Aroma

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cubbies

Tastes like butterdirt
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I have an interesting dilemma. My last handful of batches have been very good beers. I essentially stick to pale ales and bitters, and they have come out very crisp and hoppy, just the way I like them. However, my aroma is just not there. Especially on the PA I am drinking now, I stick my nose in the glass and I honestly smell almost nothing. However, upon tasting, it is just about perfect (could maybe be a little more hoppy). I do full boils between 5-6 gallons and typically add .5-1oz of hops at 10 minutes for aroma and it is just not happening. Do y'all think I should be using more hops? Maybe add at flameout? Any suggestions are appreciated. If I can get my color a little bit lighter, and my aroma to come around, this will be a very good pale ale.
 
Are you drinking the beers with low carbonation and/ or very cold. Both of these will lower aroma. You should be getting a noticable hop aroma from a 10 minute addition, although putting half that addition in at flame out might give you a bit more.
 
I've learned through a fellow brew club member (who makes killer pale ales) that your hop additions should basically increase in size as you approach flameout. If you use 1oz for bittering, use 1.5- 2 for flavor and up to 2-3oz for aroma. I know that's a bit extreme but it's more the concenpt of not skimping on late additions. Of course, dry hopping in secondary or keg is another way of getting the aroma.
 
Carbonation is perfect, although I suppose maybe they are a little cold, maybe that is the problem. Next one I drink, I will take it out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes before indulging to see if that helps the aroma or not...if it does, problem solved! If not, I guess I will try adding half the addition at flameout.

I have no problem dry hopping, and I know that it would help aroma, but I typically only dry hop my higher IBU beers. This PA in particular is only around 55 IBU. I usually dont dry hop under say 80. No real reason why, I just never have.

Thanks for the tips folks.
 
Is there an echo in here? LOL. Dry hopping has nothing to do with IBUs but I'm sure you know that. There's nothing wrong with putting a great hop nose on a mildly bitter ale.
 
Yes I am aware that dry hopping isnt a factor in IBU, but my thing is that dry hopping kind of produces too much aroma for this type of beer. I am not exactly sure how to explain what I am saying, but basically I dont think there is a nice balance with a lower IBU beer and the powerful aroma of a dry hop. If that is what it is going to take, that is what I will do...but I would prefer to not use it on lower IBU beers.

As of right now, I am assuming it was too cold. My fridge does get pretty cold as there is only one beer fridge in the house, and SWMBO's Bud Select needs to stay cold. Not to mention, I like my Wheats pretty cold too. I bet if I split my aroma hops between 10 minutes and flameout and let beers sit for 10 minutes out of the fridge, my problem will be solved. If not, I guess I will dry hop.
 
You are clearly out of style guidelines for an APA if you are pushing 55 IBUs. That's firmly IPA country, so you might as well give it a good nose by dryhopping.
 
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