Columbus Hops - Onion??!!

[permo]

So I brewed this up four weeks ago, just chilled it down in the keg and drew a glass just to see where its at. Tastes like an onion patch!! Has anybody got this from Columbus hops? I have experienced that with summit hops before...boy I hope a week or two in the keg mellows it out.

11 gallon batch
25.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 77.28 %
2.60 lb Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) Grain 8.04 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 3.09 %
1.00 lb Crisp C45 (45.0 SRM) Grain 3.09 %
1.00 lb Crisp C77 (77.0 SRM) Grain 3.09 %
0.25 lb Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 0.77 %
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 37.3 IBU
5.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (Dry Hop 3 days) Hops -
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (30 min) Hops 13.0 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (15 min) Hops 16.8 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (10 min) Hops 12.3 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (5 min) Hops 6.8 IBU
2.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
1.50 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 4.64 %



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.074 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.072 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.20 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.97 %
Bitterness: 86.2 IBU Calories: 324 cal/pint
Est Color: 16.8 SRM Color: Color

 

[bob1852]

What yeast did you use? I've heard of some yeasts bringing out some oniony flavors...

 

[permo]

What yeast did you use? I've heard of some yeasts bringing out some oniony flavors...

WLP007 6 liter starter. Beer fermented out clean and done in four days. It is really hazy now, after being clear after two weeks in primary, I bet this is because of nearly %10 oats, but wow the hops are oniony. I had big hopes for this ale and I have 3 more pounds of columbus to burn. I know for a fact it is great for bittering.....but in huge amounts the verdict is out for me.

 

[bob1852]

Are you sure you didn't order summit on accident?!!?

 

[permo]

Are you sure you didn't order summit on accident?!!?

I would never order summit again. This is the 2010 crop, whole cone hops. Maybe the beer just needs to settle down and clear a bit, I don't know, but it is bigtime onion.

I didn't plan on drinking a bunch tonight, but I am on my 5th pint, keep trying to taste my way to the bottom of the issue....just hoping to get some citrus or anything and I just dont.

But like the late great George Harrisson said "All things must pass", this is the great thing about big red ales......when the hops fade you have some nice flavors to be revealed.

 

[skyebrewing]

I know not every person tastes the same, but my favorite ipa is all columbus and 50/50 columus simcoe and there is no hint of onion. Maybe its a nose thing, but maybe its whole hops vs pellets? Interested to know since many like the orange from summit hops but I got onion just like you did. Still have half an lb of it too....dammit

 

[ellijo89]

I have brewed an all Columbus ipa, never got the onion taste before, that beer gave off a resiny, fruit, dank flavor/aroma. but never onion. That is really interesting.

 

[permo]

I have brewed an all Columbus ipa, never got the onion taste before, that beer gave off a resiny, fruit, dank flavor/aroma. but never onion. That is really interesting.

Well the %8 ABV 100 IBU beer is less than 5 weeks old. I suppose I could give it a week or two to mellow out in the keg and see if the onion subsides. I have a feeling that things are going to be A-OK, but who knows.

 

[Randar]

I would never order summit again.

Too bad you feel that way... more for me I guess.

Summit is awesome as long as you don't use it till last 20-25 min of boil...

 

[permo]

Too bad you feel that way... more for me I guess.

Summit is awesome as long as you don't use it till last 20-25 min of boil...

If I got the right price I probably would actually. I find it to work good for bittering but I made the mistake of making a single hop IPA out of it with FWH...onion soup.

I then made an APA which featured it at 60, 10 , 5 and dry hop and the tangerine was nice.

 

[Randar]

If I got the right price I probably would actually. I find it to work good for bittering but I made the mistake of making a single hop IPA out of it with FWH...onion soup.

I then made an APA which featured it at 60, 10 , 5 and dry hop and the tangerine was nice.

Small quantities mixed with some other hop for bittering will work, but I have a 110 IBU hopburst IPA (first addition at 25 min) on tap now and it's one of the best American IPA's I have ever tasted... nearly a pound of summit in a 14 gallon batch and not a hint of onion/garlic.

 

[permo]

Small quantities mixed with some other hop for bittering will work, but I have a 110 IBU hopburst IPA on tap now and it's one of the best American IPA's I have ever tasted... nearly a pound of summit in a 14 gallon batch.

Did you dry hop this in the keg? I am recently having issue with cloudy, almost turbid, brews when dry hopping in the keg.

 

[Randar]

Did you dry hop this in the keg? I am recently having issue with cloudy, almost turbid, brews when dry hopping in the keg.

Dry hopped in the fermenter... not in the keg. But with a pound of hops all added late, it is a bit cloudy, which is not unexpected. They were all pellet hops, FYI.

 

[permo]

UPDATE: Sampled again yesterday, it is clearing up visually, but more importantly, the onion flavor is faded out and I am now left with this crazy, spicy/dank and somewhat citrusy flavor and aroma. I am impressed. Not sure I would let columbus stand alone again but with centennial or cascade I think it could be even better.