First Competition - English IPA - Opinion?

[boatcapt]

I'm brewing my first competition beer for a local contest. Brewed a Saison and an English IPA.

The Saison was pretty straight forward from a grist/hop/yeast standpoint but was heavy on the "process" standpoint (ramped up temperatures, sugar additions, etc). No real questions there although we'll see how it turns out!

This was my first attempt to brew to a specific style with regard to my English IPA. Don't have my grist with me but I used Otter as my base malt with some Biscuit, Crystal 60, Torefied Wheat and Light DME. I also used Ringwood yeast. My question was on the hops. I used Northern Brewer as my bittering hop and then NKG and Fuggles in five minute increments over the last 30 minutes. Going to dry hop with NKG for 48 hrs before I bottle condition.

My question is the Northern Brewer hops. Is NB considered an "English" hop for a traditional English IPA?

 

[Yooper]

I'm brewing my first competition beer for a local contest. Brewed a Saison and an English IPA.

The Saison was pretty straight forward from a grist/hop/yeast standpoint but was heavy on the "process" standpoint (ramped up temperatures, sugar additions, etc). No real questions there although we'll see how it turns out!

This was my first attempt to brew to a specific style with regard to my English IPA. Don't have my grist with me but I used Otter as my base malt with some Biscuit, Crystal 60, Torefied Wheat and Light DME. I also used Ringwood yeast. My question was on the hops. I used Northern Brewer as my bittering hop and then NKG and Fuggles in five minute increments over the last 30 minutes. Going to dry hop with NKG for 48 hrs before I bottle condition.

My question is the Northern Brewer hops. Is NB considered an "English" hop for a traditional English IPA?

No, Northern brewer is not traditionally "English"- however since it was used for bittering, the flavor shouldn't be strongly "minty". It may be a bit "woody", and that seems like it would mix well with East Kent Golding (I believed that is what you meant) and fuggled.

The thing with competitions is that it's all about tasting and the style guidelines. If the taste seems to be a good English IPA, regardless of the actual hops used, then it will do well in the competition. Any citrusy US hops would be totally out of place, but northern brewer as a bittering addition should be fine.

 

[z-bob]

NB hops kind of define the "California Common" style, but wasn't it originally an English variety? Everything I've read (and that's not really a lot) says it's used in English styles, but I've never tried it. It wouldn't be a good one for aroma or flavor, but you used it for bittering.

You probably did better at hop selection than I did with the English IPA I brewed Saturday (Nugget and Willamette) Good luck with the competition.

 

[3toes]

NB hops kind of define the "California Common" style, but wasn't it originally an English variety? Everything I've read (and that's not really a lot) says it's used in English styles, but I've never tried it. It wouldn't be a good one for aroma or flavor, but you used it for bittering.

You probably did better at hop selection than I did with the English IPA I brewed Saturday (Nugget and Willamette) Good luck with the competition.

According to Hopunion, they were bred in England in 1934.

 

[boatcapt]

I was going to go with EKG as the bittering and then EKG and Fuggles for flavor/aroma then at the last minute I decided to go for the NB as my bittering based on the Hop Union profile saying it was an English hop. Subsequent research (AFTER brewing) showed that it is used heavily (?) in Cali Commons and other west coast brews. Got me concerned that it might be viewed as "off style" during judging.

Any thoughts on the Ringwood yeast? I mean, beyond the whole it's-god's-gift-to-beer-brewing/it-is-the-spawn-of-the-devil-and-must-be-hunted-down-and-killed, love/hate thing some have with it. I'm looking for something that is not your traditional West Coast "hop-bomb" with plenty of malt and yeast flavor balanced by a heavy dose (but NOT over the top) of hops. I was thinking that the Ringwood "flavor" would be more appropriate than Chico.

 

[z-bob]

Did you use American NB hops or German?

 

[boatcapt]

Did you use American NB hops or German?

Yea...Don't know. Is there a lot of difference between the two?

Here in PR you are lucky to get the AA when you buy hops. Things are getting better and LHBS stores are improving but inventory and information is still a little sketchy at times.

 

[Yooper]

I was going to go with EKG as the bittering and then EKG and Fuggles for flavor/aroma then at the last minute I decided to go for the NB as my bittering based on the Hop Union profile saying it was an English hop. Subsequent research (AFTER brewing) showed that it is used heavily (?) in Cali Commons and other west coast brews. Got me concerned that it might be viewed as "off style" during judging.

Any thoughts on the Ringwood yeast? I mean, beyond the whole it's-god's-gift-to-beer-brewing/it-is-the-spawn-of-the-devil-and-must-be-hunted-down-and-killed, love/hate thing some have with it. I'm looking for something that is not your traditional West Coast "hop-bomb" with plenty of malt and yeast flavor balanced by a heavy dose (but NOT over the top) of hops. I was thinking that the Ringwood "flavor" would be more appropriate than Chico.

Oh, the northern brewer will be fine. It won't leave any non-desirable or out of place flavors, don't worry!

Ringwood yeast is definitely a 'love it or hate it' yeast strain. You definitely would want an English strain of yeast (not Chico) but Ringwood can be tough to work with. Can you get WLP002 or another strain?

 

[boatcapt]

Oh, the northern brewer will be fine. It won't leave any non-desirable or out of place flavors, don't worry!

Ringwood yeast is definitely a 'love it or hate it' yeast strain. You definitely would want an English strain of yeast (not Chico) but Ringwood can be tough to work with. Can you get WLP002 or another strain?

I've used Ringwood with pretty good result. It is the only "English" yeast in my vault so I thought, why not?

Interesting trying to brew to a particular style. Before this, I've kind of just brewed with a general idea of what I liked and what I was looking for. Brewing to style makes you think about things quite a bit more.