Seeking advice on hop usage

[chewyheel]

So I just harvested some of my home grown hops, and after drying I have 2 ounces Chinook and 4 ounces Cascade. My goal is to make a pale ale utilizing all the hops at different phases of the process. Ideally I want a firm bitterness upfront with plenty of hop flavor and aroma as well. My recipe so far is

6 lbs Maris Otter
2 lbs Flaked Oats
2 lbs Munich Light
1 lb Crystal 40

OG 1.054
FG 1.013

Mash at 152 for 60 minutes

S 04 yeast

Alpha % are estimates

.5 ounce chinook (12.5%) FWH 29 IBU
.5 ounce cascade (6.5%) 30 minutes 10.5 IBU
.5 ounce chinook 5 minutes 5.2 IBU
.5 ounce cascade 5 minutes 2.7 IBU
1 ounce chinook hop stand starting at 180 degrees ~ 30 minutes 19 IBU
3 ounces cascade dry hop

I don't have much experience doing hop stands, so any feedback about that or any other way to enhance the hop flavor/aroma is welcome.

 

[dmtaylor]

That actually looks great. Do it! Enjoy!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I see you do not have a 60 minute addition, and I'm wondering how you estimated the AA on your hops. Did you make hop tea to check the flavor? Just curious, as many Brewers will use pellets for bittering, because the AA is known. Confession, I used some homegrown Newport for bittering (it is a bittering hop afterall) and it could have used a little more.

 

[dmtaylor]

FWH addition will be in for the whole boil and will add plenty of IBUs.

In my experience with my home grown hops, the alpha acid is on par with the commercial average, or maybe very slightly lower, but very close. It depends on when they are harvested. My hops aren't ready until September. If harvested in July like this...... the alpha acid might be real low actually.

 

[chewyheel]

FWH addition will be in for the whole boil and will add plenty of IBUs.

In my experience with my home grown hops, the alpha acid is on par with the commercial average, or maybe very slightly lower, but very close. It depends on when they are harvested. My hops aren't ready until September. If harvested in July like this...... the alpha acid might be real low actually.

This is my 3rd year growing my own, and I made a couple of batches last year with them too that turned out well. Also, I'm in central North Carolina, and my hops were ready. I know last year I started to harvest at the beginning of August and they came in even earlier this year, so I don't think that should be an issue.