Too many hop varieties in one batch? DBIPA

[mack65]

I made a black IPA and drank the first off the keg last weekend and it is awesome. This weekend I want to do a Double Black IPA. So, I put together a recipe and I think its going to be even better. But, I am worried that I might be overdoing it in the hops. I love super hoppy beers and really love hop aroma bursting from my beer. In this brew I am trying to cover a range of hop flavor and aroma from earthy, to floral and citrus.

So, I wanted to get a few opinions on my hops schedule. I'm just worried that using this much of the different hops will either be too much and I'm wasting hops or if the different hops together will make for a weird flavor. What do you think?

Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 5.70 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Volume 5.20 gal
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 4.50 gal
Fermentation: Ale, Two Stage


Ingredients

15 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 82.2 %
1 lbs 8.0 oz Carared (20.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.2 %
8.0 oz Midnight Wheat (550.0 SRM) Grain 3 2.7 %
4.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 4 1.4 %
1 lbs Candi Sugar, Dark (275.0 SRM) Sugar 5 5.5 %

**All hops are whole hops from 2011 crop**
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Boil 60.0 min 41.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min 20.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min 19.2 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Aroma Steep 0.0 min0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Magnum [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Columbus (Tomahawk) [14.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Nugget [13.00 %] - Dry Hop 0.0 Days 0.0 IBUs


1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) [50.28 ml]
0.50 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.087 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.013 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 9.9 %
Bitterness: 81.7 IBUs
Calories: 298.4 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 44.1 SRM

 

[ArcaneXor]

I'd take out the Nugget kettle and the late Magnum additions to get a smoother flavor progression that's not too muddled.

 

[two_hearted]

I think it will be hard to get that range of eathy-floral-citrus without the flavors just becoming muddled. I agree with Arcane.

 

[mack65]

So, when you say take out the late Magnum additions are you also talking about the dry hop?

 

[ArcaneXor]

It's not going to contribute much in the dry hop next to those other, much more aromatic hops.

 

[bottlebomber]

Definitely just the colombus and citra for flavor/aroma. I think personally the amarillo/citra is the ultimate way to aquire the punch you're looking for.

 

[mack65]

Oh, I like the Amarillo and Citra idea. Good thing I have several pounds of each.

 

[unionrdr]

In my 1st IPA,I used a total of 6oz of Columbus,Nugget,& Cascade,2oz of each. 4.5 oz late additions,1.5oz dry hop one week. Came out really good,lots of flavor. And the aromas hit you as soon as you crack it open. Wonderful smells & great head in the glass.
Next time,I'm going to add a 4th pound of plain light DME,& switch the Nugget for Citra in an attempt to get more orange flavor with the grapefruit & lemon flavors I got last time. I dry hoped with the last half ounce of each hop I used in the boil. Seemed like a good balance between flavor & aroma to my senses.

 

[storunner13]

In most beers, simpler is usually better. I tried an IPA with 4 different hops for flavor/aroma and it was just sort of muddled. But YMMV.

Also, If you want a good aroma punch, try whirlpooling some during the cooldown. Cool to 170-180, throw in your hops and let them steep for 5-10 minutes before finishing your chilling procedure.

 

[unionrdr]

It's starting to sound like what I was concerned with when doing my 1st IPA. Too many flavors might mess it up,so I figured 3 different kinds of hops would be fine. Just made sure to dry hop with what was used in the boil. Def a good way to create balance,it seems.
Also seems like it's not so much the amounts used in late additions,but how many types used.

 

[ThickHead]

I don't think you have too many varietals. There are many beers out there that work with some very unique combinations to develop some pretty complex hop characteristics. Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point comes immediately to mind. That beer is fantastic in my opinion. I think they use upwards of 6 or 7 different hop varietals to make that beer. The trick is blending all those flavors, aromas, bittering characteristics together in a way that presents some sort of balance. I would encourage you to experiment with that. It's all about what you like in the end.

 

[mack65]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm still debating what to do with the hops. I am thinking of removing the late magnum and nugget...maybe adding Amarillo?

Although, I built a hopback last night! So, instead of adding the hops at flameout, I am thinking I'm going to put them in the hopback and run the hot wort through on its way to the chiller. When I spoke to the people at Odell Brewing they said they use a hopback for their Double Black IPA, but wouldn't give me any recipe info