Hoppy Tropical Blonde Ale or Session IPA?

Hello all,

This is my first time posting, but I've been using HBT for it's infinite helpful information as I've picked up this great hobby over the last year and a half.

Anyway, just wanted to get some opinions on a dilemma I am faced with. Two Sundays ago I brewed my first self-created recipe which I was hoping to be a blonde ale with tropical fruit notes strictly from using hops with that character and no actual fruit. Basically something I knew SWMBO would go gaga for since she has yet to really love a brew of mine. The recipe was made up of a bit of steeping grains and DME with magnum hops for bittering and citra/mosiac for flavor/aroma. I just pulled a FG sample and tasted it. It tastes great and truly smells and tastes like it has mango/pineapple/passion fruit in it, but it is more hoppy than I had planned. I calculated my IBUs to be in the high 40s which in hindsight does seem on the high side (too much of a damn hop-head). I originally planned to dry hop with half an ounce to an ounce of citra and mosiac. The question is-- if I skip the dry hops, will my final chilled and carbonated product be less hoppy than it seems now and be enjoyable as a tropical blonde ale, or should I dry hop the hell out of it and just go session IPA with it?

Thanks in advance for your help and let me know if you need any info that I haven't already touched on.

 

High 40s will be too hoppy for a blonde (IMO) as you now know. Aim for 20 next time.

Anyway - with the 40 IBU I imagine that it will be too bitter for your SWMBO regardless of dry hopping or not. I suggest keeping this beer for yourself (dry hopping your choice) and rebrewing it with less IBUs.

 

try sub 20 ibu (like 15) if brewing for a person who doesnt like hops. BMC have like 5-8 IBUs.
If you like hops, always dry hop!
and good first post!

 

Thanks for the insight guys. When I was putting it together the hop head in me took over even though it was a beer aimed for her. The recipe I was basing it off of called for actual mango so I suppose I was trying to compensate for not using mango with extra hops. And the beers I go for are 60 IBU and up so 40 didn't seem like all that much. She's not a hop hater, just likes things to be a bit more balanced or sweet forward. Threw in about an ounce of citra this morning and I will have a delicious session IPA type beer in a couple weeks! I'll try 20 IBU with a similar recipe in the near future. Thanks again! 🍻