No more Magnum for me.

[WesleyS]

I've made four batches recently that all had the same flavor in the background. The one thing they all have in common is Magnum hops for bittering. These are the only four batches I've ever used Magnum for bittering and the only four batches I've ever had this flavor in. It's not an off flavor, just a hop flavor I just don't like and it comes through really strong. Maybe Magnum isn't as clean of a bittering hop as it is said to be. Anyone else noticed this?

 

[Hammy71]

It is 'cleaner' than most, but does have a definite flavor profile. For hoppy ambers I like it, but for pales and IPAs....no sir.

 

[LLBeanJ]

From what I understand, Magnum is best for bittering only and is not a good choice for flavor/aroma additions. If used for bittering only, the flavor should not come through. I bitter all of my European style brews with Magnum and I can't perceive any distinctive flavor from it.

 

[Jipper]

It has always seemed pretty clean to me, but I agree with Hammy that it does have it's own flavor profile (like any other). Warrior and Magnum are my go to in APA and IPA recipes. What types / styles of beer did you brew? What yeasts? I'm a huge fan of Magnum, so be ready for my attempt to change your mind

 

[241]

I was going to say, I've got an amber going right now that I used Magnum for bittering in with cascade/centennial for flavor/aroma and it's fantastic. The bite of it with the maltiness of the amber is a great balance.

Never used it in other brews but now I know to stray from it on pale/IPA's.

What were the four batches you made where it was no good?

 

[ddrrseio]

where did you get your magnum? it's easy to forget that not all hops are created or treated equally.

 

[Weizer]

What styles are you using it in? It's a terrible aroma/flavor hop, but I love it for bittering.

 

[WesleyS]

I noticed it in the first batch I used Magnum which was a black IPA. I used quite a bit of other hops for flavor/aroma and dry hop. But a distinct flavor still comes through in the end. The next was a milk stout. The third, a chocolate stout. It's not as noticeable in that one, but I think it's because of the chocolate and orange peel additions but its still there. At that point, I didn't know yet what was causing that flavor.
After that, my next two batches didn't use magnum, a DIPA and a hoppy Belgian pale ale. That flavor isn't present in those two batches.
Then, I brewed a rye IPA using magnum at 60 minutes like all three of the other magnum batches. Took a hydrometer sample yesterday and there it was. That flavor I don't like. That's when it hit me that all four of the batches with this flavor used magnum for bittering.
Different grain bills, different yeasts, fresh ingredients, temp controlled fermentation. First batch was in October 2012, second and third were December 2012, and this fourth one was a couple weeks ago. I've never had this flavor in any other batches my six years of brewing before the first batch using magnum.

 

[ColoHox]

Can you describe the flavor? I just used magnum for bittering a black lager and noticed a bit of a bite at the end whilst sampling.

 

[WesleyS]

Can you describe the flavor? I just used magnum for bittering a black lager and noticed a bit of a bite at the end whilst sampling.

That's a good question. I'm having a hard time thinking of descriptive terms for it. I'll have to take a drink of one of them in a bit and see how best to describe it.