First wort hop and forgo 60 bittering addition

[wetdog]

I am making up a Rye IPA this weekend and might experiment with forgoing the 60 minute addition. I have been making small FWH additions along with 60 minute addition with good results. In Gordon Strong's book, he is a big fan of FWH and late additions in pale ales and IPAs. Any thoughts on forgoing the early bittering addition?
Thanks

Type: All Grain
Date: 8/20/2011
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Brewer:
Boil Size: 8.81 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: My Equipment
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 36.36 %
5.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 30.30 %
2.00 lb Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 12.12 %
2.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 12.12 %
0.50 lb Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 3.03 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.03 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 3.03 %

1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] (60 min) (First Wort Hop) Hops 39.5 IBU
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (30 min) Hops 19.7 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (15 min) Hops 10.8 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (5 min) Hops 4.3 IBU
0.75 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.75 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (0 min) Hops -



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.073 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.010 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.019 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.005 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.14 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 0.65 %
Bitterness: 74.3 IBU Calories: 43 cal/pint
Est Color: 9.9 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: My Mash Total Grain Weight: 16.50 lb
Sparge Water: 11.04 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH

 

[hercher]

One of the fun things about homebrewing is that you can pretty much do whatever you want. Foregoing your 60 minute addition and increasing the late hop additions will enhance the hop aroma. However, to get the bitterness you want, you have to increase the amount of hops you use, which in turn increases your cost. (Yes, I'm a cheapskate!) Otherwise, there's no real reason you can't forego the FWH.

 

[skyebrewing]

I always do my bittering addition as a fwh and had a good bittering and it looses a lot of the bitter aftertaste that can linger with just a straight bittering addition.

 

[wetdog]

Thanks for the replies. I brewed the recipe above in a traditional manner with a 60 addition of 1 oz. Columbus and a FWH of .5 of Cascade. On my next hoppy beer, I will try the 1 oz. FWH addition and larger flavor, aroma additions after 30 minutes. I enjoy strong flavored IPAs, but some of my IPAs have had bit too much lingering bite to the bitter.