kanzimonson
Well-Known Member
I've been debating with myself about the necessity of late hop additions in spice/fruit/veggie beers (not bittering hops). I like to think that in many standard beer styles, the hops ARE the spice. They're the flavor and aroma. So if you're making a beer that's emphasizing a different flavor and aroma, why add late hops?
On the one hand, Jamil frequently says about spice/fruit/veggie beers, "you have to have a good base beer first, and then build your spice/fruit/veggie into it." That would be an argument for adding hops as normal.
But I just don't see the point. I know a lot of people have pumpkin ales coming up (me included) and interesting holiday beers (Vanilla Coffee Porter here!). I don't want to risk any contradictory flavors and aromas competing with the spices I've chosen for my beers.
Some of you might say "Pick hops that are complementary with the style. A spicy German hop might work with the pumpkin pie spices in pumpkin ale." But again, that doesn't really answer the question. You're just adding one more spice to your beer. And you're just adding hops because you think you're supposed to.
And sure, I realize you need to keep your eye on the IBUs here - late hop additions have small IBU contributions, and that needs to be shifted to the bittering hops if you choose to have no late hop additions. And some of the spices we add to flavored beers (cinnamon and coffee in my case) impart their own bitterness that calls for LESS bittering hops. But that's not what this is about.
Help me out here! What's everyone else's thoughts on this subject?
On the one hand, Jamil frequently says about spice/fruit/veggie beers, "you have to have a good base beer first, and then build your spice/fruit/veggie into it." That would be an argument for adding hops as normal.
But I just don't see the point. I know a lot of people have pumpkin ales coming up (me included) and interesting holiday beers (Vanilla Coffee Porter here!). I don't want to risk any contradictory flavors and aromas competing with the spices I've chosen for my beers.
Some of you might say "Pick hops that are complementary with the style. A spicy German hop might work with the pumpkin pie spices in pumpkin ale." But again, that doesn't really answer the question. You're just adding one more spice to your beer. And you're just adding hops because you think you're supposed to.
And sure, I realize you need to keep your eye on the IBUs here - late hop additions have small IBU contributions, and that needs to be shifted to the bittering hops if you choose to have no late hop additions. And some of the spices we add to flavored beers (cinnamon and coffee in my case) impart their own bitterness that calls for LESS bittering hops. But that's not what this is about.
Help me out here! What's everyone else's thoughts on this subject?