Bitter vs Aroma Hops IPA Questions

[Neomich]

Generally, I like IPA's. Lately though, I've tried a few that were just way too bitter with no aroma. I was out of town and tried some brewpubs and also some random bottles, can't really remember the brand names. Maybe my tastes are changing.

I don't mind the bitterness but it's got to have something on the back end to finish it and make up for it.

Is this part of the style for IPA's? Should an IPA be more bitter than aromatic and vice versa?

 

[Orfy]

It Should be balance and pleasurable to drink.
I was really pleased with the last one I made.

When it comes down to it the Old style IPA was just a strong English Pale Ale.
It was made stronger and hoppier for 2 reasons.

1. To stop it going off during the travel from the UK to Empire.
2. To save space. It was watered down for the troops at the other end. The Officers used to drink it undiluted.

It wasn't well documented so I don't think anyone can say for sure what it tasted like. It's even debatable whether an authentic IPA should b3e aged in an Oak barrell, possibly tarred!!!

Any way a good IPA should be drinkable and balanced bitterness not an astringent taste.

First thing you should notice is the aroma then the flavor and the bitterness.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Orfy is spot on. A good IPA is balanced in the palate, but should certainly have a noticable hop aroma present. The style is usually dryhopped, which is one of the contributing factors in the aroma profile.

 

[Drunkensatyr]

I also have had a few commercial examples that were all bite, no bark as it were. A "GOOD" IPA should definitely hit you with the aroma first then finish off with a bitterness that is balanced with the malt. The more bitter you go, the stronger the malt must be to keep everything in check.

 

[BierMuncher]

My next APA/IPA, I'm tempted to forego those 50, 45, 40 minute additions and just do a good bittering at 60, and the remainder of the hops inside of 10 minutes.

Seems my flavoring hops always move to the bittering side of things.

I'm also toying with the idea of doing an Ordinary Bitters (Jamil's recipe) and then tossing in a hand full of aroma (cascade) hops at aound 5-10 minutes.

I like a malty beer with a hoppy nose.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

My next APA/IPA, I'm tempted to forego those 50, 45, 40 minute additions and just do a good bittering at 60, and the remainder of the hops inside of 10 minutes.

This is my SOP. Very rarely do I make an additions other than 60, 15, 5. Any additions between 55 and 30 minutes are going to contribute mostly to bitterness, but they will not be in the boil long enough for the alpha acids to be fully isomerized - to me that's just wasting hops.

I try to hit 90% of my target IBU with a 60 min addition.

 

[bigben]

My next APA/IPA, I'm tempted to forego those 50, 45, 40 minute additions and just do a good bittering at 60, and the remainder of the hops inside of 10 minutes.

Seems my flavoring hops always move to the bittering side of things.

I'm also toying with the idea of doing an Ordinary Bitters (Jamil's recipe) and then tossing in a hand full of aroma (cascade) hops at aound 5-10 minutes.

I like a malty beer with a hoppy nose.

You could ditch the 60 minute addition all together and just do 1 or 2 big late additions, if you have enough hops.

From what I've heard, you can still achieve the IBUs you want this way, but it is much smoother and has an incredible hop flavor/aroma....downside is it requires a lot more hops.

 

[Neomich]

Thanks for the replies. I guess the IPA's I tried lately were just a little too bitter. Or maybe I'm drinking too many APA's. Anyways, it's still not a bad problem to have!

 

[Roscoe]

I find that I like the APA's better for that same reason, not quite so bitter, but still has a big hop flavor/aroma. I also find that the flavor/aroma does not last, reason why the ones at the store really have so much flavor other than bitterness. Nothing like a just born APA that has a huge hop presence without the bitterness. But drink them fast and brew often.