I really do not like that hop. I would like a recipe for an IPA with more citrusy, floral, hops. I suspect what I really want is a super duper American West Coast Pale Ale. I have found some IPA’s that I like, but more that I do not. Just wondered why that hop seemed so prevalent in IPA’s.
It became popular right around the same time Double IPAs blew up. It is very unique amongst hops, so a lot of brewers use it. You see a lot of newer IPAs and IIPAs using Citra now.
Norman what is it you don’t like about the simcoe? you may have hit on the reason I usually don’t like IPAs. I wouldn’t know a simcoe if one walked up and bit on the arse but I have found I can tolerate and almost enjoy some home brewed IPAs. I have noticed they have more citrusy/floral flavors than the commercial IPAs that to me just taste harsh and overly bitter.
Simcoe is often described as having a “piney” aroma and that is what ruins the taste for me. Strangely enough a few other hops are described as “piney” but I don’t get that at all from them.
Flavor and aroma perception is something that can vary from person to person. Some people love the bit of pine nose that Simcoe and Chinook add, others describe them as catty. Those are the two that I would definitely describe as “piney”, so if that’s not your bag, stay away.
If you want big fruit and citrus flavors, just go to your LHBS and ask them what hops they don’t have in stock right now (aside from Simcoe, which they won’t have either). Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, maybe even some Sorachi Ace for distinct lemon flavor.
see i get some dank/resin and mostly orange/tangerine from Simcoe. If you can get Pliny the Elder, THAT is the taste of Simcoe…and g0dd#!n what a fine beer.
Now I have heard that like many hops, Simcoe’s flavor is dependent upon when it is harvested. Many people say Citra tastes/smells like cat pee. It could also be personal flavor threshold, but I have never gotten this from citra. It smells like a basket full of oranges, apricots, and tangerines to me. I think this could be a difference in ‘early harvest’ citra and ‘late harvest’.
To me it sounds like you are describing more of an East Coast IPA, which I understand to have more floral/earthy hops, with some ‘traditional american’ hop flavors more in the background (pine, citrus, dank). It also sounds like you might not like Columbus/Tomahawk/Zeus, which is used in a lot of AIPAs somewhat early (and then again late) in the boil and really gives off the dank/woody/piney aromas/flavors. Chinook does the same thing.
What about the following:
80% 2-row
5% crystal 40
15% munich
to a 1.065ish gravity, then
a small charge (maybe 0.5 oz) of Magnum @ 60 (clean bittering)
then the majority of your IBU’s will come from late additions, so it will MEASURE higher in IBU’s, but they will come through more in the aroma and it won’t be harsh.
ie
.5 oz Centennial (20)
.5oz Citra (15) (could also sub amarillo)
.5oz Santiam (10 - floral)
.5oz Citra (5)
1oz Citra, Santiam @ flameout
dryhop with 1oz cent, 1oz citra, 1oz santiam
I personally would stay away from Sorachi Ace in an IPA. It has a dill flavor that doesn’t seem to work. If you want lemon, go Ahantum.
It’s popular but overrated IMO. You are not alone. I do not care for it either, nor Citra, and the new Mosaic. Simcoe and Mosaic have a BO/cat p*** vibe and Citra a basil vibe. These bad notes all ride along with the favorable/tropical notes of these hops. I find women can really pick up on it. I’ll ask my wife or daughter to whiff and they will be like Ewww!.
I find the descriptors for these varieties misleading. Now, when I see tropical as a descriptor I stay away. But, it’s different strokes for different folks…
To me, its hard to beat Centennial or Amarillo or even the old classic Cascade for IPA’s.
[quote=“zwiller”]To me, its hard to beat Centennial or Amarillo or even the old classic Cascade for IPA’s.[/quote]+1 Add Columbus in there and you’ve got a winner with any combo of these (or even solo).
I find that Simcoe and Amarillo/Citra complement each other very well in IPAs, either as a combo for dry-hopping, or with Simcoe for bittering and Citra/Amarillo for aroma/flavoring.
I like Simcoe (and Citra as well) quite a bit, but there are certainly a whole lot of options available if it’s not your style. Columbus can give you that dank, resiny character without a lot of pine. Amarillo, Centennial and Cascade give you a lot of that citrus character. Nelson Sauvin makes a killer IPA as well.
Love Simcoe, wouldn’t care if I never saw another Citra in my life. Tastes vary…
How do you know what cat pee tastes like??
I love Simcoe, took second place at the UMMO with a all Simcoe ipa, except for bittering.
Taste and smell are closely related and you can get a sense of what something tastes like from the smell. If not, why would we care so much about the aroma of food and drink?
Couldn’t agree more. I do like Simcoe, not the price. Citra does nothing for me.
I have not used simcoe a lot - but I really love simcoe/amarillo combo that I have used in IPA’s and Ambers. I think chinook gives a more assertive “piney” than simcoe… love chinook too:)
Actually, and I don’t know why, but I am not a huge fan of centennial. I like a little … . . but, I don’t like a lot of it. To me, I get an almost “lemony cleaner/soap” flavor out of it. Almost like a lemon “mr. clean” or “Lemon pine-sol” or something…
If you like citrus - I just made an american pale ale with some magnum for bittering and then all 7 C’s additions. … that was a mighty fine beer I must say.
I’m a huge fan of Chinook for bittering and flavor/aroma. Simcoe and Citra give me the catty taste if used for bittering. Blended for late additions/dry, they work well. Drinking my Union Jack clone now that has Cascade/Cent/Simcoe/Amarillo for the second dry hop and it’s really nice.
I do like citrus and have some 7 C’s on hand. Thanks to Pietro and my own imagination and my inventory I think I know what I will go with. In the neighborhood anyway.
Why? Because it’s delicious!
I’ve recently become a huge fan of Calypso. Nice fruity contributions.
