the primary longer in an effort to save it? I like hoppy beers, but is this much finishing hops excessive?

i've necer made it, but i would say it's not overhopped, its undermalted. i wouldnt worry.
if it's too hoppy let it sit for two months, and make a third batch to hold you over.
worst that can happen is you have beer.

It won't be carbed yet at only 4 days in the bottle. I'd leave it in the primary for 10-14 days, check gravity to be sure you are at your final gravity (i.e. fermentation is complete) then bottle. Leave the bottles at 70 degrees for three weeks in order to carbonate. At that point, try a bottle and see how you like it.

Finishing hops only add aroma (not flavor) so I wouldn't worry about your beer. Yes, doing a full boil will increase your utilization but definitely not enough to ruin the beer. In addition, hops fade overtime so if its too hoppy after three weeks in the bottle (which I dont think it will be), let it age until its where you like it.

Nothing to worry about. RDWHAHB!!

since you added too much as your finishing hops it wont be all that bad. if anything more hoppy aroma. this may be a different story if you added too much as the bittering. i love hops. if its too hoppy for you send it my way. i would personally leave it in the primary for at LEAST 2 weeks if not 3. bottle conditioning can take up to 3-4 weeks for your brew to reach optimum taste(longer sometimes for higher OG beers). dont be suprised if your brew tastes weak and undercarbed after 4 days of conditioning...

worth said:

Now I have added over double the finishing hops the recipe called for. What should I do?

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Bottle it, and then drink it later.

Severely over-hopped?

No such thing.

You have the "new brewer" jitters. I think you will be surprised how good your beer turns out. Deviating from an extract recipe does not automatically mean you will ruin a recipe. All it means is that it will taste different from what the creator made. It's not like baking, where too many eggs will mess up your cookies.

Severely over hopped...there is such a thing?

Seriously though, you don't get IBUs (bitterness) from finishing hops. Your beer is going to have a great hop aroma though.

Just saw you are from Beaufort. I grew up in Charleston. Always good to see other SC brewers.

Hop flavor/aroma fades with time, so if it seems over-hopped at first, it will mellow in a few months. Willamette has a relatively mild aroma anyway.

you will be amazed at beer #2! kits are a good way to start, but this will be awesomer, and it should have great hop aroma and character. congrats!

THanks to all for the reassurance and encouragement. I love hops too, so it sounds like I will be in good shape. I'll let y'all know how it turns out. Edccullus, I grew up in Chas. too,and most of my family is still there. Love John Hartford too, and used to have the same pic as my facebook page. On an album, he mentions the birth of Zacary Hartford Cullus, any relation?