I’ve been after “piney” since I brewed my first IPA a couple of months ago. I brewed NB’s Chinook IPA in the late winter and that mostly tasted like a grapefruit bomb.
This past weekend I brewed my third one, and in formulating my recipe I turned to a bunch of hops that I bought almost randomly at the HBS a few weeks ago. I really wanted to try Simcoe, and discovered it’s low co-humulone content, which I’ve read can lead to “smoother” bittering. I also have read a lot about it’s unique “piney-ness.” Sold.
But, then I realized I’d basically ignored all other aroma and dual hops with the notable exception of Columbus. I’d wanted to move away from Columbus because I’ve used it in all of my IPAs so far (“all” = 2 ), but you work with what you have.
60 min - 1oz Simcoe (fingers crossed re: no cat piss aroma!)
10 min - 1oz Columbus
5 min - 1oz Simcoe
1 min - 1oz Columbus
15 minute hop stand
OG was 1.068
The night before last I pulled the airlock and replaced it with a blowoff hose. The aromas coming out of the open carboy were AMAZING! It was exactly the sort of smell I’ve been trying to get from an IPA. Hopefully a lot of that character will make it through primary. I didn’t take the time to really analyze the aroma’s characteristics, but “fresh” and “pungent” come to mind in retrospect.
Hrm. I’d been considering 2 oz of Willamette to DH this one. Based on descriptions, it seems like it would have good synergy with my boiling hops. Anyone have thoughts on that? I’m not at all averse to maximizing the smells I got from the carboy the other night, so maybe I’ll pick up another oz each of Simcoe and Columbus instead…decisions decisions!
[edit]Why do my posts always turn into novels? D’oh! :cheers:
If you’ve never tasted Simcoe, make sure you go buy a beer that uses it before you use it in one of your beers. Wyerbacher Simcoe DIPA will definitely show you want Simcoe is all about. It’s a Simcoe BOMB!! I don’t dislike Simcoe, but I don’t like a lot of it. It can be an overpowering flavor. I ruined a beer last summer by using too much… at least I think it was ruined. Other people may have loved it. But again, I’m not a huge fan of Simcoe. To me it’s good when complementing other hops and in small amounts.
Haha, I stayed true to my “brewery” name of Wilful Brews (Wilful being a combo of my wife’s and my last names) and dove in head first with heavy Simcoe boil additions. We’ll see!
Icky I’m just wondering what your chinook IPA FG was? I’ve been trying to figure this out for a while, but here is what I’m thinking may be the case with chinook. Beers with more caramel malts or beers with slightly higher FG chinook gets grapefruity. Less caramel and lower FG chinook gets more piney. Anybody have similar experience?
Looking to piggyback this topic about a brew I just did. All my hop additions were between 0-20 minutes. Used about 10 oz of Simcoe and Chinook hops.
No hint of pine, at all. Overwhelming grapefruity. It’s good, but it’s not what I was shooting for. Is there any way to get the flavor and aroma to lean toward piney and resiny next batch?
10 oz is a lot to use and not get the character you wanted. I can see if you went with all late additions your fruit flavor would overwhelm the pine.
I have used actual white pine needles and juniper berries to get real pine. Here is a good resource.
Talk about necroing an old thread! Man I remember Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA, haven’t seen that around for years.
Edit: the combo you picked should have produced piney flavor but maybe not the resiny dank thing. I’d push the Columbus hops(resiny) maybe reduce Simcoe(does bring pine) and go with Chinook, Columbus, and Simcoe, bitter with whatever you want, but use these hops for all flavor/aroma and DryHop additions.
I’ve been slowly nursing a Piñon Pine Nut whiskey these days. It’s incredible and the pine/resin flavor is so good. So IMO there’s no hop on the planet that can reach the same flavor as true traditional conifer brewing techniques. One can buy juniper berries in the better grocery store spice isles. The whiskey I’m drinking also has been aged in new oak. Makes me want to try using oak chips in something other than a stout.
Anyone ever try ‘the Gubna’ from Oskar Blues brewing? Now that was one hoppy blast and 10% ABV to boot. Apparently it’s a seasonal brew now and released in the spring, I think. If you ever see this pick it up it is the definitive bitter hop bomb………If you’re into that kind of thing…it’s got this weird kinda onion taste going on…but it’s sooooo good!
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), but you work with what you have.
