Single Hop IPA experiment

[kombat]

My understanding is that carapils, along with carafoam, help with head retention, something my beers have often suffered from. And so I use it or wheat or flaked barley in most of my beers. I've not read that a higher mash temp will help. Am I wrong?

No, you're right, and that's the same reason I include some Carafoam (same thing) in virtually all of my own recipes, too. I'm a sucker for some nice lacing on my glass. Makes me feel classy.

 

[rodwha]

It's not a huge deal for me personally, but I hate handing a beer that the head fizzles out on in two minutes. And I'd certainly prefer it to be right anyway.

 

[rodwha]

Oh, and the way I understand the whirlpool and temperature is that at the higher end it adds more of a flavor, whereas at the lower end it adds more of an aroma. If this is true I can understand using two whirlpools. But I've only barely jumped into doing one myself and am not even sure that those who spoke about knew exactly what was going on.

 

[cantrell00]

Oh, and the way I understand the whirlpool and temperature is that at the higher end it adds more of a flavor, whereas at the lower end it adds more of an aroma. If this is true I can understand using two whirlpools. But I've only barely jumped into doing one myself and am not even sure that those who spoke about knew exactly what was going on.

It contributes both. Boiling temps impart bitterness

 

[desabat]

Doing the columbus single hop right now. I had a hold up with available fermenters but got some new ones so I'll knock these other two batches (Columbus, Cascade) in the next few days. Meanwhile the Amarillo and Centennial are ready for dry hopping for a week and bottling.

 

[JordanKnudson]

Would love to see a pic when you pour one!

 

[desabat]

I will defintely post pics. I plan on doing a blind tasting and ranking them in order of preference and give my tasting notes. I will get other people to do tastings as well.

Edit: This was my first time using columbus. I have read how "herbal" it smells and I have to say the description is spot on. The pellets didn't smell as potent as the amarillo or even the centennial but once they hit the kettle they bursted huge resin aroma at first followed by a mild citrus and herbal quality. First impression is that this hop would go well with any of the more potent citrus hops I hope it stands out well by its own too. From what I've read people do like the taste of columbus in single hop ipa so Im confident it will turn out good.

I didnt stir the mash enough on this batch and my efficiency dipped a little to 1.046. It was either that or that I got the grains from a different lhbs (some grains weren't cracked). The last batches i've usually stirred the mash at 15 min intervals and gotten consistent results at 77-79 % efficiency. The other ones are at 1.052.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

I highly recommend doing a all Citra hop IPA also. I did a all Citra Pale Ale that came out amazing.

 

[desabat]

I highly recommend doing a all Citra hop IPA also. I did a all Citra Pale Ale that came out amazing.

Citra is on my list to get a pound of, but it was sold out on hops direct

 

[cantrell00]

Columbus is a great dry hop varietal.

 

[justenoughforme]

i dry hopped citra (instead of cascade) for my last batch of beer.

it's still carbing ... but oh man the way it hits your nose you know it's going to be great.


i dream of a pound of citra... but at that price... it's not in my immediate future.

 

[desabat]

Just bottled the Amarillo IPA tonight after a week of dryhoping and the aroma is great! it filled up the entire room with an unmistakable aroma of passion fruit.This will be an awesome IPA! Bottled to 2.5 vol

 

[Spartan300man]

you also need to update the total weight of grain, your OP says 11 lbs and I count 8.75. So are you splitting your batch into two 2.5 gallon fermentors, so that you can dry-hop differently between the two and compare?

 

[desabat]

Double Post

 

[desabat]

you also need to update the total weight of grain, your OP says 11 lbs and I count 8.75. So are you splitting your batch into two 2.5 gallon fermentors, so that you can dry-hop differently between the two and compare?

Thx ill edit that. No im making entire 5 gal batches of a single hop (except the Centennial which is 2.5 gal). So far i have amarillo bottled, centennial ready to bottle tomorrow and columbus ready to dry hop to bottle in a week. Cascade batch got postponed but will do it anyways later on and post it also. Im loving these single hop batches so far from the samples ive been able to smell/ taste.

My opinion right now is that people pick up different aromas from the same hop based on their own perception. I was smelling the extremely citrus passion fruit last night while my wife would stick her head in the fermenter after i siphoned and was picking up peach notes and i couldnt agree with her on that. it was like we were smelling two different things. Maybe all the hop sludge in the bucket had a stronger aroma and it changed the profile of the hop? Dunno, i like the that magical element in brewing not knowing exactly whats going on in every detail but having it surpass your expectations at the same time.

 

[desabat]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1436391901.084969.jpg

Wanted to try the amarillo thats been bottled for 10 days. Smell is amazing of passion fruit citrus i really cant say enough for amarillos aromatic qualities; its citric and resiny.

Taste is more of a pale ale , not enough bitternes, malt base is very smooth leaving a nice mild exotic (over ripe?) fruity taste. Based on my recipe, amarillo can take the center stage for aroma and make a very drinkable pale ale. I will up the flavoring additions for my bext batch to see if i can get a sharper flavor. But for this recipe, a nice drinkable 5% ale, the mild flavor is very pleasing.

Edit: All three beers finished at 1.010. This one is still cloudy but not a surprise at only 10 days since bottling and I havent cold crashed.

 

[JordanKnudson]

Wow, looks and sounds great!

 

[desabat]

Unless you're going for a DIPA just up your base grains and leave the sugar out to hit your desired OG. Also leave the carapils out.

No sugar was used just 2 row Vienna .25 Caramel 10 and .25 Carapils. They all finished at 1.010 mashing at 149. Maybe it would have finished a little lower without the carapils but for this beer I think the extra body works. Its really smooth and the amarillo flavor is mellow.