The Twelve Hops of Christmas

I am not usually much for standard-issue Christmas ales. I find them too sweet, overly-spiced and more or less just a festive excuse to drink a high-gravity beer. That said, my wife asked me if I would be making one within the next few months... I was less than enthusiastic.

Instead, I want to make a massively-hopped Double IPA. I decided on "The Twelve Hops of Christmas." As such, I picked twelve different varieties of hops to blend together. The problem, however, is that I am still trying to understand the complexity of different types of hops and how to make a hugely aromatic beer without it being too bitter for anyone (but me!) to enjoy. What I pieced together is based mainly on hops I have used before and those I have always wanted to play with.

Here is what I have:

1 oz Columbus [60 min]
1 oz Cascade [15 min]
1 oz Williamette [10 min]
1 oz Fuggle [5 min]
1 oz Olympic [5 min]
1 oz Centennial [0 min]
1 oz Nugget [0 min]
0.5 oz Fuggle [0 min]

Dry Hop [14 days]:

1 oz Northern Brewer
1.5 oz Simcoe
1.5 oz Chinook
1 oz Cascade
1.5 oz Amarillo
2 oz Ahtanum


So am I crazy? Am I on the right track? Am I both? Admittedly I love hop bitterness, but I am far more inclined to stress aroma. I read that Bell's makes Hopslam with a massive aroma-only focus, and I believe it. I want to make a much bigger, truly memorable Double IPA.

Please feel free to tear it apart--amounts, order, timing... but I still want to stick with twelve varieties. My goal is something at least seventy and no more than 110 IBUs. The grainbill will remain something classic for an IIPA.

Thanks!