Single Hop IPA Experiment - Trying Out Some 'Special' Hops

[johnnychicago]

I'm going to be brewing some pilot batches for my upcoming wedding reception in November. I thought I'd try out a couple of batches of IPA with single hops using some new and newish special flavor hops.

Here is the base recipe I'm going with:

SHWIPA - X variety
American IPA

Recipe Specs
----------------
Batch Size (G): 5.5
Total Grain (lb): 13.500
Total Hops (oz): ~
Original Gravity (OG): 1.066 (°P): 16.1
Final Gravity (FG): 1.014 (°P): 3.6
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 6.79 %
Colour (SRM): 8.2 (EBC): 16.2
Bitterness (IBU): ~63 (per the program; probably significantly lower)
Brewhouse Efficiency (%): 71
Boil Time (Minutes): 60

Grain Bill
----------------
9.000 lb American 2-Row (66.67%)
2.500 lb Wheat Malt (18.52%)
0.500 lb Carawheat (3.7%)
0.500 lb Cane Sugar (3.7%)
0.500 lb Crystal 20 (3.7%)
0.500 lb Melanoidin (3.7%)

Hop Bill
----------------
20 IBUs FWH
22 IBUs @ 25
22 IBUs @ Flameout

Dry Hop:
2oz for 3 days
2oz for 4 days


Single Infusion at 149°F for 60 Minutes.
Fermented at 65°F with Wyeast 1968 - London ESB Ale



I brewed the first two experiments yesterday using Amarillo in one and Mosaic in the other. This came out to 6oz of Mosaic and 8oz of Amarillo in the boil. They are both bubbling away nicely at 65F and smelling incredible!

I am still trying to decide what other varieties to use, but right now I am thinking of doing 4-6 more beers and I'm favoring Citra, Galaxy, CTZ, Simcoe, Centennial, Sorachi Ace, and Nelson Sauvin.

I would appreciate any feedback and I will be posting updates as the experiment continues.

 

[Sock]

Why so much wheat malt? Is it solely for more mouth feel.

 

[hillhousesawdustco]

Curious: how many ounces of Amarillo do you need to equal 22 ibus at KO?

 

[johnnychicago]

I typically use some wheat or rye in my IPA. I get a nice spicy flavor from them and the sugar helps dry it out from getting too heavy, but there is a smoothness to the mouthfeel as well. Out of force of habit, I usually use at least some adjuncts - I rarely make all-barley beers.

Amarillo was only 8.5 alphas this harvest, so I ended up using a hefty 5.9oz @ flameout. The entire hop mass (including dry hops) for the Amarillo is going to come out to 12oz.

 

[MagicSmoker]

...
I am still trying to decide what other varieties to use, but right now I am thinking of doing 4-6 more beers and I'm favoring Citra, Galaxy, CTZ, Simcoe, Centennial, Sorachi Ace, and Nelson Sauvin.

I would appreciate any feedback and I will be posting updates as the experiment continues.

This is a very interesting idea that I have been pondering myself. I've tried to find commercial examples of single-hop beers (or, at least, a single hop for flavor and aroma additions).

BrewDog (UK) just did a series of single hop IPAs which I would love to try out but I suspect I'll have a tough time finding them here in Florida...

Bell's Two-Hearted Ale only uses Centennial and should be widely available in the US. Same with Brooklyn's Sorachi Ace (guess which hop it uses ).

Nelson Sauvin is particularly intriguing and likely will require some care in deployment as it seems to have a powerful flavor (I'm going to be doing a Black IPA/ABA/CDA/Whatever using Nelson Sauvin for flavor/aroma) and I just bottled up a "single" hop IPA using the Falconer's Flight 7C's blend.

Keep us updated whatever you decide to do!

 

[924RACR]

+1 to the idea of single-hop IPAs. MoreBeer had a few, and the Columbus IPA got us hooked on Columbus hops, it's that good!

 

[johnnychicago]

Yeah, not a ton of widely available commercial examples. I know Mikkeller did a full single-hop series, but like Brewdog, I'm wary of buying imported beers in a style built for freshness.

I did single hop Saisons last year using Amarillo, Nelson, and Sorachi, hop bursting and dry hopping them all. They were all tasty, but while I enjoyed the Sorachi one the most, everyone else overwhelmingly liked the Nelson Sauvin.

I've done a pale ale exclusively with FF7Cs and it turned out VERY tasty.

 

[bobbrews]

There is an easier way to test out hop character.

See this guys blog on dryhopping Bud Light: http://www.bertusbrewery.com/

 

[johnnychicago]

Ha! Yeah I remember that podcast. It's a cool idea, but dry-hopping is just one way to taste a hop; I want to see the full range of each strain's potential: bittering, flavor, aroma, AND dry hopping!

 

[bobbrews]

It's a cool idea, but dry-hopping is just one way to taste a hop; I want to see the full range of each strain's potential: bittering, flavor, aroma, AND dry hopping!

People often like to categorize hop character into those four stages you mentioned; perhaps for organizational purposes, or personal understanding and control. However, it's actually much more simple than that. The reality is that there is the blank slate of innate bitterness we get from all hops, and then there is the character of the hops (which encompasses both flavor and aroma).

Different levels of bitterness, flavor, and aroma are offered in varying levels during all stages in the making of a beer. But there is no magical mark of 20-10 minutes in the boil for optimum flavor. This is a myth. It is the dryhop and warm hopstand that offers the most potent flavor and aroma. There is no better way to gauge hop character than the dryhop since this method is a cold steep that doesn't rely on heat to volatize any of the delicate oils & aromatics. You'll find that the dryhop (in any hoppy beer that relies on the method) tends to dominate the overall focus of the beer.

 

[johnnychicago]

I certainly don't think there is any "magical mark of 20-10 minutes" and I know that there is a ton of variables in boil extraction (boil temp/turbidity, wort specific gravity, hop surface to wort contact, etc.) but I don't agree that a dry hop is the best way to gauge hop character.

Hop character (bitterness, flavor, and aroma) is changed by both heat and fermentation. Dry hopping is just an alcohol extract, vs heat or water or steam distillation, or whatever. I don't think any is better or worse than the others and I don't really think there is a 'best' way. The most pure hop flavour is probably obtained form just eating raw hops, but that doesn't help my purposes. The best way for my purposes to understand a hop is to brew with it.

 

[bobbrews]

but I don't agree that a dry hop is the best way to gauge hop character.

Just wanted to clarify this... In a properly dryhopped IPA or other dryhopped beer, it is the dryhop character that stands out most, both flavor & aroma-wise (not bitterness of course). So if you brew a beer with only Amarillo in the boil, and then dryhop it solely with Citra, you will end up tasting and smelling mostly Citra.

I think that's why scott's Bud light dryhop experiment works so well. You pretty much have a blank slate beer to work with and assess the character of the hops, which is strongest in the dryhop.

 

[johnnychicago]

So if you brew a beer with only Amarillo in the boil, and then dryhop it solely with Citra, you will end up tasting and smelling mostly Citra.

I'm going to 'sorta' agree with this. I don't however, think that an oz or two of dry-hops can overwhelm a quarter lb. of whirlpool hops. Also, if you bitter with a ton of low alpha hops (or a ton of hops high in cohumulone), you are probably going to taste vegetal or astringent flavors, regardless of how much dry hopping you do.

Also, what is 'proper' dry-hopping? I was under the impression that if you ask 100 brewers (who all make great hoppy beers) you'll get 100 different answers

 

[bobbrews]

Brewing methods absolutely differ. But if you dryhop what you desire to be an aromatic and flavorful IPA at the rate of .15 or .30 oz dryhops per gallon of beer for 3 days, then you will most likely find the aroma is not as intoxicating as you would have hoped due to under-dryhopping. The flavor and aroma will be underwhelming compared to a great commercial example which may be dryhopped at the rate of .60-1 oz per gallon. It also depends on the length of the dryhop and whether you're tossing in loose leaf hops, half of which are not in full contact with the beer. Even using too much dryhops can be an issue. A dryhop of too much leaf hops in particular will cause astringent, off-flavors. There are many techniques to better dryhopping, which we can discuss in another thread.

There are also many great IPAs that choose to bitter with a ton of hops (sometimes a baffling amount) and there are no vegetal or astringent flavors in the end. So, I would disagree there. It's really dependent on brewer processes as to whether or not your beer has off flavors.

My initial post was simply offering a link that illustrates an easier way to familiarize yourself with hop character instead of brewing a plethora of individual single IPAs. And then you basically said that his method doesn't really work that well. When in actuality, it works very well. So try it... or not. Ignorance is bliss. Spend $500 to familiarize yourself with 8 different hops if you desire. But try not to take things so personally as an attack on your methods.

 

[adamc]

Styrian goldings?

 

[johnnychicago]

The fact that we cannot come to agreement here, illustrates my point. There isn't a 'right' amount of dry hops, just like there isn't a 'right' IPA. The desirable IPA flavors of today were off-flavors 25 years ago. One person's 'great commercial example' is another's nasty, dank, cat-pissy mess.

As far bittering with a ton of low-apha hops - I am sure there are brewers that can pull that I off. I can't. And neither can Vinnie Cilurzo:

"He didn't like grassy, chlorophyll flavors he attributed to sheer hop mass. Following a suggestion from Gerard Lemmens at Yakima Chief, he replaced pellets with extract for the bittering addition" (For the Love of Hops p. 134)

What works for one brewer may not for another. What works for one beer drinker may not for another.


My only point is that what works for me is to brew a beer with the hop I'm testing out. That is the only way for me to understand a hop. Feel free to PM me if you want to continue this discussion

 

[mewithstewpid]

This is a very interesting idea that I have been pondering myself. I've tried to find commercial examples of single-hop beers (or, at least, a single hop for flavor and aroma additions).

Check out the Sixpoint Spice of Life series

http://sixpoint.com/beers/spice-of-life

new single hop beer each month.

 

[johnnychicago]

Check out the Sixpoint Spice of Life series...new single hop beer each month.

I totally forgot about Sixpoint! I had a few of them when I was living in Queens and they were pretty tasty.

 

[MagicSmoker]

Brewing methods absolutely differ. But if you dryhop what you desire to be an aromatic and flavorful IPA at the rate of .15 or .30 oz dryhops per gallon of beer for 3 days, then you will most likely find the aroma is not as intoxicating as you would have hoped due to under-dryhopping. The flavor and aroma will be underwhelming compared to a great commercial example which may be dryhopped at the rate of .60-1 oz per gallon. ...

I apologize for continuing the derailment of this thread, but I would like some clarification here... Are you saying that dry-hopping (at the rate of 0.6oz to 1oz per gal.) will provide hop flavor as well as the expected boost in hop aroma? And, more pointedly, that this is can be done instead of the, e.g., the traditional "flavor" addition at 15-20 minutes left in the boil, and the "aroma" additions at 5 minutes left to flameout?

Again, sorry for the derailment... Feel free to quote this post and start a new thread with a pointer to it from here.

 

[aiptasia]

I apologize for continuing the derailment of this thread, but I would like some clarification here... Are you saying that dry-hopping (at the rate of 0.6oz to 1oz per gal.) will provide hop flavor as well as the expected boost in hop aroma? And, more pointedly, that this is can be done instead of the, e.g., the traditional "flavor" addition at 15-20 minutes left in the boil, and the "aroma" additions at 5 minutes left to flameout?

Again, sorry for the derailment... Feel free to quote this post and start a new thread with a pointer to it from here.

Yes. A lot of brewers are also experimenting with big additions of flavoring and aroma hops at flameout. This is known as a hops steep or hops "bursting," in which the wort is given a big hops addition at flameout to infuse it with hops for about 45 minutes as it begins to cool off to about 170*f. This steep time will infuse the wort with massive amounts of hops flavor and aroma and it can be used instead of dry hopping, or in combination with dry hopping, to provide extra aroma and flavor.

Hops steeps are coming into favor with craft breweries to avoid grassy chlorophyll notes found in a lot of dry hopped beers. Last month's BYO magazine has a great article on hops steeping.

 

[bobbrews]

Are you saying that dry-hopping (at the rate of 0.6oz to 1oz per gal.) will provide hop flavor as well as the expected boost in hop aroma? And, more pointedly, that this is can be done instead of the, e.g., the traditional "flavor" addition at 15-20 minutes left in the boil, and the "aroma" additions at 5 minutes left to flameout?

I can only echo what I believe in at the present time. I skip 20-5 min additions for the sake of loading up more on the whirlpool/dryhop. I have noticed a boost in both flavor/aroma from the hops with this method. My 60 and 30 minute additions still stand (30 min is optional for rounding the bitterness). But I'm not doing many 20-5 min additions anymore since I personally feel you are just getting a weakened flavor/aroma and weakened form of bitterness from these additions. It doesn't offer any layering effects of hop complexity, for me personally.

I recently wrote my mantra in another thread:

Ground it out with the majority of your IBUs early.
Round it out with a small middle charge.
Pound it out with a huge whirlpool & dryhop.

Another key element is to use more hops than you think is necessary. 6-7 oz. won't cut it with this schedule. You need more like 12-14 oz.

 

[MagicSmoker]

...I skip 20-5 min additions for the sake of loading up more on the whirlpool/dryhop. I have noticed a boost in both flavor/aroma from the hops with this method.
...
Another key element is to use more hops than you think is necessary. 6-7 oz. won't cut it with this schedule. You need more like 12-14 oz.

Hmmm... Yes, I can see how doubling the amount of hops used would boost the flavor and aroma from them...

 

[bobbrews]

Hmmm... Yes, I can see how doubling the amount of hops used would boost the flavor and aroma from them...

This advice is exclusive of the schedule change, Smart Alec. I always use 10-14 oz. on average for intoxicating IIPAs despite the hop schedule. A lot of people want Pliny or Heady and don't understand why they can't even get close when they're using only half the amount of hops.

I'm skipping 20-5 now because I don't want any of that flavor/aroma boiled off. 3-5 oz. of late boil hops is more potent at 0 than 3-5 oz. split amongst 20-0 min.

 

[Jmarsh544]

I second Galaxy and CTZ and would also recommend Falconers Flight.

 

[johnnychicago]

I second Galaxy and CTZ and would also recommend Falconers Flight.

Falconers is kickass, but since it is a hop blend, I don't think I'll be using it. Galaxy is pretty much decided on, though.

 

[MagicSmoker]

This advice is exclusive of the schedule change, Smart Alec. I always use 10-14 oz. on average for intoxicating IIPAs despite the hop schedule. A lot of people want Pliny or Heady and don't understand why they can't even get close when they're using only half the amount of hops.

I'm skipping 20-5 now because I don't want any of that flavor/aroma boiled off. 3-5 oz. of late boil hops is more potent at 0 than 3-5 oz. split amongst 20-0 min.

I've been called worse... :cross:

Ok, more seriously... I've only brewed 5 batches and of the 4 I have tasted they all have pretty much sucked. Mainly from lacking in any hops flavor or aroma. One batch I tried dry-hopping with little discernible difference, but seeing as I only used 1oz of EKG, that might not be too surprising.

I *love* hops, so I am keenly interested in how to get more flavor and aroma, I'm just trying to avoid resorting to a pure "brute force" approach (ie - add more hops until your wallet cries "Uncle").

I can see how any time spent boiling will result in loss of flavor/aroma compounds via the process of steam distillation, but I also wonder if there might be a difference in flavor as a result of spending some time at boiling temperature. That is to say, a hop addition at 20 minutes might very well provide a unique contribution to the flavor that cannot be matched by an addition after flameout (particularly if the wort has been cooled below the generally accepted temperature range for isomerization of the alpha acids).

NB - I haven't tried either Pliny the Elder (/Younger) or Heady Topper. I've looked for both here in Tampa, Fl, but so far no dice. I do like Stone's Ruination, however, so I'd like to think I can handle some IBUs.