Extract Recipe for Single Hop IPAs

[alexdagrate]

I've got a nice supply of Simcoe, Citra, Columbus, and Centennial hop pellets.

I'd like to do a "Single Hop" series of homebrews.

I'd like to develop an extract + steeping grain malt bill that would be consistent between each single hop batch and highlight just how different each hop variety is.

Here's what I'm thinking:

10 lbs. Briess Light LME

1 lb Munich
.5 Crystal 20 L
.25 Wheat
.25 Cut Oats


3 oz Bittering @ 90 min
2 oz Flavoring @ 15 min
2 oz Aromatic @ 3 min
2 oz Dry Hop

What say you all?

I'm sure the Columbus will be much, much more bitter than say the Centennial. However, the whole point in this exercise will be to highlight just how different each batch will be if all things are the same save the variety of single hop used.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I love hops but most of those with 3 ounces at 90 minutes would be undrinkably bitter to me. I'd have to do the math, but I don't think the results would be very good.

I'd probably do something similar but go about it in a different way. Say your OG is 1.050. Why not bitter to 50 IBUs, with each hop? That way you are actually comparing the same amount of bittering so that you can see what the flavor actually is.

2 ounces of flavor hops is a LOT, too. Why not one ounce, or even less? I'd look at the hopping rates in recipes that you like and simulate that. I don't think I'd like 4 ounces flavor/aroma plus 2 ounces for dryhopping in columbus or even simcoe.

 

[alexdagrate]

hmmm, as usual, I may have gone a bit over board in the hops.

lessee... howzabout:


1.5 oz Bittering @ 90 min
1 oz Flavoring @ 15 min
1 oz Aromatic @ 3 min
2 oz Dry Hop

I firmly believe dry hopping needs at least 2 ounces to really do much.

 

[wyzazz]

I think you should figure out how many IBU's you want in each addition and measure your additions out like that. What's your favorite IPA and I'll try and reciprocate a hopping schedule for you.

 

[shuf]

If I understand what Yooper wrote above, you will want to use the same hop schedule but vary the amount of hops between batches to hit a given IBU.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Well, I love hops but most of those with 3 ounces at 90 minutes would be undrinkably bitter to me. I'd have to do the math, but I don't think the results would be very good.

I'd probably do something similar but go about it in a different way. Say your OG is 1.050. Why not bitter to 50 IBUs, with each hop? That way you are actually comparing the same amount of bittering so that you can see what the flavor actually is.

2 ounces of flavor hops is a LOT, too. Why not one ounce, or even less? I'd look at the hopping rates in recipes that you like and simulate that. I don't think I'd like 4 ounces flavor/aroma plus 2 ounces for dryhopping in columbus or even simcoe.

I agree with YooperBrew here. If you want to define hop bitternes/flavovour you must start with a base beer. I personally think that you have got too much malt there. Stick with something more neutral.
90mins boil is too much. Try to match your OG with your IBU. 1.040 = IBU 40

 

[wyzazz]

I agree with YooperBrew here. If you want to define hop bitternes/flavovour you must start with a base beer. I personally think that you have got too much malt there. Stick with something more neutral.
90mins boil is too much. Try to match your OG with your IBU. 1.040 = IBU 40

I'd agree with the above. Bitterness addition should be at around 60mins, most some AG'ers boil for 90mins just to drive off DMS precoursers. (SP?) And balancing this beer is a good idea if you're just looking to showcase the differences between the hops.

 

[alexdagrate]

What's your favorite IPA and I'll try and reciprocate a hopping schedule for you.

I guess my absolute favorites are Russian River Pliny the Elder, Ninkasi Tricerahops and Ninkasi Maiden the Shade. I also really enjoy Sierra Nevada Wet Hop, and I'll be making lots of fresh/wet hop beers once I harvest (very late harvest in western Washington State this year).

If I can get it cheap, I like Deschutes Inversion as more of a "sessionable" IPA.

I understand lots of people think "balance" is paramount. I like IPAs to be sticky with lupulin and have lots of oomph. I want to highlight each hop variety. I can see where folks are coming from on shooting to have each batch have the same IBU... but part of what makes each variety so different is how much different there AA% is...

Still, I'm enjoying this discussion and I very much appreciate the feedback and help. I'll crunch some numbers and tweak this idea and try to have a more balanced approach...

 

[alexdagrate]

OK. How about these?

Simcoe Single Hop IPA

7.5 lbs. Briess Light LME

1 lb Munich
.5 Crystal 60 L
.25 Wheat
.25 Cut Oats


1 oz Bittering @ 60 min
0.5 oz Flavoring @ 15 min
0.5 oz Aromatic @ 3 min
2 oz Dry Hop

OG of 1.056
FG of 1.014
67 IBUs
SRM 8
5.3% ABV.



Centennial Single Hop IPA

7.5 lbs. Briess Light LME

1 lb Munich
.5 Crystal 60 L
.25 Wheat
.25 Cut Oats


1.2 oz Bittering @ 60 min
0.7 oz Flavoring @ 15 min
0.7 oz Aromatic @ 3 min
2 oz Dry Hop

OG 1.055
FG of 1.014
68 IBUs
SRM 8
5.3% ABV

 

[alexdagrate]

Try to match your OG with your IBU. 1.040 = IBU 40

Looking at my favorite brews, I think I might be the kinda guy who likes an OG of 1.100 and 100 IBUs.

I guess I need to move away from the DIPA and get more in line with normal IPA numbers.

 

[trevorc13]

Insead of using ounces of hops, you may want to look at adding the hops by AAU (ounces x alpha acid). Because different hops will have different alpha acid %s this will give you more uniform beers throughout. For example, you could use 8 AAU (60 min), 4 AAU (30 min), 10 AAU (10 min) and they dry hop 2 ounces (since alpha acids really won't matter during the dry hop. Or find a recipe that you like and follow the AAU amounts in that. Just another suggestion.