Too many hops

[Sourz4life]

So I made my first batch of beer recently and its currently fermenting, its a 1 gallon batch. I made a mistake and not only calculated the amount of hops I needed incorrectly, but added way to many. I'm making an ale, and I used 1.25 oz of cascade hops as a bittering for 60 mins, and 1.125 oz of northern brewer hops at the last 5 minutes. After reading some threads it seems like there is pretty much a bitterness cap, but for what I'm going for with the beer (smoked maple bacon) will be ruined by too much bitterness. So my question is can I brew another 4 gallon batch matching the grains and such, and not add any or just a very small amount of hops to that batch them mix them both together. If so, I'm also curious if I should mix them together while my current 1 gallon batch is still fermenting and mix it with the 4 gallon batch while its fermenting, or if I should wait until the 1 gallon is done then throw it in with the 4 gallon while its fermenting. I want to make sure that the hops help with any of its preservitive/protective properties.

 

[Chris_Primavera]

You made a mistake with a one-gallon batch. Learn from it by tasting the result.

Make another batch with your new information - repeat as necessary.

I would also suggest that you start off with simpler brews and work your way up to exotic flavor profiles after you have the basic procedures down and know how your actions effect the final product.

 

[Sourz4life]

I will be doing that for sure, as everything is a learning experience but is there any chance of salvaging this batch?

 

[meatcleaver]

I don't see why you couldn't brew another less bitter beer & blend em at bottling time

 

[CUrchin]

I don't see why you couldn't brew another less bitter beer & blend em at bottling time

+1 --> Especially because you are dealing with 1 gallon batches, this would be a good option.

 

[Sourz4life]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll try that.

 

[MaryB]

I would bottle and age it 4 weeks, you may have just made a very drinkable IPA... Off the Topper 1 gallon kit form NB around 3oz of hops in a 1 gallon batch!

 

[Chris_Primavera]

+1 --> Especially because you are dealing with 1 gallon batches, this would be a good option.

Then the OP learns nothing from the first batch and nothing from a 4-gallon batch since he will (hopefully) never repeat this process.

Why waste 4 gallons worth of ingredients and five hours of time to fix a one gallon batch?

 

[Casedeville]

Oh man, I totally know where you're coming from, OP! You spent hours making this batch and you're invested. Don't let the investment cloud your judgement! I've tried to save a few bad batches, and it never makes a great beer. It might make it slightly better, but never good. If I were you, I would just finish out the 1-gallon batch and see what it tastes like for your own edification. It's not really worth the time and money to try and fix it.

It's all a matter of your brewing philosophy. Some brewers are perfectionists and want to nail a batch every time or dump it (me). Other brewers really enjoy tinkering and trying to fix things. Neither is wrong as long as it lines up with what you ENJOY doing the most. Hell, I know brewers who make really bad beer, yet are geniuses when it comes to making brewing gadgets and setups, and that's what keeps them into the hobby. It's a personal hobby that ultimately YOU get to decide what makes it FUN and INTERESTING for YOU.

I would also suggest that you start off with simpler brews and work your way up to exotic flavor profiles after you have the basic procedures down and know how your actions effect the final product.

This is the philosophy that I personally follow, but I've also met brewers who aren't interested in homebrewing if they have to brew to conform to styles, so they get crazy with recipes. That's how and why Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head started brewing, so you're in good company. I honestly can't say I've had a drinkable beer from exotic homebrewers, but hey, that's what keeps them homebrewing. However, if you find that your beers aren't coming out the way you want them, then it would be helpful to start trying to brew known recipes and get them dialed in so that you know your process is sound. The mark of a great brewer is repeatability.

 

[Sourz4life]

Thanks all. I'm just going to let it go and see how it tastes in the end and learn from it. I'll move onto another batch for now.

 

[lolcats]

That's something like 200+ IBUs

I don't think there's that much of a difference between 100 and 200, our palate can't make that much of a difference.

I wouldn't blend it with another batch. It's just 1 gallon, i would drink it. And make another batch using http://www.brewersfriend.com/ibu-calculator/ to aim around 50-70 IBUs for an IPA

 

[Aristotelian]

Only a 1 gallon batch? I would say just bottle it and see what it tastes like. Then decide whether it is worth drinking, or perhaps keeping a bottle or two to have on hand if you want to blend for a little extra smoke or hop flavor.

If you decide to go the blending route, wait until after fermentation so that whatever yeast is in your recipe is the one that is doing the fermenting.

 

[Oginme]

When you go to bottle your 1 gallon Magnus Hoppinus, take a sample and add a pinch of table salt to it. Now taste it as compared to a sample without the salt. The Chloride from the salt will help lessen the harshness of the bitterness just a bit. Not that I would expect it to be a miracle cure, but it is a good learning on how to adjust some of the taste using mineral additions. You may as well use it to learn something from the experience (other than to not do it again).

 

[Sourz4life]

Bumping this, but since this I've brewed 4 other batches. 1 batch being what this one was intended to be, but did 5 gallons on these ones. I've also go into kegging and recently got mine set up. I added some salt and maple syrup diluted in a little sterile hot water and added it to the keg. To be honest it pretty much is a maple flavored IPA. Not as bitter as I was expecting but it definitely has a bite.