Need Help Reducing The hops In An IPA

[CTS]

Hello,

I had bought the White IPA from AHB thinking i would like the extra hop flavor but this week I went out and bought a local brewery's IPA and wow, way to much hops for my liking.

This White IPA is for a June fishing weekend with the guys so I want it to be tolerable by most people. Here is the hops and schedule for it;

1oz Columbus @ 60 min
.5oz Cluster @ 15min
.5oz Cluster @ 10 min
.5oz Centennial @ 5 min
.5oz Cascade @ 5 min

Dry Hopping;

.5oz Centennial
.5oz Cascade


So what can I leave out to help me achieve a not so hoppy beer? I'm guessing the Dry Hops for sure, but I don't want to wreck the flavor.

Thanks for the help!

 

[aiptasia]

Sounds like it's the bittering you don't like, which is fine. I love a well hopped IPA but in some recipes, the bittering addition can really rape your tongue. Especially when it's a young beer. You can tackle it a few ways:

1) Just leave out your bittering addition @ 60 mins. You still have a lot of hops in that recipe and you will get SOME bittering from the 15 minute and 10 minute additions.

2) Dial back your hops amounts to 50% of the original.

3) Make the beer, and just let it condition longer. Hops bitterness fades over time. A fresh beer tastes completely different than a month old conditioned beer which tastes completely different than a six month old beer.

 

[Token]

I was thinking along the lines of option number 2.

When comparing it to another IPA, remember that the hop schedule and AA's of the hops used could be quite different. But I think option number 2 would work well for you and your fishing buddies. Have fun!

 

[kapbrew13]

What didn't you like? The bitterness, flavor, aroma?
You might want to reduce the 10 and 5 and dry hop additions.

 

[sweetcell]

all IPAs aren't the same. the fact that you tasted ONE and didn't like it is a silly basis to be making such decisions. what was the name/brand of the IPA you didn't like? maybe we can compare what that beer is like, vs. the recipe you're making.

the hop bill in your recipe doesn't seem that crazy. if i wanted to dial back the hops, i would cut the columbus to 0.75 oz, and drop the cluster completely. keep everything else, including dry-hop (dry hopping isn't very efficient, so 1 oz for a 5 gal batch is low. it will add aroma but little taste and no bitterness).

 

[CTS]

I was thinking along the lines of option number 2.

When comparing it to another IPA, remember that the hop schedule and AA's of the hops used could be quite different. But I think option number 2 would work well for you and your fishing buddies. Have fun!

This was kinda what I was thinking of doing, but i might just leave out some at the end.

What didn't you like? The bitterness, flavor, aroma?
You might want to reduce the 10 and 5 and dry hop additions.

The aroma was great, maybe it was the flavor and the bitterness. As soon as you took a sip that's all that you could taste....seemed almost spicy if that makes sense. Its been a couple weeks since I had it, so quite hard to remember exactly.

all IPAs aren't the same. the fact that you tasted ONE and didn't like it is a silly basis to be making such decisions. what was the name/brand of the IPA you didn't like? maybe we can compare what that beer is like, vs. the recipe you're making.

the hop bill in your recipe doesn't seem that crazy. if i wanted to dial back the hops, i would cut the columbus to 0.75 oz, and drop the cluster completely. keep everything else, including dry-hop (dry hopping isn't very efficient, so 1 oz for a 5 gal batch is low. it will add aroma but little taste and no bitterness).

First off, yes I understand that ALL IPA's are not the same. If it was just for me then I would make the beer exactly to the recipe. But since this is going to be for a bunch of people that mainly like bud light and the sorts, I wanted to make it enjoyable for most.

With that said I believe I will be following what you recommended. Drop the cluster and reduce the Columbus to .75oz. I never knew that dry hopping wasn't very effective, guessing due to the cold nature of the liquid.

Thanks for the help!

 

[kapbrew13]

If aroma was great, leave the 5 minute and dry hops alone. Reduce the 60 and 15 minute hops. Maybe even the 10.
I usually do a cream of 3 crops for events for my budmillercoors drinkers. That goes over well.

 

[CTS]

If aroma was great, leave the 5 minute and dry hops alone. Reduce the 60 and 15 minute hops. Maybe even the 10.
I usually do a cream of 3 crops for events for my budmillercoors drinkers. That goes over well.

Ya I think I'm going to be dropping the 15 and 10 min additions and keeping the rest. I will see how this goes and maybe look at Cream of 3 Crops for next year. The reason for the IPA is a tie in with a buddy's nick name.

Here is the original beer i tried that was to hoppy

http://www.fortgarry.com/

The beer was the;

Portage & Main IPA