Favorite "Two Hop" IPA combinations.

[GrogNerd]

would love to try any of Surly's beers, but we don't get them here, outside DC.

looks like the brewery is about 3 miles from where I lived in S Minneapolis (30 years ago)

 

[skiumah]

would love to try any of Surly's beers, but we don't get them here, outside DC.

looks like the brewery is about 3 miles from where I lived in S Minneapolis (30 years ago)

Surly is actually the brewery that does the Citra/Chinook PA I referenced earlier in this thread... they certainly turn out some great brews. Todd the Axe Man is world class.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Big fan of the Azacca/Mosaic combo and also Citra/Mosaic

 

[GrogNerd]

would love to visit Minneapolis again

in the summertime, of course

 

[NorthwestBrewman2013]

People may think I'm crazy...maybe I am. But, I tend to like the Bravo/Amarillo pairing. Bravo has this fruitiness that comes out in the latter additions and dry hop that I think is intoxicating (pun intended). Also, this combo tends to be very earthy which I tend to gravitate toward in an IPA.

Also, I like Summit and Cascade together.

 

[pshankstar]

I have no experience with this and it's a combo of three hops not two, but its working with what I have. I am going to follow the grain bill for NB's Dead Ringer BIAB (3 gallon kit). I'm going to use Bravo for the 60 (0.4 oz) & 20 (0.6 oz) minute additions. Warrior for the 5 min addition (1 oz). Then I will do an ounce of Citra as the dry hop. We shall see how that turns out.

Grain Bill for 3 gallons:
- 7 lbs Rahr 2-row
- 0.625 lbs Caramel 40

I have no idea how this will turn out but that's part of the fun of home brewing, right?

 

[mrdauber64]

My favorite is Citra and Mosiac(as others have mentioned). I also just put a Cascade and Citra on tap, they appear to be play really nice, a little more "dank" flavor than the Citra and Mosiac pairing.

Amarillo and Simcoe are a classic pairing that go great together.

My next beer will be a Nelson and Summit Pale Ale. Drifter Pale Ale from Widmer uses this combo and it used to be one of my favorite beers until they stopped making it.

 

[z-bob]

I don't see much love for old hop varieties. Cluster, Hallertauer, Brewers Gold, Goldings, various noble hops, Fuggles, etc.

 

[jwalk4]

Perle for bittering + generous Cascade from 15 minutes onward = nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar::hs:

 

[mclynch]

I believe it was a recipe from the Mad Fermentationalist (I think he called it Juicy IPA) that I used that had Simcoe & Galaxy paired in the whirlpool and dry hopping (in a stocking in the keg!), with Magnum for bittering. What a great IPA! I've brewed it twice now and can't keep a keg for long enough! The citrus hoppy aroma is just heady and the flavor refreshing and "I'll just have another". My house IPA at this point.

 

[specharka]

The best IPA I've made to date employed Ella + Columbus hops. I like to branch out a little bit with my choices and use some of the hops I have on hand. I recently made a highly hopped barleywine with Northern Brewer + Liberty hops for some mild piney character. Wort smelled and tasted lovely, so I can't imagine the beer turning out too shabby.

Although I think Citra + Galaxy is really the gold standard for juice bombs, the reality is that Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy hops are too damn expensive to be mainstays in my pipeline. And I know there are cheaper hops that are just as good.

 

[No_Nrg]

I'm a huge fan of Galaxy/Citra pairing. The juicy fruit flavor is great.

 

[krackin]

I don't see much love for old hop varieties. Cluster, Hallertauer, Brewers Gold, Goldings, various noble hops, Fuggles, etc.

Cluster bittering with Brewers Gold (sometimes East Kent instead)at 25 and 5. I use this in my Ballantine clone. I dry hop with Cascade which makes 3 hops so I won't mention it on this thread.

 

[Revvy]

I don't see much love for old hop varieties. Cluster, Hallertauer, Brewers Gold, Goldings, various noble hops, Fuggles, etc.

Well, give us some of your fave two hop combos with those varieties. (especially anything you like with Cluster, I use that in an LOT of historical american beer recipe research/recreations.

one of my friends even has what we're pretty convinced is cluster that has been growing in his yard since the 50's. We were going to send some samples off for analysis late last summer but he got sick, so we're going to do it this year. I did a kolsch with 100% this hop and it turned out pretty surprisingly amazing.

I think since i talked about newer varieties in my original posts, the ones who are answering are tending to lean that way in their answers.

And although I tend to stick in my brewing to older varieties I'm still interested in two hop combos with those as well.

 

[Revvy]

Cluster bittering with Brewers Gold (sometimes East Kent instead)at 25 and 5. I use this in my Ballantine clone. I dry hop with Cascade which makes 3 hops so I won't mention it on this thread.

OFF TOPIC, BUT-

What's this I see about a Ballantine Clone?!?!?!?!?!?! Is it posted?!?!?!?!?!

I've posted in threads talking about ballantine and my desire for clones...My fascination with the Ballantine Brewery borders on obsession... Pining for beers I'll never be able to have.

 

[krackin]

OFF TOPIC, BUT-

What's this I see about a Ballantine Clone?!?!?!?!?!?! Is it posted?!?!?!?!?!

I've posted in threads talking about ballantine and my desire for clones...My fascination with the Ballantine Brewery borders on obsession... Pining for beers I'll never be able to have.

I haven't posted either one of them yet. I have one for XXX and one for IPA. I work off my own notes and I need to get them into recipe format or at least legible to others.

 

[mrdauber64]

OFF TOPIC, BUT-

What's this I see about a Ballantine Clone?!?!?!?!?!?! Is it posted?!?!?!?!?!

I've posted in threads talking about ballantine and my desire for clones...My fascination with the Ballantine Brewery borders on obsession... Pining for beers I'll never be able to have.

I just received a book called "Clone Brews" for Valentine's Day and there is a Ballantine XXX clone in there. Here is the recipe they give:
OG: 1.053
IBU: 28
SRM: 4-5
ABV: 5.2%
Mash temp: 150

9.33 Maris Otter
10oz crystal 10
1 oz Brewers Gold 60 min
1/8 oz Saaz "flavor"
1/8 oz German Hallertau hersbrucker "flavor"
1/4 oz Brewers gold "aroma"
1/4 oz cascade dry hop

Yeast 1056 or 1272

I haven't brewed this recipe yet, nor have I had the commercial version, so I can't vouch for the accuracy. It might be a good place to start though?

 

[Wayne1]

As far as Ballantine IPA, Pabst has revived the brand.

http://ballantinebeer.com/

I had some at the last GABF. While it has been close to 30 years since I had some, it is VERY close to what I remember the beers I had in the 70's and 80's to be.

For two hop IPAs, I have been brewing a Cascade and Willamette pale ale for 30 odd years. I am doing a version of that at my current pro brewery and it sells fairly well.

I do tend to agree with the Simcoe/Amarillo blends. Look for Lake Walk IPA in the recipe section.

I managed to win 3 gold medals for IPA at GABF in four years with a Cascade/Centennial blend back in the 90's. Vail Pale Ale

If I were to brew this combo now, I would use your base recipe but drop the crystal. Use pellets for dry hopping at 60F and keep it to 7 days.

I am currently experimenting with Simcoe/Saphir and having very good feedback.

The newer German aroma hops are a lot of fun. Mandarina Bavaria in particular.

I will be making a DIPA with Nelson and Hallertau Blanc in two weeks that should be fun.

The most popular IPA at the pro brewery is a three hop blend of Citra/Mosaic/Centennial.

 

[Revvy]

So the first beer from this thread is on tap now. An Amarillo/Nelson Sauvin Ipa. I have to say it's interesting. It's really has this indescribably Grapefruit/White Grape Juice thing going on, really refreshing.

It also sort of reminds me a bit of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit Gum (which I haven't had in a decade or more probably, so it's more like what I remember it tasting like.

But I'm really happy with it, it really is a unique combo. I think at some point I may use this combo for a white IPA.

Here's my tap label.

Mash Ingredients
10 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 76.9 %
2 lbs Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 2 15.4 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.8 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.8 %


First Wort Hops
0.56 oz Amarillo [7.70 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 5 14.2 IBUs

0.83 oz Amarillo [7.70 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 19.4 IBUs
1.11 oz Nelson Sauvin [11.30 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 18.8 IBUs
2.00 oz Nelson Sauvin [11.30 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 8 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Amarillo [7.70 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 9 0.0 IBUs

Dry Hop
0.50 oz Nelson Sauvin [11.30 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 10 0.0 IBUs
0.25 oz Amarillo [7.70 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days Hop 11 0.0 IBUs



Thanks for the suggestions. I think next I'm going to do the English IPA with Admiral and Nelson.

 

[hopsandhops]

This is a great thread

I made a Nelson/Amarillo Rye IPA that turned out really nice

 

[Revvy]

This is a great thread


I made a Nelson/Amarillo Rye IPA that turned out really nice

Thanks, I'm enjoying breaking away from my typical "C" hop IPA's that I've made for a decade.

This hop com might work....I made a Red RYE Pale that needs something, I might have to try that combo...

What's your recipe?

 

[hopsandhops]

Thanks, I'm enjoying breaking away from my typical "C" hop IPA's that I've made for a decade.

This hop com might work....I made a Red RYE Pale that needs something, I might have to try that combo...

What's your recipe?

I've been trying to find new combos too. This one took an extra week or two for the Nelson superdankdirt thing to fade a bit, but when it did, it was tasty

6 gals
OG 1.067
FG 1.011
78 IBU
WLP007

10.5 lbs 2 row
3 lbs Rye
1 lb Vienna
14 oz C20

1 oz Magnum @ 60
1 oz each Nelson/ Amarillo @ 15
1 oz each Nelson/ Amarillo @ 5
2.5 oz each Nelson/ Amarillo for 30 min steep
2.5 oz each Nelson/ Amarillo DH

 

[kh54s10]

I like Cascade/Centennial and Centennial/Cascade. I have also done Columbus/Willamette that was good.

I bought a lot of hops this winter and need to brew some IPA's to go through some of my stock...... A bunch of 2 hop brews sounds like a good idea!

I keep myself on somewhat of a budget so I don't do a lot with the more costly popular varieties.

 

[Revvy]

Took the Amarillo/Nelson to my monthly brewclub meeting, evidently it was the hit of the night. Even Fred Bonjour who just got reelected to the American Homebrewer's Association board, and is in Denny Conn's new book had great things to say about it... he raved about the aroma.

 

[emr25]

The best IPA I've made to date employed Ella + Columbus hops. I like to branch out a little bit with my choices and use some of the hops I have on hand. I recently made a highly hopped barleywine with Northern Brewer + Liberty hops for some mild piney character. Wort smelled and tasted lovely, so I can't imagine the beer turning out too shabby.

Although I think Citra + Galaxy is really the gold standard for juice bombs, the reality is that Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Galaxy hops are too damn expensive to be mainstays in my pipeline. And I know there are cheaper hops that are just as good.

Care to share some tasting / aroma notes on the Ella / Columbus IPA?

We have Braufessor's NE IPA fermenting now with Citra / Mosaic / Galaxy as described in his OP. For the next batch we want to sub Ella for Galaxy but I'm having a hard time figuring out what that may do to the aroma and flavor.

 

[FatDragon]

Simtra (Simcoe/Citra) is a pretty well-recognized combo, but I just bottled an IPA with the combo and remembered why it's such a favorite.

 

[pshankstar]

Simtra (Simcoe/Citra) is a pretty well-recognized combo, but I just bottled an IPA with the combo and remembered why it's such a favorite.

What was your recipe? I'm always looking to try new IPA recipes. I've done two SMaSH beers with Simcoe hops. This second one I increased the late additions and dry hops. I plan to keg it later tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[FatDragon]

What was your recipe? I'm always looking to try new IPA recipes. I've done two SMaSH beers with Simcoe hops. This second one I increased the late additions and dry hops. I plan to keg it later tonight or tomorrow morning.

I looked over the recipe at bottling last night but don't have it in front of me, so I'm close but probably not dead-on.

It was 85% pils, 10% wheat, 5% carared to 1.059 OG. Mashed around 149, give or take. I used a bit of Caliente (been using the last few ounces of a half pound as a generic bittering hop) for something like 35-40 calculated IBUs at the beginning of the boil, then I believe 60 grams each of Citra and Simcoe split (maybe 20g-40g) between a 5 minute addition and a 20 minute whirlpool addition. I pitched US-05 and let it sit at 62 for a week before taking it out of the chamber and letting it sit at ~75-80F ambient for another week - when all was said and done it got down to about 1.007, which was a pretty impressive 87.6% apparent attenuation for a Chico strain with no simple sugars. Finished with a 3.5 day dry hop of 40g each Simcoe and Citra. It was a 6 gallon batch so if you do 5 gallons you could cut the hops by about 15% if you wanted.

At a 50-50 ratio, the Citra is definitely the bigger presence but the Simcoe makes itself known as well. If you wanted to balance the flavors evenly you'd probably need a 60/40 Simcoe/Citra split. At bottling, the sample I pulled was very juicy and reminded me most of Deschutes' Fresh Squeezed among commercial IPAs I've had, thanks in large part to the big Citra character and juicy mouthfeel.

 

[pshankstar]

Thanks for the info @FatDragon! I'll plug that info into BeerSmith to come up with similar percentages for my setup.

 

[Praiodan]

Horizon and Amarillo play very nice together, have a brown ale and a porter that are fantastic with this combo.