Hop experiences with Lutra (West Coast IPA)

[stianchrister]

I'm in the process of designing a West Coast IPA that's gonna use Lutra as yeast.

For now, the malt bill is as follows:

• 65% Pilsner malt
• 15% Pale malt
• 10% CaraMunich II
• 5% Carapils
• 5% Acidulated malt

But the real question is the hops. I've heard Lutra can eat up a lot of hop flavor. I've experienced this myself, with a single-hopped Cascade IPA having very little hop flavor left after fermentation.

This might be a rather common issue where the yeast ends up eating up a good chunk of the hop oils. I've heard Vinnie Cilurzo say that Blind Pig starts off at over 100 IBUs before fermentation, but ends up around 60 IBUs after fermentation because the yeast eats a portion of the oils. That's regular ale yeast, by the way. Lutra could be worse?

I want to hear some thoughts from anyone who's brewed a hoppy beer with Lutra.

Anyone had less hop flavors with Lutra? Anyone notice any differences?

What are your experiences?

 

[hottpeper13]

I had the same issue with a spruce tip IPA. Had to change the style to pale ale ,but even the malt flavor was less then when I use Notty.
I've got a Voss duplicate in primary ready in a day or two for kegging. I did not dry hop,and think that might help with the hop oils,I think switching the pale malt to Munich might help with the maltyness.
Anyway, I'll keep checking out every level of these Kveiks. Haven't made a dumper yet and a few were awesome just not to the style I was going for. And that's when we change the name and all is rite again.

 

[just john]

Yes in my limited experience it seems to take away the citrus hop nose and replace it with a funky ripe fruit one.

 

[aceluby]

Can’t say I disagree. I use 1/2 pound of hops in my Lutra citra IPA (with a weirdly similar grain bill). I’ve found I get a better nose skipping dry hopping and instead use those at 135 during cooldown. But for how much hops I use, I’d expect a bomb and instead it’s just a well balanced IPA that I can go grain to glass in 7 days.

 

[stianchrister]

Yes in my limited experience it seems to take away the citrus hop nose and replace it with a funky ripe fruit one.

Funky like dank funky, or funky like sour / acidic funky?

Can’t say I disagree. I use 1/2 pound of hops in my Lutra citra IPA (with a weirdly similar grain bill). I’ve found I get a better nose skipping dry hopping and instead use those at 135 during cooldown. But for how much hops I use, I’d expect a bomb and instead it’s just a well balanced IPA that I can go grain to glass in 7 days.

What's the bitterness like in this one? Do you feel like the bitterness is also muted, or just the flavor and aroma?

 

[aceluby]

Funky like dank funky, or funky like sour / acidic funky?

What's the bitterness like in this one? Do you feel like the bitterness is also muted, or just the flavor and aroma?

It’s a great beer that my hophead wife loves. Bitterness is there, most of the hops are flavor hops at 15, 10, 5, and 0, and the technique of not dry hopping gives it a very pungent, but clean nose. I’ve made the same beer S04 and didn’t notice much of a difference in hop character.