Hopsperiment

[FedoraDave]

I posted in another forum (I think The Brewhouse) how I wanted to learn a little more about different hops, so I can branch out, use different strains for different effect, and also blend some hops I'm less familiar with in some of my established recipes.

I did this long ago, when I first started formulating original recipes with extract, but I fell away from it. But I found myself relying on the same hop strains for a lot of my beers, and they're getting too same ol' same ol', so it's time for more experimenting.

I created a fairly basic recipe for 2.5 gallon batches (5# two-row, 1 Oz. chocolate, 1 Oz. 40L). Nothing really spectacular in the grain bill, because I want the hops to do the talking. I bottled my first batch, using Ahtanum, last weekend, and brewed the second, using Chinook, yesterday. My next Hopsperiment batch will be brewed January 10, using Mosaic.

I'll be updating this thread as I sample each of these beers, with my thoughts on what each hops is bringing. I'll also sort of be thinking out loud about how I can utilize them in both new and established recipes.

[MrBandGuy]

I do enjoy Chinook as a stand alone hop. In fact, I ended up rebrewing a kitchen sink ale because I enjoyed what Chinook brought to the party.

I am getting ready to make a Mosaic only IPA also, so I'm curious what you'll find there too.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Just did an IPA using mainly Mosaic, I used an ounce of Nugget @ FWH for the bittering charge, and 4 oz's Mosaic from 15 minutes to flameout and whirlpooled for about 15 minutes before chilling. Kegged it Sunday, the aroma was fantastic can't wait to try it this weekend, should be carbed enough by then.

[FedoraDave]

Here are my thoughts on the first batch of Hopsperiment. I used Ahtanum hops in this batch.

I don't get much aroma from it, but my smeller may not be the best.

The bitterness is a mild mixture of citrus and pine. Very pleasant, actually, and this is a nice session beer, IMO. There's a nice, full finish to it, with a lingering tanginess that isn't exactly citrusy, but isn't exactly resinous, either.

I would call it fairly mild, and would be a good hops to use in conjunction with something like Citra or Cascade to temper the forward aspects of those hops. But even as a stand-alone, this works pretty well to create a mild, pleasant session beer.

[FedoraDave]

I've cracked open the first couple of bottles of Hopsperiment/Chinook. Here's what I'm getting.

Fairly strong grapefruit aroma and flavor. Bitterness high, but not unpleasant. Lingering finish, which is also not unpleasant.

Could be a stand-alone hop in a single hop Pale Ale or IPA, but would also work well in conjunction with something like Simcoe, Ahtanum, Warrior, or Northern Brewer. In fact, my recipe for FedoraDave's American Ale uses Simcoe exclusively, and I've wanted to goose the hops to add more depth and intrigue, and Chinook may the answer.

As this recipe stands now, the result is a very nice summer beer. Could pair well with summer fare, such as burgers, potato salad, etc.

[FedoraDave]

I'm able to sample the Hopsperiment/Mosaic, and here's what I'm getting:

Very strong grapefruit aroma and flavor. I actually find it bordering on unpleasant, but I don't like strong citrus aromas and flavors in my beer. I can see, with judicial usage, that this could be a good aroma addition, and could add an interesting layer when used in conjunction with some other hops, but as a stand-alone, and in the amounts I used, it's not for me.

[Beer-lord]

I've never gotten grapefruit with Mosaic but seem to get more of an almost wine flavor from it. It's definitely different to me and Mosaic stands out so I try to use it sparingly in some recipes. It's not that I don't like it, it's more that it's just not awesome to me. I'm still playing around with it to see what it works best with.

[FedoraDave]

Paul, I'm keeping the amounts consistent throughout this experiment. Each 2.5 gallon batch gets 0.75 oz for 60 minutes, 0.25 oz for 22 minutes, 0.5 oz for 7 minutes, and a dry hop of 0.5 oz for about five days. I figured this was the most consistent way for me to assess each strain across the board. I expect the Hopsperiment/Saaz I've got fermenting now will be fairly mild and floral; almost a session-type ale. Some of the others I've done were good stand-alones. I really liked the Ahtanum and Chinook, for example.

To be fair, the Mosaic has only been in the bottle for two weeks. It might mellow out more as time goes on.

I can see where you would feel it has a wine aspect to it. Maybe I'm just interpreting that as grapefruit. In any case, I can see it being used sparingly as an aroma addition in an IPA that was Centennial or Warrior-heavy. But this is the point of this whole exercise; I want to get some more depth in my hop bills and make more interesting beer by making intelligent mixtures of hops. So I may not like this particular beer, but I'm not necessarily going to shun Mosaic hops in the future.

[BigPapaG]

Paul, I'm keeping the amounts consistent throughout this experiment. Each 2.5 gallon batch gets 0.75 oz for 60 minutes, 0.25 oz for 22 minutes, 0.5 oz for 7 minutes, and a dry hop of 0.5 oz for about five days. I figured this was the most consistent way for me to assess each strain across the board.

Dave, it seems to me that your methodology does not account for differences in AA% from one hop to another. And this may be what you are shooting for...

Might I suggest calculating the AAU for each hop based on its AA% so you could adjust each addition to a weight value that would supply the same AA% for each hop charge regardless of the actual AA% of each hop?

Just thinking out loud...

[Pudge]

Chinook is underrated. It is one of the C hops, but a bit more manly, rougher, but not quite what I would consider harsh.

[FedoraDave]

Paul, I'm keeping the amounts consistent throughout this experiment. Each 2.5 gallon batch gets 0.75 oz for 60 minutes, 0.25 oz for 22 minutes, 0.5 oz for 7 minutes, and a dry hop of 0.5 oz for about five days. I figured this was the most consistent way for me to assess each strain across the board.

Dave, it seems to me that your methodology does not account for differences in AA% from one hop to another. And this may be what you are shooting for...

Might I suggest calculating the AAU for each hop based on its AA% so you could adjust each addition to a weight value that would supply the same AA% for each hop charge regardless of the actual AA% of each hop?

Just thinking out loud...

I don't think that's what I'm shooting for, though. My methodology is definitely not scientific, I'll admit, but I've always been more intuitive in many aspects of my brewing. I know some hops have higher AA%, but that's kind of the driving force here. The same amount of one hop is going to influence the beer totally differently than another hop. This approach may be more trial-and-error, but I think it works for me.

Interestingly, I had some more of this batch last night, and it didn't seem nearly as sour and grapefruity. Clearly, more tasting is needed....

[FedoraDave]

My latest batch of Hopsperiment used Saaz hops, and the profile changed radically.

This is a European Noble hops, used in Pilsners, Oktoberfests, Bocks, and other more malty beers, so the influence of the hops is much more subdued. I got a flowery/fruity flavor from it, but nothing that really stands out. Just a nice, mild beer, basically, instead of the Pale Ale/IPA types I had brewed earlier.

[alb]

Maybe try some Nelson Sauvin sometime, with a little more Crystal in your grain bill. It really is white grapes, and a little goes a long way, but I really like it once in awhile, especially as to balance out too much grapefruit bitterness.

[FedoraDave]

Good suggestion, Li'l Sis, and it gives me an idea. Maybe the next round of Hopsperiments can combine some of the hops I've used this time with hops I've traditionally used, such as Northern Brewer, Simcoe, Centennial, etc. Or I could even combine some of the ones I've already used, such as the Mosaic, which I felt was extremely grapefruit. Striking a balance and subduing some of the less-desirable traits from an otherwise desirable hops is a good skill to have.

[FedoraDave]

Last Sunday I kegged a batch of Hopsperiment/Mt. Hood. Maybe the keglet charges faster than the larger corny kegs and converted pin-lock kegs, but after the first draw yesterday (which had some floaters) this beer is clear, well-carbonated, and has a nice, rich head. But that's another thread for another forum. I'm here to talk about the Mt. Hood hops.

Since this is a cousin of Hallertau, I got a softer, more floral influence, and a more blonde ale-type of beer, as opposed to the stronger, pale ale/IPA types I've gotten with the American hops. The malt/hops balance is more equal, and may even lean more towards the malty side. With this malt bill, this is actually a pleasant, if bland, beer. It would be a good summertime cookout beer. But this hops would work very well with darker ales and lagers, and as an adjunct hops to European styles.