First Brew IPA, no real hops aroma

[Raven_BC]

My first ever brew was a BB IPA extract recipe kit. I followed the instructions very closely and only made one deviation which was to split the extract, 50% at the start and 50% in the last 20 minutes.

I siphoned wort out and left the trub behind and honestly too much. (I have since changed to just pouring the wort into the fermenter through a sieve).

Ended up with an OG of 1.054 the recipe calls for 1.061-1.064. Note I plugged the recipe into the WORT app and it says it should be 1.055. The FG ended up at 1.011 for an abv 5.6% after 3 weeks in the primary fermenter. I tasted the sample at that point and it didn't have much hops to it.

I added gelatin 36 hours before bottling. 1 week of bottle conditioning and I tried it and I must say it really doesn't taste at all like an IPA there is very little hops aroma and a very caramel, malty taste to it. I'm worried that the LME managed to burn/caramelize during the boil

What should I expect over the next couple of weeks should the hops start to come out or is that just it?

 

[ProblemChild]

if hops are not there, they are not there.

what was your batch volume, what were your hop additions and when did you add them?

Recipe specifics will help

 

[Raven_BC]

Thanks that's what I thought about the hops if it isn't there it's not going to come. I guess I should have looked into dry hopping. Live and learn.

My batch volume was 5G I boiled to 3.5 and added the extra 1.5G

The recipe is as follows
6.6lbs of Light LME
1lb of Extra Light DME

Steeping grains (30 minutes)
1lb Caramel 30L
8oz of Biscuit

FWH 1.5oz of Lemondrop
30 min Cascade
15 min Amarillo

After I had brewed it I thought the hops schedule was bizarre as I would have thought it would be reversed with the Amaillo being the FWH and lemondrop last but it was very clear to do it first in the recipe.

 

[rhys333]

You want at least have some flame out additions in order to get hop aroma. If everything else goes well, and you have fresh hops to start with, you should have decent aroma. Dry-hopping is a sure fire way to make sure that you do.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

My first ever brew was a BB IPA extract recipe kit.

My 2nd brew was Brewers Best Double IPA extract kit, and was definitely the worst beer I've done. Part of it I think was my fault, as I added all the LME in the beginning and it probably overcooked and caramelized. Even though the directions said to do this I wish I'd read more on the benefit of late extract additions. The beer turned out very dark for an IPA. Also I wasn't using campden tablets back then and I think I was getting some off flavors from chlorine.

But, I think the recipe also wasn't great as it didn't even call for any dry hops. I ended up with very weak hop flavor/aroma. It doesn't look like yours did either and that is a must for an IPA to have strong aroma. Whirlpool/hopstands are another good way to get a lot of flavor/aroma without the bitterness. On my last couple beers I've used a lot of hops, mostly near the end of the boil or hopstands, and gotten great flavor/aroma with balanced bitterness.

After I had brewed it I thought the hops schedule was bizarre as I would have thought it would be reversed with the Amaillo being the FWH and lemondrop last but it was very clear to do it first in the recipe. .

My BB kit recipe used Amarillo as the bittering hop and Lemondrop late, and I got nothing. I don't know if changing your schedule would've done much. I actually think both of them are curious choices for a bittering hop, since they're known for their great flavor/aroma. I didn't know any better when I brewed it because I was so green.

 

[Raven_BC]

My BB kit recipe used Amarillo as the bittering hop and Lemondrop late, and I got nothing. I don't know if changing your schedule would've done much. I actually think both of them are curious choices for a bittering hop, since they're known for their great flavor/aroma. I didn't know any better when I brewed it because I was so green.

That was exactly my issue too. I just didn't know anything when I did my first brew. I also had barely read anything on brewing at all at that time. A friend had recommended the split of extract. I also wonder how fresh the ingredients may have been. I did a blond ale as my second batch a week later and bottled is much sooner and it's turned out reasonably well. I just did it as my batch 3 with some tweaks and will try dry hopping that one to add something extra.

I'm going to try a ESB next and after that find a IPA recipe.

 

[ProblemChild]

Stay with same style for a bit. Get it down then move on

 

[GPP33]

What was the weight of the 30 and 15 minute additions? I'll agree that not having anything after flame out will result in a lack of aroma.

 

[Raven_BC]

What was the weight of the 30 and 15 minute additions? I'll agree that not having anything after flame out will result in a lack of aroma.

Oops forgot to add the weight, it was 1oz each.

 

[ong]

That just isn’t a lot of hops in general for an IPA — and no flameout or whirlpool hops, and no dry hopping. It’s what I think of as a “90s IPA,” back when they were bitter but not super flavorful. It might be worth purchasing LME and hops from your homebrew shop and either following a recipe from here or designing your own. Most modern IPAs would use at least 8 oz of hops, almost all late in the boil, after the boil, and in the fermenter. Many use more than 16 oz for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I’ve never been successful getting hop aroma without dry hopping.

 

[urg8rb8]

Oops forgot to add the weight, it was 1oz each.

It seems like you didnt really have much hops at all. Your schedule doesn't show the typical 60 min bittering hops. You also won't get much hop aroma without the dry hopping.

 

[ong]

It seems like you didnt really have much hops at all. Your schedule doesn't show the typical 60 min bittering hops. You also won't get much hop aroma without the dry hopping.

FWH replace the 60 minute addition and function roughly the same.

 

[GPP33]

3.5 ounces in 5 gallons? That ain’t no IPA. That’s probably not even a pale ale, not sure what it would be besides boring. Ok, maybe that’s a little harsh.

For reference my last IPA used 11 ounces with 6 being used after the flame was shut off.

The recipe doesn’t seem bad, just try adding another couple ounces at flame out and dry hop with a couple more.

 

[yeahfairly]

60 minute boil with a 30% + evaporation/boil off rate? Looking for a Home Brew Guru to chime in here and correct me if I am wrong, but the words "excess thermal loading" keeps popping up in my head. Wouldn't that boil rate drive off a lot of the FWH attributes, along with some of the desired flavor compounds?

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks that's what I thought about the hops if it isn't there it's not going to come. I guess I should have looked into dry hopping. Live and learn.

My batch volume was 5G I boiled to 3.5 and added the extra 1.5G

The recipe is as follows
6.6lbs of Light LME
1lb of Extra Light DME

Steeping grains (30 minutes)
1lb Caramel 30L
8oz of Biscuit

FWH 1.5oz of Lemondrop
30 min Cascade
15 min Amarillo

After I had brewed it I thought the hops schedule was bizarre as I would have thought it would be reversed with the Amaillo being the FWH and lemondrop last but it was very clear to do it first in the recipe.

The definition of an IPA and your (and ours too, mostly) are not the same. You are expecting a big hop aroma but that isn't really part of the definition. With a bit of experience behind me, I would have brewed that beer differently but it can stand on its own if you change your expectations to what the definition of IPA is.

For future beers, remember that hops added early in the boil are mostly bittering as the boil drives off the aromatic oils that give the beers the smell we have come to like. To fit the definition of IPA there needs to be some level of bitterness and that is determined by the 60 minute addition primarily but any additions of more than 15 minutes give mostly bittering and little aroma. The later in the process the hops are added, the more flavor/aroma is left for us to enjoy. We get the most aroma if we wait until fermentation is complete (because the CO2 given off carries the aroma with it) and then dry hop. Some people want only a small amount for dry hop, some want lots.

When you start making your own recipes, you will find that certain hops give good bittering with almost no aroma remaining while others will retain some aroma no matter if you boil them for an hour.

 

[Raven_BC]

Thanks all for your replies this has been very useful for me.

I will wait to see how it turns out if it's an IPA per the definition but not what I expect and most other expect in an IPA so be it. Next time I'll work on an IPA recipe which is closer to what I expect with more hops and a dry hop.

I will be trying my first dry hop on my last batch of Blonde Ale I know they aren't typically dry hopped but hey I want to see what it does to it compared to the batch which didn't have the dry hopping.

 

[rhys333]

It seems like you didnt really have much hops at all. Your schedule doesn't show the typical 60 min bittering hops. You also won't get much hop aroma without the dry hopping.

I usually get quite a bit of hop aroma without dry hopping, as long as I have fresh hops. Right how I have a pale with only 3 oz crystal late addition, and it smells like hop juice.

 

[GPP33]

60 minute boil with a 30% + evaporation/boil off rate? Looking for a Home Brew Guru to chime in here and correct me if I am wrong, but the words "excess thermal loading" keeps popping up in my head. Wouldn't that boil rate drive off a lot of the FWH attributes, along with some of the desired flavor compounds?

I get 25% boil off, it'll vary by equipment but in order to have 6 gallons at the end of my boil I have 8 going into it. 30% doesn't sound totally unreasonable. As for driving off compounds, I'm pretty sure that's temp dependent. If so it doesn't matter how vigorous your boil is or how much water you evaporate your temp isn't going any higher than boiling temp at your elevation.

 

[GPP33]

The definition of an IPA and your (and ours too, mostly) are not the same. You are expecting a big hop aroma but that isn't really part of the definition.

Uh, What?

21A. American IPA
Aroma: A prominent to intense hop aroma

He's using fermentables and hops in line with an American IPA.

 

[RM-MN]

Uh, What?



He's using fermentables and hops in line with an American IPA.

Should I have said historical definition? IPA's didn't always have the big hop aroma.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

I only did 3 kits before I started just making recipes, but I think a lot of kits skimp on hops. At least for people who want big hop flavor/aroma. Guess it makes sense, from a profit margin perspective

 

[ProblemChild]

Thanks all for your replies this has been very useful for me.

I will wait to see how it turns out if it's an IPA per the definition but not what I expect and most other expect in an IPA so be it. Next time I'll work on an IPA recipe which is closer to what I expect with more hops and a dry hop.

FWIW -

I find that for IPA's that are NOT NEIPA - A small bittering charge at 60, a slightly larger addition of my "featured" hop at 20 min, then the bulk of hops between the 2 min addition, flame-out and whirlpool gives me the best hop flavor and plenty of IBU's.

By that I mean
60 min addition = .5 oz.
20 min addition >= .75 oz.
2 min or flameout addition >= 2 oz.
Whirlpool >3 oz. (temp under 170 for 10 min or more)

At a min, I wind up with just over 6 oz of hops in an IPA. Will obviously go more, than that, but the 60 and 20 min additions are relatively small. I do dry hop, but the additions above will put a lot of flavor and aroma in the beer.