Hops that Pop!

[Beervangelist]

Hey All,

I'm looking for some advice on getting a good pop to the bitterness of my beer like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. My BUs are up in the 50s and 70s or higher on many beers and the beers are nicely balanced. I would like to throw it over the edge a little and get a nice firm biting bitterness that is not offensive. Any suggestions. I'm working on my pale recipe.

Cheers

BV

 

[leaf]

Explore some high AA hops. Try liquid hop extracts. Master the dry hop.

Sounds like you really need your fix!!

 

[45_70sharps]

To get some good bitter, you might try and experiment with some coffee beer.

I just polished off a keg of some coffee beer that was very good, but could have used a nice healthy dose of aroma hops.
When I first made it, it was a complete experiment. In fact the coffee addition was something that I decided to do at the last minute. It was a recipe that came from looking at my supplies and putting something together.

When I first tried the beer it was so bitter that I thought it was going to be a waste. I ended up throwing the notes on making it away because I wasn't happy with it.
I ended up adding some DME to it and giving it a little time and it turned out to be a very nice beer with a pronounced bitterness to it. Probably a combination of the coffee and the abundant hops I used.

I wish I would have kept my notes. I think it was very close to a new house special.
Maadditionaladditonal malt initially and some late dry hopping and it would have been great.

I think I'm going to try and come up with an all grain version inspired by that batch and up the late dry hops. Like maybe a month after it hits the secondary.
If it needs additional sweetness, I may try honey.
I wish I had beersmith when I made it. I would have the recipe and it's notes on the computer then. It would be easy to make a new version and get it right within a few batches if I had all the notes and could use the software to make and document changes and what I thought about it.
Who knows but it's fun to drink the experiments and figure it out.

 

[zachattack]

What do your current hop schedules look like? Maybe try hopbursting? That's where you add all/most of your hops in bursts towards the end of the boil.

 

[Yooper]

Often a "firmer" bitterness isn't about the hops. It's about the water chemistry (some waters mute hop bitterness) and about the rest of the recipe. To make the hops pop, reduce caramel and crystal malts, and consider your water source to see if adjustments need to be made there. Use a yeast like WLP001 to make the hops shine.

 

[kingwood-kid]

Not all IBUs are created equal. IBUs added in the last 20 minutes may come out to a certain number on brewing software, but tend to taste softer. Low cohumulone hops like Magnum or any noble hop deliver a softer/smoother bitterness than high-cohumulone hops like Cascade even when the IBUs are the same. Freshness and storage conditions matter a lot too; your Magnums aren't 13% alpha-acid anymore if you've been using the same pack for 8 months.

 

[FATC1TY]

I second what Yooper said, she knows her stuff.

When I want the hops to really pop in my recipes for my IPA's that I want on the unbalanced "west coast" style.. I'll be sure to obviously change my water profile, using salts and gypsum. Burton salts will get you in the right direction.

I'll then, keep any of the residual sugars low, so I'll mash lower, and keep the crystal and the roasted malts on the lower end.

I'll use lots, of high AA hops for bittering, like.. Magnum for instance. I'll FWH the magnum, which I find makes a smoother bitterness to the beer.

I'll then pile on the hops late.. 20mins to flame out. Then toss atleast 2oz minimum in the dry hop. Generally I get some of the most fragrant, hoppy IPA's. I have an Imperial IPA recipe that just fires out the hops, and just show boats the profile of the hops that I used, but retains some great body and malt backbone so it's drinkable.

 

[Beervangelist]

Thanks guys,

I'll try adding more CaSO4 in my make-up water. That is the direction I was headed. Our water is pretty soft. I am using 1.5 tsp Gypsum per ten gallons of brewing water. Maybe I will up it another 50%

Cheers
BV

 

[MattHollingsworth]

Yeah, what Yooper said. Water water water. Get those sulfates up a bit. Look for Mosher's Ideal Pale Ale water.

 

[daksin]

I think Yooper's got it with the water chemistry. Also, hops higher in cohumulones can also add a "harshness" to your bitterness that may add a bit of a bite. If you're using all low cohumulone varieties, maybe find a bittering hop with slightly more cohumulone than what you're using (not too much!).