Question of opinion for experienced hop heads

[Voodoogruv]

I am anticipating brewing an IPA in the next week or so which, among other ingredients obviously, contains a 3 oz dose of Simcoe hops for a 77 IBU brew. I have around 1 oz of willamette hops left over from a previous brew and wondered if I added it would it be too much? I am a big fan of super hoppy beers, but don't want to end up so butter that it is a struggle to drink. What do you think?

 

[Gilmoe]

the more the merrier!
what's your final volume looking to be?
Personally, I'd use the willamette for bittering and simcoe for 2nd and 3rd additions. Willys give a nice bitter character, but IMO don't have a great flavor or aroma like simcoe. And no, I don't think it would be "too bitter" by any means.

 

[aiptasia]

I hope you like Simcoe. I'm on the bandwagon of not liking it so much. Simcoe has the grapefruit rind and sort of a woody, earthy flavor to me which I don't particularly like, but to each his own. Willamette is a noble hop without much alpha acid but it can help in the flavor characteristic, creating a little more complexity. It has a floral/herbal note to it that makes it perfect for light beers like pilsners and light hybrid pale ales (cream ales, kolsch, etc.). I would add some of it at 20 minutes for a flavoring addition and then maybe again at two minutes for more of a flavor/aroma punch.

Where I wouldn't use it would be bittering or as a dry hop or steep hop. Noble hops can impart a lot of "grassy" notes to beers when used as dry hops or late edition hops.

 

[Voodoogruv]

Thanks for the response of opinion. The woody, earthy character of Simcoe is why I was thinking that the floral notes of the willamette would help complexity, and even the hop flavor out a bit. The Simcoe as a backbone if you will, with subtle willamette as a kind of window dressing. Maybe too bitter wasn't the term I was looking for, I just don't want a one note, super dry beer.

 

[Nightshade]

I would do an addition every 5 minutes of the boil with the simcoe then add the Willamette at either flameout or last 10 minutes of boil.

 

[Voodoogruv]

Just racked this to secondary and tasted. Amazing! Ended up going 1oz at onset of boil, 1oz at 20, 1oz at 40, 1oz willys at 55, and 1oz willys at flameout at 60. I also added several fl oz of honey, and a few fl oz of agave nectar to bump up the fermentables. Can't wait till this is bottled and carbed!