"Clean" Tasting Hops/Yeast for an IPA

[NickLesogor]

Hey guys!

New to the forum, new home brewer here. I'm brewing a few beers with two buddies of mine tomorrow and we're going to try a small 2 gallon all grain IPA as our first all grain offering.

We're looking to achieve a "clean", almost piney west-coast IPA type flavor. I'm looking for suggestions of hops and yeast we can use. I hear Nottingham has a great, clean flavor associated with it. All the help is appreciated!

 

[ricshayne]

If you want piney go with cascade and simcoe, any west coast ale strain will work

 

[JonM]

Centennial and Chinook would be a nice combo too.

 

[Chris_Primavera]

I have been making a Centennial / Chinook / Columbus IPA that gets rave reviews.

Columbus for bittering - Centennial and Chinook at 10 minutes.

Sometimes I throw in Perle earlier in the boil.

I shoot for a 77 IBU and the result is balanced, piney, and herbal without any of the crazy citrus notes.

 

[Nagorg]

Cascade and Centennial are great with maybe some Bravo for bittering. Try WLP029 for the yeast. I've used it in PA and IPA recipes and really like it.

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Notty is a good clean yeast, but not for an IPA IMO, as it strips too much of the hop flavour. I always go with US-05 over Notty for American Pales and IPA's, but it does take a bit longer to ferment and clear.

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

For hops, I liked Perle for bittering or Chinook. For yeast, I'd suggest White Labs California Ale Yeast. For the one West Coast Style IPA I made, I used that yeast and combination of Chinook (bittering) and Ahtanum (aroma). Hope that helps you.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Columbus or Chinook for bittering. Centennial, Cascade, and Chinook make a great combo for flavor additions. Go easy on the chinook..I've used a bit too much before and it can be overpowering IMO. More Centennial and/or Cascade than Chinook. A little Columbus is good too for flavor additions..just don't overuse it.

For an American IPA, I would use US-05 over Notty. Notty is said to have an almost English quality, more like S04

 

[Chadwick]

I agree with most everything above. Especially going easy on the Chinook and Columbus. With that noted, I've developed a taste for the intense qualities of those two hops. I love Chinook for any late additions and dry hopping. I've found that it becomes very herbal tasting when used as a bittering hop. Columbus works well for any addition but I love it best as a late addition or dry hop. Expect to use less that you would expect you need for any addition.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

some combinations Ive used in the past, all tasted good

Chinook-Amarillo-Cascade-Simcoe
Columbus-Simcoe-Mosaic
Amarillo-Simcoe-Citra
Cascade-Simcoe-Citra
Cluster-Cascade-Citra

 

[m00ps]

i hear pine and I think simcoe, columbus, chinook, and a few newwer varieties like rakau

but if you just want a class west coast IPA flavor, id suggest falconers flight. Its a proprietary blend (made of most of the hops mentioned here) that is tailor made for west coast style IPAs. This way, you dont need to worry about hop selection and which hop to add when

 

[mrgrimm101]

I agree with most everything above. Especially going easy on the Chinook and Columbus. With that noted, I've developed a taste for the intense qualities of those two hops. I love Chinook for any late additions and dry hopping. I've found that it becomes very herbal tasting when used as a bittering hop. Columbus works well for any addition but I love it best as a late addition or dry hop. Expect to use less that you would expect you need for any addition.

Great points. I love Columbus as a late addition and/or dry hop as well. It adds a nice rounded earthiness to balance with any overly fruity/citrusy flavor hops.

I don't find Chinook to be quite as pleasant when used extensively. I've had to learn to tone down the amount of Chinook when I use it.

 

[rlmiller10]

Centennial and Chinook would be a nice combo too.

What he said.


I use about 2/3 chinook and 1/3 centennial. Chinook is dank and pine and the centennial brightens it up a bit.

 

[Natdavis777]

Simcoe for bittering, a big hopstand with your florals/fruity like centennial, cascade, amarillo, citra, chinook, ahtanum, etc, and a good dry hop.

I love my Pales/IPAs with a good english yeast (1968) like Stone and FFF use, but my best homebrews come out when I use 001/1056. They let hops shine through.

 

[NickLesogor]

Awesome, I appreciate all of the responses! Thank you guys so much!

 

[uatuba]

I'm convinced they package Simcoe hops in pine resin. If you want pine, go with Simcoe. US-05 is the go to for my IPAs.

EDIT: The OP asked for piney, not citrus or floral. Most of the suggestions for flavoring hops in this thread don't fit that criteria with the possible exception of Cascade (and I find it to be more grapefruit than pine), and Chinook.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I'm convinced they package Simcoe hops in pine resin. If you want pine, go with Simcoe. US-05 is the go to for my IPAs.

EDIT: The OP asked for piney, not citrus or floral. Most of the suggestions for flavoring hops in this thread don't fit that criteria with the possible exception of Cascade (and I find it to be more grapefruit than pine), and Chinook.

you make a good point, we tend to ramble of topic some times lol

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Centennial and Chinook would be a nice combo too.

This is a fantastic combo! Add 05 yeast and you've got a nice, clean IPA.





Others have mentioned Simcoe too. I dunno. It tastes like what I would perceive to be a bit catty. Maybe find a Simcoe commercial beer and try it yourself first.

Just don't drink it anywhere near me. I'll make fun of you for drinking cat piss...