Planning a Hop Experiment

[Salanis]

So, I'm thinking of doing an experiment to learn flavors of different hops. Create a simple recipe (probably a pale ale) and do multiple batches where I change just the hops used in each. Each batch will use a single type of hops.

I figure a CPA using WLP001 should be pretty strait forward and lend itself to showcasing good hop flavors.

Biggest thing is what variable to adjust each time. Do I use the same weight in hops? Go for the same IBU and cut down hops? Split the difference and use less of stronger hops, but not quite little enough to get the same IBU? Or maybe use the same weight, but change how much gets thrown in at different times in the boil so that I get about the same IBU?

Next, what hop varieties do I want to do? Here's my short list thusfar:

• Hallertau
• Chinook
• Pearl
• Cascade
• Saaz

 

[biochemedic]

It think this sounds like a neat experiment! Here's my $0.02:

I would use the technique of a target IBU, and a *single* addition for bittering (at whatever time/weight needed to get there) and a single addition at 5 minutes or so. I would make the late addition of a constant weight, and use changes in the first addition to adjust the IBU level.

If you use this technique, you will get an "apples to apples" comparison of both the bittering quality and aroma quality of each hop. If you use multiple additions and change the times to arrive at your desired IBU level, you will be varying the ratio of how much each addition is contributing to the bitterness vs. aroma.

If you're more interested in the aroma/flavor characteristics, you could also dry hop with each variety, and for that I would probably just go for the same quantity, say 1/2 to 1 ounce.

 

[Salanis]

I like that idea. I'd thought of that earlier and forgotten.

I don't think I'll mess with dry hopping. Probably just 1/2 - 1 ounce at 5min, and then however much to achieve bittering at 60 or 45.

 

[dotnetdotcom]

I've been trying the same thing. A simple 2.5 gallon APA recipe. So far I've done Simcoe and Columbus. I have Hallertauer and Tetnanger almost ready to bottle.

I chose the hops based on their essential oil profiles
Simcoe - high percentage of myrcene
Columbus - high percentage of caryophylene
Hallertauer - high percentage of humulene (Saaz is also high in humulene)
Tettnanger - high percentage of farnesene

I did 60/15/1 additions, trying to keep the final IBUs around 40. I had a bit of a problem with the Simcoe and Columbus though because they have such high AA percentages. I don't have a scale and had to eyeball splitting an ounce of pellets into quarter ounces.

When choosing which hops to test I considered:
-cohumulone % of the alpha acids for bittering
-essential oil profile for taste and aroma
-comments on these forums

I tried to get hops that were on opposite sides of the spectrum based on the above parameters. For instance, to compare bittering, Simcoe has a very low % of cohumulone while Columbus has a pretty high percentage. For flavoring and aroma comparisons, I tried to pick a hop that had the highest percentage of each of the 4 main essential oils. Based on these parameters here's my summary of your list:

       Hop           Bittering           Flavor/Aroma
    * Hallertauer  low cohumulone       high farnesene
    * Chinook      high cohumulone      high myrcene, high caryophyllene
    * Perle        high cohumulone      high myrcene, high caryophyllene
    * Cascade      high cohumulone      high myrcene
    * Saaz         medium cohumulone    high humulene

Cascade has the highest cohumulone percentage and the highest myrcene percentage of the list. Perle and Chinook have pretty similar oil profiles. Hallertauer and Saaz have the highest humulene/caryophyllene ratios, which (based on what I've read on these forums) is traditionally the most desirable trait for flavor and aroma.

 

[262andbrew]

I love this type of exploration. Who needs styles and competitions when there is so much to play with!

Here is a slightly different idea that gives you the exposure to taste and aroma but takes out the bitering V. time V. weight for IBU variable. ... Use a 'clean' bittering hop as your baseline bittering. Something like Magnum.
Then change your flavor and aroma additions with your experimental hops as your variables. Your differences in IBU's will be lower and you will get to the flavors.

Just a slightly different way to isolate variables. (although you get away from the straight one hop type idea).

Another experimental design idea is outlined in this podcast from Basic Brewing:
http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr09-07-06.mp3
If I recall he went more for the 'math and time modification' to get to his final product.

 

[PanzerBanana]

BRILLIANT!

I'm gonna have to try something to this effect. do something for an individual hop variety to shine. yes indeed, novel experiment!