Argentine Cascade vs US Cascade

So, I set about to make another batch of Biermuncher's Centennial Blonde in anticipation of the upcoming Summer months. I made 2 major errors. 1stly and foremostly I bought Argentine Cascade hops instead of US Cascade hops. I did not know these things existed. Luckily I noticed the packaging before dumping them in the boil that read, "not to be substituted for US
Cascade, similar to Tettnang or Saaz". The other error was building a recipe on default, theoretical alpha acid percentages and buying hops of significantly lower percentages. I always adjust my AA after brewing and it makes negligible difference but today the percentages were grossly different. I did adjust on the fly to hit close to target IBU however I expect the Argentine Cascade hops to add an unexpected character.

Here is my extract recipe that I intended to brew today:
5.3oz (.33lb) CaraHell/Pils/Dextrine Steeped 20 minutes pre boil
3# - Extra Light DME - 60 minutes
2# - Amber DME - 45 minutes
.5oz Centennial (10%) for 20 minutes
.5oz US Cascade (5.5%) for 15 minutes
.5oz US Cascade (5.5%) for 10 minutes
.5oz Centennial (10%) for 5 minutes
SafAle US-05
Will dry hop 1oz ea US Cascade and Centennial after 2 weeks for 7 days.
Calculated OG 1.044


Here is what ended up actually taking place:
5.3oz (.33lb) CaraHell/Pils/Dextrine steeped 20 minutes pre boil
3# - Extra Light DME - 60 minutes
2# - Amber DME - 45 minutes
1oz Argentine Cascade (3.2%) for 20 minutes
.5oz US Cascade (5.0%) for 15 minutes
.5oz US Cascade (5.0%) for 10 minutes
.5oz Centennial (8.7%) for 10 minutes
.5oz Centennial (8.7%) for 5 minutes
SafAle US-05
Will dry hop 1oz ea US Cascade and Centennial after 2 weeks for 7 days.
Actual OG = 1.048 (calculated 1.044)

Note original recipe calculated 19.2 IBU and the actual recipe calculates 19.6 IBU so I seem to be on target in that regard. I just have zero experience with Argentine Cascade and being so late in the boil I expect it to not just be bittering but have some flavor characteristics.

Any speculation as to what may result?

I've never brewed with Argentinian cascades myself, but I've had some homebrews that have used them and the consensus was that they taste like insect repellent in large amounts. Though I doubt 1 oz at 20 min would impart that much flavor when you are using cascade and centennial too.

It's spicy/rustic/earthy not citrus. I do like them. In your recipe it should give a nice underlining spicy flavor. It's going to be way over the top hop flavor for a blond ale (not your mistake it's just the recipe.)

Don't do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Argentinian Cascades are the nastiest hop on the planet, in fact I thought they were no longer available except to be used by certain black ops forces as chemical warfare....Danger will robinson....I chronicle my experiences with it here.

Too late Revvy. It seems he brewed it. Any way I bet I could brew up a SMaSH that would make you drink those words.

Malticulous said:

Too late Revvy. It seems he brewed it. Any way I bet I could brew up a SMaSH that would make you drink those words.

Click to expand...

Well you were the only other person I know who brewed with it (back when you used to be conroe) I was going to finish the post and mention that you once told me to use half the amount that a calculator shows because of the bitterness. But I'm in a surgical waiting room waiting on word for a family member, and the surgeon came in to talk to me, so I hit post before completing my thoughts on it....

It's a done deal, yeast was pitched when I first posted. Sad to hear I boiled in "insect repellant". I'm such a cheap bastard that instead of tossing the hops and opening something I had onhand like Columbus or Amarillo I steeled myself to use the bag I had opened. I'll try to remember to report on what this stuff turns out like in a few weeks. Now I have to go buy some US Cascade for the dry hop. I may just do 2oz of Centennial instead of 1oz ea Centennial/Cascade. I think the combo may better override the "insect repellant" though.

I wonder if it makes you get drunk in spanish...

TheSeether said:

It's a done deal, yeast was pitched when I first posted. Sad to hear I boiled in "insect repellant". I'm such a cheap bastard that instead of tossing the hops and opening something I had onhand like Columbus or Amarillo I steeled myself to use the bag I had opened. I'll try to remember to report on what this stuff turns out like in a few weeks. Now I have to go buy some US Cascade for the dry hop. I may just do 2oz of Centennial instead of 1oz ea Centennial/Cascade. I think the combo may better override the "insect repellant" though.

Click to expand...

Dredging this thread back up to reconsider my dry hop options in the recipe you can find above.

I am thinking of again being a cheap bastard and using what is onhand but I fear overhopping the beer. The more I think about it it sounds good, though. Looking for opinions.

Instead of dry hopping with:
1oz US Cascade
1oz Centennial

I am thinking dry hop with:
1oz Centennial (8.7%)
1oz Columbus (14%)
1oz Amarillo (??% have to check later)

I suppose I could nix the Amarillo and just stick with Centennial/Columbus but the trifecta sounds delicious. I realize this is a lot of hops but I like hops, especially floral hops and it is the dry hop so if overdone it can be aged out.

BTW, do alpha percentages even matter to the dry hop?

They taste like cardboard mixed with black dirt stuffed in a sweaty sock. It actually reminds me of what oxidation amplified by 100 would taste like. Really not a good hop. Hopefully your beer is OK and the other hops drown them out.

Those three as a dryhop will overwhelm the bug spray. That's going to be really hoppy for the gravity, but maybe that's what you're going for.

Definitely aiming to stuff the bug spray under something nice.

I have to ask, what the hell good are these hops? Is the only market for them first time suckers who mistook them for US Cascade or people who actually believed they would replace Saaz or Tettnang?!