Hop addition suggestions

[tjosborne]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1481734533.162548.jpg
I'm wanting to add some hops to this recipe but not sure what would work best. I have two extra ounces of chinook and citra. I'm trying to go for a grapefruit pith type of bitterness. What should I move around? I was thinking bitter with 1 oz of chinook, flameout 2 of cascade 1 of Citra and dry hop with one of each but figured I'd ask for more experienced help. Thanks guys

 

[jjw5015]

That sounds like a good adjustment. And also, I know you didn't ask, but skip secondary. There's no reason to be drinking a 6 week old ale. Even with bottling, as long as you pitch enough yeast, you could be drinking it at 4 weeks. Mine are kegged by day 10-14.

 

[Morrey]

Your hop additions (and modifications) look well thought out, especially the 60 min bittering addition. My only suggestion is you may be overlooking the flavor addition you'd get by adding in some of your hops during the boil at perhaps the 20 or 30 minute mark. You may consider mixing some of the citra and cascade together as an addition at 20 or 30. Flameout and dry hop additions focus on aroma, so you need to look carefully at the big picture.

Not to deflect your question, but a program such as Beer Smith is REALLY helpful to use in the design phase. You can play with various hops, times and quantities to get a handle on the impact hops have in your final product and IBU level. You can use BS for 21 days and make the small purchase later on if you have found the program of value.

 

[tjosborne]

I didn't even think about a flavor addition, was just kinda going off the recipes addition times. Maybe I'll put that 2 oz of cascade in at 15 minutes and leave the citra. I do have some Columbus as well, maybe 3/4 oz at 60 and drop the chinook to 15?

 

[martiniw2olives]

Your hop additions (and modifications) look well thought out, especially the 60 min bittering addition. My only suggestion is you may be overlooking the flavor addition you'd get by adding in some of your hops during the boil at perhaps the 20 or 30 minute mark. You may consider mixing some of the citra and cascade together as an addition at 20 or 30. Flameout and dry hop additions focus on aroma, so you need to look carefully at the big picture.

Not to deflect your question, but a program such as Beer Smith is REALLY helpful to use in the design phase. You can play with various hops, times and quantities to get a handle on the impact hops have in your final product and IBU level. You can use BS for 21 days and make the small purchase later on if you have found the program of value.

I can't imagine brewing without BeerSmith anymore. It made me a better brewer by really thinking about how the recipe works to my taste preferences. I have been brewing for years and still can't grasp many of the detail ingredient nuances, and the program helps me visualize it better, especially hop selections/additions.

 

[tjosborne]

Ok I plugged it in to beer smith. Adding the Columbus put me at 40.1 ibu, and bumping up the cascade and leaving the chinook as bittering I'm at 43.7. What will taste the best?

 

[bobeer]

You'll get more flavor from the hops by doing a whirlpool hop stand at 200-180 degrees F. IMO a 30 min hop addition just adds a little bitterness and a little flavor but doesn't really do either well. A whirlpool and dry hopping will get you the most flavor and aroma but try and experiment and see which method fits your tastebuds.

I love chinook as a bittering hop so Id stick with that. I'd add the Columbus as a whirlpool or dry hop with the citra and cascade. Everyone will have a different answer here, haha, that's what makes homebrewing fun. The possibilities are endless!

 

[Morrey]

Ok I plugged it in to beer smith. Adding the Columbus put me at 40.1 ibu, and bumping up the cascade and leaving the chinook as bittering I'm at 43.7. What will taste the best?

Honestly, as bobeer points out, the possibilities are endless. What I like, you may not...and vice versa. I usually work up a recipe in BeerSmith, then print out the recipe with my brewing notes. When I tap that beer, I add tasting notes and always look to improve on it. Rarely do I hit the perfect note the first time. I adjust for next brew...dialing it in toward perfection! As a home brewer...the beer world is yours to tame!

I brewed 10 different Hefeweisen beers til I hit the combination I considered my nirvana and put me in my happy place! My mentor told me to make ONE change at a time to see the impact that has. If you change multiple things, you have no idea what made to most difference.

To answer your question: I'd like the 43.7 IBU version leaving chinook as your bittering hop at 60. BUT...that's just me. This is YOUR beer!

 

[tjosborne]

Ok thanks guys for the good advice. I'm gonna stick with my original plan but hop stand as suggested instead of flame out addition. I'm thinking about trying to make it again, but we'll see

 

[tjosborne]

Finally got this brewed up for 10g. I went with:
15 lbs 2 row
2 lbs carahell
1 lb c20
1 oz chinook @ 60
1.5 oz chinook
2 oz citra
6 oz cascade
all whirlpooled at 175 degrees. I'm gonna keg hop with an oz of each hop. Also did a split yeast experiment, just 05 for one and tried wyeast 1028 for the first time in the other. I'm excited to see how this turns out.

 

[tjosborne]

Got this kegged and dry hopped a bit ago. I cannot tell to much of a difference between the yeasts other than 05 is a bit more dry. I didn't get that grapefruit flavor I was wanting, but it's still good, more like pineapples. I'm happy with this so far.

 

[tjosborne]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1488076359.019189.jpg
Here it is. Tastes good, but is a bit thin. I may throw in oats or wheat as well next time.