Help Choosing Hops for a simple recipe

[Synap6]

Hey guys,

I've brewed 4 small batches so far but they're all fermenting or currently carbonizing-conditioning in bottles. As I've not tasted any yet, I'm itching to keep my pipeline varied to be able to crack one after the other and learn about what was done right, what was done wrong and what ingredients can bring about.

MY DILEMMA: I have some free time tonight (watching hockey!) and will probably be doing a 15-minute brew session with DME in a 1 gallon batch. I have a few hops at my disposal but have not yet fully delved into what each can bring about:

Amarillo, Willamette, East Kent Goldings, Cascade and Falconers Flight.

I've used Falconers Flight on an identical 15min DME recipe so I'll skip on using it this time and experience with else. I've also used EKG-only yesterday in a pale ale recipe, so that's also a nono as i want to give the other hops a try.

SO!!!!
what would you recommend me doing with Amarillo, Willamette or Cascade? Another single hops to learn more, or are there interesting 15-minute combos i could play around with (even adding EKG or FF to suggested combos would be ok).

Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Synap6]

Also, this will be a 1 gallon batch and I'm uncertain of proportions for a 15 minute boil.

BasicBrewing used 1oz of Simcoe-Mosaic for their Speedy IPA. I take it this amount varies depending on the hops (aa%) used?

 

[Qhrumphf]

I would suggest EKG, but if you've already done so, no point if you're looking to try something new. Willamette also has an English type character (I've used it as a low cost sub for Fuggles) that some like, some don't (I enjoy it). Amarillo will be the most unique of the varietals, although Cascade can be used as a poor sub. You'll probably find some similarities between the Falconers, Amarillo, and Cascade. As far as something entirely DIFFERENT, I'd go with the Willamette (it'll be closer to the EKG than others but distinct). But I'd probably suggest Amarillo only as a preference, since ultimately it's a hard to replicate character.

 

[Synap6]

Thanks for the reply! I was leaning toward Willamette although Amarillo appears very intriguing.

Would you stick with 1 oz total for a 1gal batch (0.4oz @ 15mins, 0.6 @ flameout is what i did with my first batch of FF)? Or modify those quantities with Willamette?

 

[Qhrumphf]

I wouldn't combine Amarillo and Willamete personally although if you want to by all means go to it. If I was going to use a second hop beside Amarillo, I'd go with either the Cascade or the Falconers. I don't know how much you have on hand, but for a 1 gallon batch I'd probably go for a a 15 min addition of whatever you need to hit the IBUs you want, and then a 0 min addition of a half ounce of one or a quarter ounce each of both. The hops you listed vary pretty widely in terms of AA%, so it'll depend on which hops you pick.

 

[McGarnigle]

If you want to learn about hops, don't mix them, use one variety only. I'll place a vote against Cascades only because they have become a bit of a cliché in craft brewing and homebrewing. They're good, but you don't need to brew an all-Cascade beer to figure out what they taste like. They're all over the damn place.

 

[Synap6]

Hah, I do see Cascade brews pretty often so I'll avoid that for now as I know what it's about.

Amarillo is intriguing but I have too little of it I'm afraid. Either way, I'm wondering if it's all that different from Falconer's Flight: I guess I'll never know until I brew. Willamette might probably be it today!

Thanks for the input guys. Keep em coming if you want, I'm not planning to get started for another 2-3 hours