Hop Sampler!

[wootz001]

I've been brewing for about 8 months now, all mash-extract ingredient kits. Lately, I've been wanting to experiment with my own concoctions, and as such, ordered 2 organic hop sampler packs from 7 Bridges. Before me, I have:

Pellets:
2 oz. Spalt Select (5.5% AAU)
2oz. New Zealand Saaz (7.3% AAU)
1oz. American Summit (13.1% AAU)
1oz. Belgian Cascade (3.2% AAU)
1oz. German Hallertaur Tradition (6.3% AAU)
1oz. New Zealand Pacific Gem (15.9% AAU)
1oz. Pilgrim (10.2% AAU)
1oz. Whitbread Goldings Variety (6.1% AAU)

Whole:
1oz. American Summit (13.98% AAU)
1oz. Belgian Saaz (5.27% AAU)
1oz. German Opal (7.9% AAU)
1oz. Kent Goldings (7.31% AAU)
1oz. New Zealand Cascade (8.9% AAU)
1oz. New Zealand Hallertaur (7.4% AAU)
1oz. New Zealand Rakau (12% AAU)

My mind is a tither with all the possible combos (definitely thinking IPA (Dark?), maybe even a Brown or Pub Ale, and probably a wheat of some sort...).

My question to you is: If it were up to you, what would you brew in a situation like this?

Thanks,
-Mike

 

[NickyD]

Might do a Belgian style IPA, Hallertau, Saaz, something in that direction. Or a Kölsch. Thats a damn bit variety to work with.

 

[wootz001]

Thanks, I love me some Kölsch. Just made a batch not too long ago for Halloween, and everyone loved it. Just a nice balanced brew.

Some ideas I've been kicking around are:

NZ "Kiwi" IPA (NZ Pacific Gem, NZ Rakau, NZ Hallertaur)

Nut Brown (Pilgrim, Goldings)

Wheat (Opal, Saaz)

Belgian Abbey (Hallertaur, Spalt)

For this weekend, I am going with a Pale Ale featuring Summit and Cascade. This is my First time using either of these hops, so am looking for some help on the hop schedule. Should I start with Summit and finish with Cascade? Or split them the whole way through?

Summit (60)
Summit (20)
Cascade (5)
Cascade (dry)

Summit/Cascade (60)
Summit/Cascade (20)
Summit/Cascade (5)
Summit/Cascade (dry)

Any help is apprieciated! Its an atypical rainy day here in Southern California, so I need something to do...

 

[wootz001]

Here's what I ended up going with based on ingredients I had on-hand:

Organic Pale Ale

Style: American Pale Ale
Batch: 5.00 gal Partial Mash

Characteristics
---------------
Recipe Gravity: 1.052 OG
Recipe Bitterness: 40 IBU
Recipe Color: 11° SRM
Estimated FG: 1.013
Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%
Alcohol by Weight: 4.0%

Ingredients
-----------
Pale Ale Malt 1.00 lb, Grain, Mashed
Crystal 40L 1.00 lb, Grain, Mashed
Light D.M.E. 1.00 lb, Extract, Extract
Light malt extract 4.40 lb, Extract, Extract

American Summit (13.98% AAU) 0.50 oz, Whole, 60 minutes
American Summit (13.98% AAU) 0.50 oz, Whole, 20 minutes
New Zealand Cascade (8.9% AAU) 0.50 oz, Whole, 5 minutes
New Zealand Cascade (8.9% AAU) 0.50 oz, Whole, Dry hop in secondary (7-14 days)

US-05

Primary fermentation started overnight and is going strong, there are definite citrus notes coming out of the airlock from the Summit and Cascade.

Hoping this will come out as a mild go-to brew, and a nice complement to the Irish Stout that I have going for Christmas-time.

 

[ao125]

Did you ever end up brewing with the Rakau?

I just ordered some since I can't find any Nelson Sauvin at the moment.

 

[944play]

Belgian Abbey (Hallertaur, Spalt)

Spalters are way too awesomely bubblegum and blueberryish to waste in a yeast-focused Belgian. Pilsner or Koelsch for sure. Or maybe a cool-fermented hefe.