Question from the semi newbie

[masshlx]

It's been 2 1/2 years since my first effort, try number 2 on Father's Day. Kit from local homebrew shop, Brewers Best india pale ale. Just a little distracted by kids while brewing, was supposed to add 1 oz Cascade at the start, put in 1.5 oz packet that was supposed to go in at the end. Added 1 oz packet at the end. Also had 2 oz Columbus, plus added 1 oz Nugget during the process.Any big difference in abv or ibu by the Cascade switch?

cheers,
Patrick

 

[lumpher]

if that's all it was was a 1/2 oz difference, nothing to even think about. VERY little taste change. no abv change

 

[woozy]

no ABV difference. Those are hops. ABV is determined by sugar.

IBU. Cascades are low in alpha acids. There will be a difference in IBU due to the switch but it will be less than the expected variation one would expect from batch to batch due to the hops coming from different harvests.

Your IBUs will be about 8 points higher. But unless your recipe told you to adjust and major you amount of hops due to alpha acids, then 8 point variation is expected in the recipe anyway. (That is to say, Cascade hops are4 - 7% alpha acid. A batch made with 7% alpha acids will be 8 points higher than the same batch made with 5% alpha acids.)

 

[Stauffbier]

It will likely be slightly more bitter, but it will probably still taste fine. If you can get your hands on some more hops you could dry hop heavily to compliment the bitterness.

 

[CA_Mouse]

There won't be any change in the ABV, since hops don't add fermentable sugars. Adding the 1.5oz at the start will give you higher IBUs because of the higher amount. It will not have quite as much of the hop nose you would expect (not very large real difference). I'm sure that it will still be a nice IPA.

 

[lumpher]

we're talking about 1/2 oz. not much change at all. nothing to make any noise about or ring any bells for

 

[sptaylor70]

So did the Columbus and Nugget come with the kit? When did you add them (esp. relative to when the instructions said to)? The swap of the 1.5 oz. and 1 oz. packages will make a significant difference - maybe 20 IBU. But getting over 60 IBU is challenging anyway.

 

[woozy]

The swap of the 1.5 oz. and 1 oz. packages will make a significant difference - maybe 20 IBU. But getting over 60 IBU is challenging anyway.

According to this, it'll only be about 8 IBU (131 vs. 123) if the Cascade is 7% alpha acid.

But the columbus and the Nugget are going to toss the whole thing through the roof anyway so there's no way it'll be noticiable difference.

 

[sptaylor70]

I ran the calculation using TastyBrew with Cascade at 6.6% alpha acid, comparing the two addiitions at 60 minutes and 5 minutes. Using those numbers, Brewer's Friend gives me 10 IBU.

You're right about the Columbus and Nugget. It calculates to over 80 IBU, and that's pretty well the limit. Should be a knock 'em dead IPA.

Post how it turns out.

 

[masshlx]

This is what I was supposed to do after aading malt and returning to a boil.
1 oz Cascade
After 30m add 1 oz Columbus and 1 oz Nugget
At 45m add 1 more oz Columbus
At 60m add 1.5 oz Cascade and terminate boil
Cascade flipflopped, Nugget was an addin for a specific flavor, as the original recipe called for 2 oz Columbus after 30m.

 

[lumpher]

So did the Columbus and Nugget come with the kit? When did you add them (esp. relative to when the instructions said to)? The swap of the 1.5 oz. and 1 oz. packages will make a significant difference - maybe 20 IBU. But getting over 60 IBU is challenging anyway.

1.5 oz vs 1 oz of cascade won't make that much difference. btw. i grew up in deming and got my b.a. at nmsu. day i left there was 23rd day in a row of 112 degrees or higher

 

[sptaylor70]

Running the comparative calculation through TastyBrew gives me 122 vs. 133 IBU (helps if the volume is set correctly). That's beyond noticing.

Lumpher - It's been a pretty pleasant summer so far, but bone dry. Drier than it's been in years. No-water-in-the-Rio-Grande-most-days dry. On a happier note, High Desert continues to prosper. They're planning on getting larger (10 BBL?) conical fermenters in the near future. We have a satellite location, just across University Ave. from Atkinson Hall, for Deming-based Mimbres Valley Brewing (mostly English and Belgian styles). And rumor has it that a satellite location for a Silver City brewpub will be coming to Mesilla in the fall.