Dry Hop vs Whirlpool?

[Pyg]

Making a cream ale using Williamette (60 min) and Saab (20 min).
Going to add 2 Oz of Citra Cryohops for some aroma.

whirlpool at 170?
Dry hop 5-7 days?

I halve read that whirlpool inparts a little flavor, while dry hoponly provides aroma.

thoughts?
Preferences?

 

[eric19312]

My initial reaction was citra dry/whirlpool hops dont belong in cream ale. Google proved me wrong:
https://www.geneseebeer.com/beer/dry-hopped-cream-ale/
I'm thinking based on this I'd dry hop with them. Only thing is I don't like 100% cryo dry hop. Suggest an ounce might be enough. Perhaps get some of that Genesee and see how dominant the dry hop character is in their version...I'd still want the beer to be a little bit identifiable as a cream ale and not a session IPA.

 

[Pyg]

My initial reaction was citra dry/whirlpool hops dont belong in cream ale. Google proved me wrong:
https://www.geneseebeer.com/beer/dry-hopped-cream-ale/
I'm thinking based on this I'd dry hop with them. Only thing is I don't like 100% cryo dry hop. Suggest an ounce might be enough. Perhaps get some of that Genesee and see how dominant the dry hop character is in their version...I'd still want the beer to be a little bit identifiable as a cream ale and not a session IPA.

Thanks for replay. Over the years I expanded on my version of a cream ale. I am IPA drinker most friends and family are BMC drinker.
I appreciate a light body ale, but try to add some of those late hops so the BMC drinkers can start to appreciate hops in beer.

 

[thehaze]

Whirlpool will add flavour and aroma ( although not at the level a cold dry hopping will ). It's all about wort, wort density, hops, amount of hops, temperature, cool side process, etc. 170F would be fine for whirlpooling - 20-30 minutes. Dry hopping should not be more than 24-48 hours. Extraction is performed rather quickly and the old days where you would dry hop for 5-10 days are long gone, as there is no need for so much time. And prolonged time can also extract some other, unwanted compunds from hops.

A Cream Ale is usually bland and boring, albeit easy to drink. If you want to add more hops to it, just do it. It's your beer and it will taste better, which is not a bad thing. I would say, to not make it overpowering, just whirlpool the hops. It will still retain enough hop flavour to make it pop more than a regular Cream Ale, and will not " smell " like a hoppy beer. Whirlpool flavour and aroma usually don't last long, so if kegging, the hops will start fading at some point.