Hops for RIS

[C-Rider]

Well really for an American Imperial Stout. I have a pretty good recipe and took a 2nd Place in a contest on Maui this year. Comments about hop aroma and flavor got me thinking I need to switch hops from Columbus and Cascade.

What would you suggest? I'm only gonna use AMERICAN ingredients.

 

[JKaranka]

Simcoe, Chinook and Northern Brewer? I assume they wanted more pine / herbs?

 

[Hello]

I would echo the above and say chinook or northern brewer. I would not use cascade for the reasons the judges stated. Although, they do seem picky.

 

[lilbova3]

I've used Nugget and Willamette in a Breakfast Stout clone and another stout I did. They are pretty clean meaning don't provide the brew with much aroma or flavor. Warrior is similar as well. I believe I threw them in at 60 min (Nugget) and 30 min (Willamette). If you got knocked for hop flavor and aroma, make sure to not put the hops in late in the boil. I only use hops in my stouts for bitterness, no aroma or flavor.

 

[dragonfyre]

I'm planning on brewing an RIS with Magnum, Mt. Hood, and Vanguard in the boil with Calypso to dry hop.

These may seem random, but the hops reflect the first initials of my two daughters and their older cousin. That and the boil hops have noble flavors and aroma with a stone-fruit Calypso as a dry hop. I think they will pair nice with the roasted flavors.

YOLO!

 

[C-Rider]

Thank you for the comments.

BJCP states this for hops-----------Fruity esters may be low to intense, and can take on a dark fruit character (raisins, plums, or prunes). So I want to stay away from citrus esters. I was thinking of bittering w/Crystal.(2.5 oz) ..and flavor and aroma w/Willamette 1.5 oz in .5 oz batches at 10, 5, and 0 minutes. This is a 1.9 gallon batch into the fermenter.

I only want American hops.

 

[mrdail87]

If you're concerned about BJCP guidelines, nugget works well in stouts. Has a clean, neutral bitterness when added at 60. I use Cluster at 30 minutes in a Foreign Extra at 30 min with good results.

But if you're just looking for something you love, trust your judgement. My favorite stout recipe I've made so far used Centennial and Cascade.

Just brainstorm what sounds good to you first, and then compare against BJCP guidelines.

 

[chickypad]

Fruity esters I would think is describing the yeast character. Next sentence says "Hop aroma can be very low to quite aggressive, and may contain any hop variety. " What was the specific feedback on your first version?

 

[Quaker]

I've been using 50/50 Bramling Cross and Pacific Gem in my annual RIS brews. I selected both due to black currant descriptors, and I've been completely pleased with them. Even young, the hops meld into the dark fruit characters from the dark crystal in there. I don't have any comp feedback on it though. In an 8 gallon batch I use 2oz each at 15 minutes and again at flame out with a 20 minute hot steep. I use whatever else is on hand for the bittering addition.

 

[slym2none]

I just made a small batch of RIS and used Nugget for bittering & Palisades for flavour/aroma.

Anyone think dry-hopping this brew would be worth it? If so, what might you use to compliment the Palisades?

 

[C-Rider]

Fruity esters I would think is describing the yeast character. Next sentence says "Hop aroma can be very low to quite aggressive, and may contain any hop variety. " What was the specific feedback on your first version?

Looks like I mis-read the "standard"....Let me dig back into the reports. But since I only use dry yeast think I'm kinda stuck w/ US 05. Gotta do more re-search. I like what I produced, but I am going after contests w/this...

 

[Quaker]

I split my 8 gallon batches into 3 x 3 gallon car boys and pitch US05, Nottingham, and some other liquid British strain (been changing one up each time) separately. Then I recombine at kegging time. This is the only beer I routinely use dry yeast in, because I know I can cheaply get a big pitch with a couple packets in each. The third strain comes from a slurry from an immediately prior batch of pale ale. Last year I bottled 187ml samples of each unblended. The US05 accented the roast more, giving a drier perception (same final gravity as the Notty). The Notty was a little fruitier, and richer tasting. My third yeast was WLP007. It finished a point or two higher from memory, and tasted somewhere in between the other two. So I think it helps add another layer of complexity.