Hoppy Tropical Blonde Ale or Session IPA?

[darshasaurus]

Hello all,

This is my first time posting, but I've been using HBT for it's infinite helpful information as I've picked up this great hobby over the last year and a half.

Anyway, just wanted to get some opinions on a dilemma I am faced with. Two Sundays ago I brewed my first self-created recipe which I was hoping to be a blonde ale with tropical fruit notes strictly from using hops with that character and no actual fruit. Basically something I knew SWMBO would go gaga for since she has yet to really love a brew of mine. The recipe was made up of a bit of steeping grains and DME with magnum hops for bittering and citra/mosiac for flavor/aroma. I just pulled a FG sample and tasted it. It tastes great and truly smells and tastes like it has mango/pineapple/passion fruit in it, but it is more hoppy than I had planned. I calculated my IBUs to be in the high 40s which in hindsight does seem on the high side (too much of a damn hop-head). I originally planned to dry hop with half an ounce to an ounce of citra and mosiac. The question is-- if I skip the dry hops, will my final chilled and carbonated product be less hoppy than it seems now and be enjoyable as a tropical blonde ale, or should I dry hop the hell out of it and just go session IPA with it?

Thanks in advance for your help and let me know if you need any info that I haven't already touched on.

 

[Iseneye]

High 40s will be too hoppy for a blonde (IMO) as you now know. Aim for 20 next time.

Anyway - with the 40 IBU I imagine that it will be too bitter for your SWMBO regardless of dry hopping or not. I suggest keeping this beer for yourself (dry hopping your choice) and rebrewing it with less IBUs.

 

[midfielder5]

try sub 20 ibu (like 15) if brewing for a person who doesnt like hops. BMC have like 5-8 IBUs.
If you like hops, always dry hop!
and good first post!

 

[darshasaurus]

Thanks for the insight guys. When I was putting it together the hop head in me took over even though it was a beer aimed for her. The recipe I was basing it off of called for actual mango so I suppose I was trying to compensate for not using mango with extra hops. And the beers I go for are 60 IBU and up so 40 didn't seem like all that much. She's not a hop hater, just likes things to be a bit more balanced or sweet forward. Threw in about an ounce of citra this morning and I will have a delicious session IPA type beer in a couple weeks! I'll try 20 IBU with a similar recipe in the near future. Thanks again! 🍻