When To Drink an IPA?

[unionrdr]

Nugget is a bit earthy compared to citra. And the 45 min addition is rather pointless. I'd do 60,20,& 10 myself. Then dry hop for aroma.

 

[Yambor44]

Nugget is a bit earthy compared to citra. And the 45 min addition is rather pointless. I'd do 60,20,& 10 myself. Then dry hop for aroma.

Is this due to the lower AA's than Citra?

Edit: I thought it read "early" not "earthy".

 

[unionrdr]

Earthy,like fuggel. Kinda like portabella mushrooms are earthy. Just no mushroom flavor.

 

[Yambor44]

Gotcha. I don't think I like that. I was actually making a clone of something with this recipe and at the last minute changed the name. Wish I could remember what it was.

 

[14thstreet]

Yambor, I'm not sure you are getting an appropriate answer for the context you've put your beer in. What about the beer do you not like? On addressing your recipe, it looks like you are using 66% of your hops for bittering. With the somewhat low gravity and high attenuation, you're putting the emphasis of this beer on bittering. You have a scant 1.5 oz of flavor/aroma hops and NO dryhop (yet) to speak of for an 11 gallon batch. You'll actually see most typical west coast ipas have this hop balance the other way around, ie, toward the flavor/aroma. Is that what you are after?

You may be waiting for the bitterness to meld in with the rest of the beer but there is not much else to meld with, IMO. Dry hop it (2-5oz or more!).

 

[Yambor44]

Yambor, I'm not sure you are getting an appropriate answer for the context you've put your beer in. What about the beer do you not like? On addressing your recipe, it looks like you are using 66% of your hops for bittering. With the somewhat low gravity and high attenuation, you're putting the emphasis of this beer on bittering. You have a scant 1.5 oz of flavor/aroma hops and NO dryhop (yet) to speak of for an 11 gallon batch. You'll actually see most typical west coast ipas have this hop balance the other way around, ie, toward the flavor/aroma. Is that what you are after?

You may be waiting for the bitterness to meld in with the rest of the beer but there is not much else to meld with, IMO. Dry hop it (2-5oz or more!).

Since it is on tap already, how should this be done? Pellets or leaf straight in or in a sanitized hop bag?

I have been trying to make a "lighter" style of IPA. More of a session IPA If that makes any sense. Is that possible, a 5-6% ABV IPA?

Rob

 

[Krovitz]

Since it is on tap already, how should this be done? Pellets or leaf straight in or in a sanitized hop bag?

I have been trying to make a "lighter" style of IPA. More of a session IPA If that makes any sense. Is that possible, a 5-6% ABV IPA?

Rob

You're a homebrewer. Everything's possible.

 

[Yambor44]

***Note to self.... If you plan on adding 2.5 ounces of pellet hops directly to an already carbonated beer...do so very quickly and get the lid back on ASAP...

 

[tre9er]

Nugget is a bit earthy compared to citra. And the 45 min addition is rather pointless. I'd do 60,20,& 10 myself. Then dry hop for aroma.

Nugget is a fantastic IPA hop. It's earthy but floral, excellent for bittering as well as flavor/aroma. One of my best IIPA's is all Nugget hops. It's low cohumulone also makes it good for bittering as it doesn't contribute much other than smooth bitterness.

 

[14thstreet]

If I've dryhopped in the keg, I've put my hops (pellet or whole) in a hop bag and tied it halfway down my liquid out tube. Sanitize your hop bag before doing this just to be safe. You could also weight it down too. The idea is that you don't block/clog the dip tube with hop or bag. Others have used a tea infusion ball.

 

[tre9er]

On the topic of when to drink IPA's along the process:

I tend to make my pales and IPA's with just base and crystal, relatively dry, and plenty of flavor and aroma additions, including gratuitious dry-hops. I ferment to FG, warm a tad and let it sit for a few days to clean up (usually 10 days or so total). At that point I dry-hop either in primary or in secondary (depends on my mood and if I need the primary for something else). I usually do this for 3-5 days, then keg. I drink them within a few days as I carb on a high PSI and sometimes shake.

I find that basic grain bills for pales and IPA's are particularly good young, probably peaking about a week or so after being in the keg.

Now, that said, I find my bottled pales/IPA's are good even later, probably due to the fact that they're not gassing off hop aroma from the whole batch with every pint like a kegged beer does.

 

[tre9er]

If I've dryhopped in the keg, I've put my hops (pellet or whole) in a hop bag and tied it halfway down my liquid out tube. Sanitize your hop bag before doing this just to be safe. You could also weight it down too. The idea is that you don't block/clog the dip tube with hop or bag. Others have used a tea infusion ball.

I just toss the bag in usually. Not sure I've ever clogged the dip tube, but I believe that it's possible.

 

[Yambor44]

If I've dryhopped in the keg, I've put my hops (pellet or whole) in a hop bag and tied it halfway down my liquid out tube. Sanitize your hop bag before doing this just to be safe. You could also weight it down too. The idea is that you don't block/clog the dip tube with hop or bag. Others have used a tea infusion ball.

Man. Wish I would have thought about the tea ball. I have a couple of those!

 

[Erroneous]

Man. Wish I would have thought about the tea ball. I have a couple of those!

You may also try chilling the hops and tea ball first to help prevent the co2 from coming out of suspension. Never tried it but it helps when filling bottles from the keg

 

[Yambor44]

You may also try chilling the hops and tea ball first to help prevent the co2 from coming out of suspension. Never tried it but it helps when filling bottles from the keg

I do. My hops always stay in the freezer.

 

[sudsmcgee]

I've had multiple IPA's that went from grain to glass in 14 days and tasted awesome. The younger the better if you ask me.

There is a reason Pliny is sold in limited markets and says on the label to drink a soon as possible.

 

[cwi]

As an FYI some key points I haven't mentioned yet:
2. My fermentation chamber is a deep freezer with a Johnson controller kept at 62-66F ambient.

I am using SO5. Usually no starter and pitch straight into the wort with no re-hydration.

If you are having 'green beer' issues, fix these things listed above.

Keeping your chamber at 62-66F means you are fermenting at 72-76F. Instead, place the probe on the vessel (keg for you) wall, then insulate over the top of the probe. Set your temp to your desired ferm temp, and the temp diff as low as .5F (1F limit on Johnsons?). The mass of the beer should prevent frequent cycling, but the ASD setting should still be maxed out for compressor safety.

Properly rehydrate your yeast. Why not? (Read up, as there is a lot of misinformation about how to rehydrate properly, as well as about not rehydrating.)
​

3. My kegs stay in that same fermentation chamber after I transfer with CO2 to the serving keg.

If you like your beers with a lot of hoppy aroma, keep them chilled after they are finished. Also, if your green beer issues get resolved, you should be able to get away with ~10 days in the primary, 3 days crashing, 1 week carbing. Some get away with even quicker schedules. Fermenting at the low end, like Yooper mentioned, seems to off gas less hop aroma, although it can also prevent sulfurous gases from being off gassed as efficiently.

 

[Yambor44]

Cwi, much appreciated. However, I have done several tests with the ambient vs beer temp in my setup and the beer is never more than 5 degrees over ambient during active fermentation. I have tried just about every method I have read about on this as well as other sites regarding this issue. Almost everyone of my beers come out fine, I am trying to improve upon my process and some of the things you mentioned fall in line with that. Thank you.

Regarding re-hydrating yeast. I have done that as well (properly - well properly doing as the masses agree) and it didn't seem to make any difference. I have also made plenty of starters and used plenty of smack packs. same thing. Almost all were an American Ale yeast such as 1272, WLP001 or US-05.

I think the general consensus here as well as with pro brewers (like Pliny as mentioned above) is to drink an IPA young. I am glad to come to that conclusion thru each of your input as that makes it easier for me. no longer getting stressed about keeping a 2-3 month pipeline. It will also allow me to brew other non IPA, longer fermenting or conditioning beers and if i need to "catch up" I can now throw an IPA in there!

Cwi, when you mention keeping your beers chilled after they are finished, are you referring to serving temps? Say, in the 30's?

 

[tre9er]

Drink it young so long as your process is controlled, especially fermentation. Otherwise you'll need more time.

 

[cwi]

Cwi, much appreciated. However, I have done several tests with the ambient vs beer temp in my setup and the beer is never more than 5 degrees over ambient during active fermentation. I have tried just about every method I have read about on this as well as other sites regarding this issue. Almost everyone of my beers come out fine, I am trying to improve upon my process and some of the things you mentioned fall in line with that. Thank you.

You complained about 'green beer' issues- at least at shorter than 3 weeks ferm time and 1 month cellaring. A 5F increase in ferm temps is significant. Why not control it directly? It is much more accurate/repeatable. Keeping the temps at the low end keep more hop aroma and reduce yeast off flavors. It is fairly simple if you get some bungee cords, or a 'cam strap' to secure the insulation/sensor. It has been proven through testing to be the most effective method for temp control for your type of setup. A computer fan in the chamber is also very helpful- good for keezers, too.

Regarding re-hydrating yeast. I have done that as well (properly - well properly doing as the masses agree) and it didn't seem to make any difference. I have also made plenty of starters and used plenty of smack packs. same thing. Almost all were an American Ale yeast such as 1272, WLP001 or US-05.

Dry yeast doesn't require a starter, liquid yeast do. At least for a single pack/vial for ~6 gal batches if you like pitching at what most consider 'normal' rates. RE: effectiveness/impact of rehydrating- I trust the yeast experts lab results more than my own. It is very simple to do- one packet fits in a 1/2 pint mason/canning jar, or a pint jar for 2 packs.

Cwi, when you mention keeping your beers chilled after they are finished, are you referring to serving temps? Say, in the 30's?

Yes. Just like Pliny is only sold to stores that will maintain the 'chain of cold', I keep my finished beers, especially hoppy beers as cold as possible. Storing them warmer results in loss of aroma, and accelerates staling. In the past I have kept them in whatever was the coldest place at the time- keezer, crashing freezer, etc. I am currently setting up a soda/cider/storage keezer that will be ~32F all the time. I got sick of having my beers on tap at colder than ideal temps for serving just to make properly carb'd ciders and sodas not foam wildly. There isn't much much aroma, or taste, when hoppy beers are served below 37F.

 

[Yambor44]

We have hop flavor now!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88016107@N03/8082991428/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88016107@N03/8082998071/

Can anyone tell me how to get the image to show up directly in this post? This is my first time using Flikr and no matter which tool I use it only provides a link.