Muddy Hop Flavors

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I just bottled an Imperial IPA. When I tasted the green beer it didn’t reach up and smack me in the face like I want. I’m kind if thinking that maybe using more than 2 varieties of hops kinds if muddies the character rather than making the hop and aroma flavors more complex. Based on the recipes I’ve seen, I think I am in the minority with this line of thinking. I know that I may have under hopped this beer based on what I see for Imperial IPAs. Note that I have about 2.25 gallons of wort after the boil and leave about a quart of trub behind when racking into my fermentors. Here’s my recipe:

The Queens Consort
Imperial IPA
2 gallons
148 Degrees Mash
1.076 OG
1.013 FG
SRM 8.2
IBU “100”
8.5% ABV

Nestle Pure Life Water
6 lbs. American Pale Ale
8 oz. Carapils
1 oz. American Crystal 80L
1 tsp. Gypsum

.5 oz. Columbus 60 15.7AA
.25 oz. Columbus 30 15.7AA
1/4 tsp. Irish Moss 15
1 oz. Simcoe 5 13.2AA
.75 oz. EKG Whirlpool 5AA
1 oz. Centennial Dry Hop
.25 oz. Columbus Dry Hop

Fermentis US-05

Everything went fine and I hit all my numbers but I’ve had less hops give me more flavor/aroma when I’ve used 2 or 1 varieties. I even didn’t cold crash this time due to all the hubbub about oxidation in cold crashing. That’s the only thing I did different from my usual process. I suppose it could relate to the freshness of the hops I purchased as well. Also, I realize that after carbonation there may be more hop aroma. Does anyone agree that perhaps more hop varieties muddies the character of the types of hops used?

 

[ong]

No, I don’t have the experience that multiple hop strains muddy the flavors.

Even for the 2 gallon size it’s not a ton of flavor/aroma hops. And it’s a bit of a weird mix, to my eye (mostly I think the EKG is going to get pretty lost in the mix). I wouldn’t expect a ton of hop flavor or aroma.

The only thing that leaps out is 4 tsp of gypsum for 2 gallons! That’s a LOT.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I was going off memory. I’ll check my brew journal when I get home for the gypsum amount. I do remember being surprised at how much the calculator had suggested, but originally I had planned for 1/4 tsp. So maybe it’s 1 or 2 teaspoons. I did intend to have around 200ppm of Ca, but I might have messed up with the calculator.

This is the recipe that I tweaked a small amount to fit my process. Also their recipe has about 1.38 ounces of aroma hops per gallon where mine only has 1.2 ounces of aroma hops per gallon.

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-recipe/russian-river-pliny-the-elder-clone/

You can see why I selected the varieties that I did.

 

[couchsending]

But not why you used EKG? Ain’t no EKG in Pliny.

So in the past did you cold crash before adding dry hops and this time you didn’t?

Did you use the same water as in the past? 4tsp of Gypsum in a 2ish gallon batch is a ton. Water and pH can play a huge roll in hop flavor/aroma/bitterness.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

But not why you used EKG? Ain’t no EKG in Pliny.

So in the past did you cold crash before adding dry hops and this time you didn’t?

Did you use the same water as in the past? 4tsp of Gypsum in a 2ish gallon batch is a ton. Water and pH can play a huge roll in hop flavor/aroma/bitterness.

As to the EKG, I had it left over from my Scottish partigyle and didn’t want it to go bad, so since this beer was a little short on hops compared to the AHA recipe, I tossed them in at flameout. It actually bothers me to make a true clone so having a difference, even if it’s subtle made me happy anyway.

For the first five or so batches of beer I made, I experimented with spring waters and grocery store brands, but I settled on Nestle Pure Life water and use it exclusively now.

I just checked my brew journal and it was 1 tsp. Of gypsum. I’ll correct the OP.

I always until now cold crash for 48 hours before bottling if I dry hop. When I do, the hops sink to the bottom and not as much hop debris makes it into the bottles. This time I didn’t cold crash at all.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I think I figured out what the problem was. Ironically, I think it’s me. I’ve had allergies for the last few weeks and my sense of smell is muted.