My latest batch of IPA has come out really unpleasantly bitter, it was only supposed to be about 45 IBUs, using a combination of Northdown, Target and Bobek for bittering (60 minutes) and some more Bobek at flame out and for dry hopping. But I think I may have messup up somewhere as it tastes like it's much much higher than that... I've not bottled it yet (it's still in the secondary - been there for a couple of weeks), …
When I planned my last batch (my 4th, so I'm pretty inexperienced) using Beersmith for a single hop IPA, I realised that the IBU I got from the recipe was way to low. So I adjusted the recipe and aimed for about 40IBUs. I ended up with the following numbers: 7g Simcoe (12.9%) 60min 30g Simcoe (12.9%) 30min 38g Simcoe (12.9%) 5min Quite some hops, but I didn't realize this at that moment. After the boil I saw that I …
On an impulse last week I picked up some German Merkur and Herkules hops from the LHBS to use as flavoring and aroma hops in a pilsner, because I thought they might be an interesting twist. But now I'm not sure if they will really fit the style, or even the style of a "light lager", since they're described as primarily bittering with some dual-use on the hop reference sites I've found for merkur and a conference poster comparing them. …
I'm going to brew a Kölsch soon with about 25 IBUs. I was planning on using Hallertau Hersbrucker for bittering. However, after I bought the hops I noticed they only have 2.3% alpha acid content. Using the calculator on Brewersfriend.com I calculated that I will have to use 100 grams at 60 minutes (~3.5 ounces I think) to achieve 25 IBUs. I've never added this much hops to anything but huge stouts and IPA's so I'm worried about the hops …
I have a batch fermenting that I was planning to dry-hop but decided I wanted to actually increase the bitterness. I was thinking of doing the following process based on this answer which I think qualifies as something close to krausening (albeit somewhat defeating the historical purpose): Steep specialty grains in a small amount of water (maybe a quart to a half gallon) Doing this instead of using DME is the key thing I'm unsure about, but I have priming …
A search here for "quince" returned zero results, but that doesn't mean people haven't (or aren't) fermenting quince juice. I'm fermenting a half gallon of quince as a substitute for real tannic cider apples in a British Cider recipe I'm brewing. The rest of the juice is from a few varieties of eating apples. Since this is sort of a test, I'm fermenting the quince separately from my three gallons of apples. If it's a direct replacement for a bittersharp …
Apparently, Cascade is commonly used for bittering, and I'm not sure I understand why someone would choose that over the very similar Amarillo, which I think is less common for bittering. Cascade has higher levels of cohumulone (which is thought to provide a harsher bitterness -- Amarillo has an average of 22.5 and Cascade has an average of 36.5) and has almost half the average Alpha Acids as Amarillo hops (9.5 compared to 5.75). It seems like Amarillo would be …
Will be modifying a recipe and while I know the alpha % of the bittering hops and this being the first time I'm altering a recipe I'm wondering during the boiling process have I added enough bittering hops or do I need more. Can I assume that 30 minutes into a 60 minute boil the wort should be twice as bitter at the end of the boil? Lets say I haven't added enough bittering hops, what can I do? What …
I brewed a pomander inspired wit beer for the holidays. It is currently in primary. Since my wife just had gall badder surgery, she is avoiding alcohol for a little while and asked if I could brew her a NA. I like a good challenge. I am thinking of halving the wit, one wit and the other witout. My searches for NA revealed a couple methods that I will not be able to enact without the required equipment. I would …
First of all, I didn't really plan to make a beer with IBU above 100... I popped the hops into the calculator and it came out about 85. So, after the brewing the beer I was going over the printed out recipe, and found that the hops schedule was not reflecting the reality... I recalculated the IBU according to my steps, and it came out as 120 (that is what happens when you put Magnum and Columbus at 60mins of …
Looks like I've got a spare day tomorrow so I thought I'd get an AG brew on the go. What I've been wanting to do for a little while is brew a fairly plain, 1-dimensional 5 gallon test brew, and when it comes to dry hopping I will split it into 5 separate containers with a different hop in each. Being just a beginner I figure this would help me understand the flavour contributions from hops a little better. I've …
I am using Fuggles for bitter and for flavour/aroma. While I am content with flavour/aroma I find that bitterness is a bit harsh. Is it just my opinion, or Fuggle is not very suitable for bitterness? The recipe I used was the following: for 4,5l 400g amber dry extract 85g crystal 120L (steep for 45' in around 70C water) 8g Fuggles 5% 60' 3.2g Fuggles 5% 30' 3.2g Fuggles 5% 15' 3.2g Fuggles 5% 2'
How much do bittering hops contribute to flavor? Does a hop addition at the beginning of a 60m boil result in the destruction of most that hop's flavor compounds?
So for the NB Innkeeper, I've read the ibu's should be mid 30's, and their extract kits account for partial boil. The same additions once scaled for a 6 gallon boil shoots to mid 40's. I'm guessing the simplest way to roll back the ibu's would scale the 1oz fuggles(60min) to .6-.75 oz would keep it mid 30's. How much would i expect this to alter the actual recipe's flavor, considering the flavor/aroma additions will be in line with the …
There's tons of hops out there, but I don't have the time or space to try them all, and I like to bounce between English and American ales. What's a good, balanced bittering hop that will let me keep just one bittering hop on hand? For later additions, I'd like to be able to go toward the Goldings and Fuggles (English), or toward the Cascades and Amarillos (American), without any clash of flavor from the bittering hop. Columbus has a …
I have been growing and using my own hops for a couple of years now. after harvesting this year I left them out to dry, they have been drying now for a little to long (about two months) they are all brown and papery. just wondering what the effects of being left out are, oxidization? alpha and beta acid loss? should I just toss them?
I have read about gruits (beers made with no hops, using other herbs in their stead). Apparently, this was a commonly used technique before hops became so prevalent. Mugwort seems to be one of the most common herbs used in gruits. How does mugwort differ from hops, in terms of usage (how much to add, and when) and in the final product (taste, head retention, shelf life, etc). Have you used any other herbs? How do they compare to hops?