What the hop!?

[Dylan42]

A little disappointed.

I brewed an attempt at an experimental double IPA recipe (although Im a noob).

Here are the details:

Ingredients:

Steeped @ 165 for 30min:
-1 lb. 2 Row Malt grains
-1 lb Crystal 45 Malt

Took kettle off heat mixed in:
-12 lbs Briess Gold Malt Extract

@60 min added:
-1 oz Apollo Hops
-1.5 oz Simcoe

@ 30 min added:
-.5 oz Zythos
-.5 oz Cascade

@15min added:
-1.00 oz Citra
-2.75 oz Apollo

@5min
-1.00 oz Simcoe

At the time I had no wort cooler so I stuck the wort in my glass carboy put it in the fridge and it didn't get down to 68 degrees until the next morning. (took out of fridge overnight)

I pitched 2 Cal yeast tubes WLP001 ( they each had a best before date of Nov 2011.)

I then threw 1.00 oz ea of cascade, crystal, and zythos on top to dry hop.

After two days I saw no activity so I got another yeast pack new from the LHBS and pitched it. American Ale 1056

I then had a blow over and instantly installed a blow off tube.

Crazy activity up until now.

I wanted to check the gravity and taste although I forgot to take an SP reading. Gravity reading was 1.013.

It tastes horrible, so hoppy it could choke someone. I took a couple of tastes and it is unbearable and had a super soapy aftertaste.

Next time i won't ignore brewtoad.com they currently have me calculated at 203 IBU's.

So after all of that long-windedness...

Is there anything I can do to salvage or even out the hoppiness? Will it age out? If I have to dump it I won't mind too much because I have another IPA in the closet (recipe followed on that one), and I would love to brew again this weekend! .

 

[Stauffbier]

First of all yeast that is dated back to 2011 is not even worth using in my opinion. Secondly you're not supposed to dry hop until AFTER fermentation has finished, not before it even starts.

The hop character will fade with time. Bottle it, let it condition for 3-6 weeks, taste it and see what you think.

 

[Dylan42]

Secondly you're not supposed to dry hop until AFTER fermentation has finished, not before it even starts.

The hop character will fade with time. Bottle it, let it condition for 3-6 weeks, taste it and see what you think.

I realized that after doing more reading, agh the growing pains of home brewing.:smack:

 

[Stauffbier]

I realized that after doing more reading, agh the growing pains of home brewing.:smack:

It's all good. The best learned lessons are those learned the hardest.



Time to move on to the next batch!

 

[Cyclman]

I did an American Dark Ale- 8 oz. of hops- half dry hops, and it was incredible. Bitter, but malty, roasty, one of my favorite beers. Four months later, it is a nice, slightly bitter roasted ale, but minimal nose.

So, the hops will go away with time.

 

[meltroha]

Wow, dude that's a lot of hops! Let it sit for a few months to a year, you may have a drinkable barley wine, abv should be high enough looking at the grain bill. The soapy flavor is probably from the dry hops at primary, I wouldn't toss that much alcohol though, let it sit for two years if it needs it.

 

[Dylan42]

Wow, dude that's a lot of hops! Let it sit for a few months to a year, you may have a drinkable barley wine, abv should be high enough looking at the grain bill. The soapy flavor is probably from the dry hops at primary, I wouldn't toss that much alcohol though, let it sit for two years if it needs it.

When letting it age should I just store the bottles at room temp the whole time or put them in the fridge after a month or so?

 

[Bennywisest]

Store the bottles at room temp (or whatever temp you normally bottle condition). I way overhopped an IPA once but it seemed to mellow out fairly quick. I would give the brew a couple weeks to carb, then another few weeks to mellow. Fridge one and taste it to determine if they are suitable or need to mellow longer.

 

[meltroha]

Yes, I throw mine in a first floor closet, stays 65°-70° all year, I have a few vintage Vertical Epics in there that have done very well, so aging in a similar condition will be perfect for at least a year or two. If you have a basement putting them down there in a dark corner at more typical cellar temperatures would be even better for long term storage. Just avoid temperatures above 72° high humidity and light, and you'll be fine.

 

[terrapinj]

its not really that many hops for a IIPA . esp late additions, although the strong bitterness is understandable

the soapy could be due to the poor yeast health - it has been reported as a flavor of autolysis. it could be related to the hops as well but doesn't seem like anything odd with that combo of varieties

although unrelated, you won't get any benefit from steeping 2row at 165° - you need to keep it between 150-160 to get any conversion out of it

 

[meltroha]

2.5oz at 60 in a 5 gallon batch doesn't sound a little high? And over 3oz at 15? That's real high

 

[terrapinj]

2.5oz at 60 in a 5 gallon batch doesn't sound a little high? And over 3oz at 15? That's real high

The bittering addition is higher than I go but if you look at the recipes for any big iipa using 13-16 oz in a 5gal batch is common. Pliny the elder or younger clones, heady topper etc. I'm using 15oz in my ipa that's fermenting now, there was 9oz in late additions

 

[meltroha]

I agree with the high late additions, would like to see more moved later though, maybe 1oz at bitter, or fwh, then 2 at 20, then another 2 at 5-10, then 4 our so at fo & dry hop

 

[flatlanderHQ]

Let it age. IMO that many varieties of hops is unnecessary and even ineffective because there is too much going on in terms of aromas and taste. You lose the subtleties of the individual hops. But go with whatever floats your hydrometer . I tend towards simplicity, in the style of EdWort's brews. Cheers.

 

[bcmeyer]

Off topic noob question: the steeped 2-row? From what I've learned that's one of your base grains for all grain brews. I've never heard of it being steeped but wouldn't it just give him more fermentable sugars? Or will steeping it at the higher temps give the beer more body?