Michael311
Well-Known Member
I've brewed about 30 batches, mosyly Imperial IPA's and mostly recipes somebody else has created. I've done three "all me" recipes that have tuned out fine.
I realize now the commercial Double IPA's I really like are not bitter, but hoppy. My favorites are: Heady Topper, Pliny the Elder and Alpine's Duet. I know that's not outside of the box choices but in my opinion there's a reason at least HT and PTE are at cult status level. But to me, they are very hoppy, but not bitter. I've had lots of commercial DIPA's from Stone, Green Flash, etc that are just too bitter and they don't seem like well balanced beers to me.
So my question is, how do I accomplish that as a home brewer? I've done Pliny clones and they end up more bitter than the real thing. Is it simply a matter of conservative amounts of bittering hops? I've been moving toward very late hop additions and my next attempt will be flame out and hop stands while bittering with hop extract.
Thoughts?
I realize now the commercial Double IPA's I really like are not bitter, but hoppy. My favorites are: Heady Topper, Pliny the Elder and Alpine's Duet. I know that's not outside of the box choices but in my opinion there's a reason at least HT and PTE are at cult status level. But to me, they are very hoppy, but not bitter. I've had lots of commercial DIPA's from Stone, Green Flash, etc that are just too bitter and they don't seem like well balanced beers to me.
So my question is, how do I accomplish that as a home brewer? I've done Pliny clones and they end up more bitter than the real thing. Is it simply a matter of conservative amounts of bittering hops? I've been moving toward very late hop additions and my next attempt will be flame out and hop stands while bittering with hop extract.
Thoughts?