Amber Ale Hops Question

Bel_Pirishti · Feb 9, 2013

So I'm brewing my third batch of beer today, an Amber Ale. I got to the boil and everything was going fine. I had three hops to add at 60, 10, and 1 minutes to go in the boil. So after the first add, I sat down and read for a while. At 30 minutes, I got up and added the flavoring hops. And when I sat back down, I realized I'd added them 20 mins. early. (The last recipe I did called for the second add at 30 mins. in, and I somehow conflated the two recipes in my head. I shouldn't have been reading!) Anyway, I didn't know what to do for the rest of the boil except to follow the recipe. So I added the aroma hops at 1 min. Here's my question: What's this going to do to my Amber Ale? Will it just be a little more bitter and hoppy? Or, will the longer flavoring hops conflict with the sweeter Amber flavor and make lousy beer? Something else? I will, of course, wait and see. But a word of advice from an experienced brewer would be appreciated.

Hogarthe · Feb 9, 2013

it'll be fine. you'll get a little more bitterness, and maybe lose a bit of aroma that would still be there if you followed the recipe, but most likely the changes won't be drastic.

masskrug · Feb 9, 2013

Do you have any brewing software? Here is a free (open source) program. When things go wrong, you can adjust the numbers and plan accordingly: http://sourceforge.net/projects/brewtarget/

It will be fine.

"Something else? I will, of course, wait and see."

Not always a bad thing. I have a SNPA recipe that overshot the efficiency, bumping it up to a 7% beer. I just dry hopped it with an ounce of Simcoe. I can't wait to taste the difference!

Bel_Pirishti · Feb 10, 2013

Had an internet snafu here or I would have been on hours ago. Thanks for the reassurance! I won't mind the bitterness one bit. And thanks for the software suggestion.

Bel_Pirishti · Feb 17, 2013

Just took a sample of my amber ale after a week in the fermenter for testing (specific gravity and, of course, a taste test). As expected, it is a little more bitter than most ambers. But I think it's going to be really nice anyway. Thanks again! :mug:

mikeh80 · Feb 17, 2013

When I brewed yesterday, I had 3 additions as well. 60, 15, and 2. What I did was as soon as the boil started and I added my bittering hops, I set the timer for 45 minutes. Once that went off, I added my flavor hops and Irish Moss. After that, I set a 13 minute timer, followed by a 2. Also, BrewTarget lets you set multiple timers which can play alerts like "add the hops now".