Dry Hopping an English IPA

[SpanishCastleAle]

Do most folks dry hop English IPAs? I just brewed one but my system gets more flavor/less aroma from the very late additions than it seems others do (I chill it fast as I can). The numbers are kinda tame at only 1.061 OG and ~45 IBU, it's already getting hot here in Florida and I just don't like a ton of bitterness but do like lots of flavor/aroma.

There's still time to order some hops for the dry hopping if needed. Help a non-hophead out.

If it helps; the recipe was:

Mostly Golden Promise
3/4# Belgian Aromatic
3/4# British Caramalt
1/4# British C50-60
1# Wheat
1/4# Cane Sugar

3/4 oz. Styrian Golding FWH
Magnum for bittering @ 60 min
1 oz. Willamette @ 2 min
1 oz. Hersbrucker @ flame-out

Washed slurry of Wyeast 1968. I mashed low.

Here's what I have on hand:
Mittlefruh (GR)
Tettnanger (GR)
Hersbrucker (GR)
Saphir (GR)
Willamette
Liberty
Sorachi Ace
Centennial
Simcoe
Magnum (GR) (not using this for sure)

The Willamette/Hersbrucker combo smelled great going in. Never dry-hopped with either though. Can I sneak some domestic aroma hops in there?

 

[SumnerH]

Do most folks dry hop English IPAs?

I do.

The Willamette/Hersbrucker combo smelled great going in. Never dry-hopped with either though. Can I sneak some domestic aroma hops in there?

I'd use the Willamettes if you decide to dry-hop it. Nothing else is really close to British.

 

[david_42]

Willamette IS a domestic hop. If you are talking about a citrus hop, you'll ruin the profile. Maybe a little Mt. Hood, Pioneer or Progress. I don't dry hop English IPAs.

 

[jmo88]

In English ales, Willamette seems to do really well for flavor and late boil aroma, but not so much for dry-hopping. I got dinged pretty badly in a competition for my ESB dry hopped with one ounce of willamette. The judges thought it produced a minty aroma that isn't always appropriate, and I can't disagree. Use goldings, you can't go wrong.

 

[smizak]

In English ales, Willamette seems to do really well for flavor and late boil aroma, but not so much for dry-hopping. I got dinged pretty badly in a competition for my ESB dry hopped with one ounce of willamette. The judges thought it produced a minty aroma that isn't always appropriate, and I can't disagree. Use goldings, you can't go wrong.

Yep, I've got the same problem with Willamette. A minty, almost sourish aroma and flavor.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Thanks for the help. I'm glad I asked, if I didn't I may have FUBAR'd this brew with bad dry hopping choices. Looks like I'll be ordering some Goldings and at least one of those david42 mentioned (never tried Progress or Pioneer). Even then, I'm gonna keep it low or upon further thought, might even skip it.