[erockrph]

Now that I've completed my hops stockpile for the year I need to start using them. I've come up with a bunch of recipes that in the end will use each of the hop varieties I picked up this year. As is the usual, when I'm working on too many recipes at once I have a hard time choosing which to brew first. Here are my options:

HopfenHell - Starting with a Helles Bock as the base beer, but hopbursted & dry-hopped with Cascade, Centennial, Amarillo and Citra

Dr. Dankenpine's Rye IPA - a dank & piny Rye IPA with Mosaic, Simcoe, Chinook, Apollo, Columbus & Summit

Düsseldorf "IPA" - Basically a big Alt using the German hops I have: Polaris, Smaragd and Herkules

Black Kiwi - A black IPA using my NZ hops - Rakau, Motueka and Nelson Sauvin

I'm leaning toward either the Alt or the Helles Bock since my basement is holding a nice steady 60F right now in the coolest corner. What would you brew?

[firedog23]

As Good as the Black Kiwi sounds, use your basement while the temperature is where you want it. Dusseldorf for me.

[dzlater]

Maybe a little of topic, but what the hell does a "dank" beer taste like? 

[erockrph]

Maybe a little of topic, but what the hell does a "dank" beer taste like? 

Ever been to a Phish concert?

I use dank in reference to resinous, pungent, cannabis type flavors. Good Columbus has loads of this.

[kmccaf]

I voted for the Alt because I'd love to hear more abut the hops you are using in it. I've also just been having a craving for good German hoppiness lately. They all look good though, so I hope the plan is to brew all of them!

[dzlater]

Maybe a little of topic, but what the hell does a "dank" beer taste like? 

Ever been to a Phish concert?

I use dank in reference to resinous, pungent, cannabis type flavors. Good Columbus has loads of this.

No, but I've been to quite a few Dead shows. 

[denny]

Maybe a little of topic, but what the hell does a "dank" beer taste like? 

Ever been to a Phish concert?

I use dank in reference to resinous, pungent, cannabis type flavors. Good Columbus has loads of this.

No, but I've been to quite a few Dead shows. 

You have my sympathy....

[pinnah]

Hoppy helles!

I admire your hop driven choices! 

Has there ever been another time in history
when the Brewer has been allowed more diverse hop choices?
 
Have fun.

[realbeerguy]

Second on using the temps now.

I'd keep the Nelsons for a single hop IPA

[erockrph]

Thanks for sharing your opinions everyone! I decided to go with the Alt, and the Helles Bock will be next in line after that. I have to make the best use of the cooler temps while I have them.

They all look good though, so I hope the plan is to brew all of them!

Got no choice, really. The wife nearly had a frozen turkey land on her head since my hop stash is literally pushing food out of our freezer at the moment. I've got to start using up some hops before she kicks me out of the freezer. These four brews, plus a Brett Trois IPA using Belma, Meridian, Mosaic & Caliente is pretty much my entire winter/spring brewing schedule.

[kmccaf]

Thanks for sharing your opinions everyone! I decided to go with the Alt, and the Helles Bock will be next in line after that. I have to make the best use of the cooler temps while I have them.

They all look good though, so I hope the plan is to brew all of them!

Got no choice, really. The wife nearly had a frozen turkey land on her head since my hop stash is literally pushing food out of our freezer at the moment. I've got to start using up some hops before she kicks me out of the freezer. These four brews, plus a Brett Trois IPA using Belma, Meridian, Mosaic & Caliente is pretty much my entire winter/spring brewing schedule.

I hear ya. Lately, I've been hunting craigslist for a refrigerator, so that I can put the kegs in the fridge, and hops in the freezer. I've actually put off buying hops in bulk this year because of space concerns in the freezer, as it turns out that the wife and I need to use that freezer for other things.

Looks like a good schedule for the winter though. Keep us updated on these! When the space frees up in my freezer, I am really hoping to buy some Polaris and Herkules.

[erockrph]

I tasted my first bottle of the Alt last night. Damn, that Polaris is something else. I think it's the first hop variety whose oil content is so high that you absolutely have to take it into consideration when designing recipes. It really kicked the hop character from IPA to IIPA levels. I burnt my palate right before I tried the beer, so I'll post more info once I can take some detailed notes. Suffice it to say, I think Polaris has a lot of potential for IPA's.

One more point of note - I was just going to use my typical IPA water adjustments, but I decided to give the Düsseldorf water profile in BrunWater a try instead. I'm glad I did. I definitely picked up a hint of something that reminded me of Uerige's brews, and I want to say it was the water.

Here's the recipe, FYI:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Düsseldorf IPA

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Düsseldorf Altbier
Boil Time: 90 min
Batch Size: 3 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3.5 gallons
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.068
Final Gravity: 1.017
ABV (standard): 6.71%
IBU (tinseth): 76.57
SRM (morey): 14.55

FERMENTABLES:
6 lb - German - Pilsner (76.8%)
1 lb - German - Munich Light (12.8%)
0.5 lb - Belgian - Aromatic (6.4%)
0.25 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 60L (3.2%)
1 oz - German - Carafa III (0.8%)

HOPS:
0.25 oz - Polaris, Type: Pellet, Use: First Wort (AA 21.3, IBU: 18.94)
0.2 oz - Herkules for 60 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 15.7, IBU: 18.44)
0.5 oz - Smaragd for 15 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 6.6, IBU: 9.62)
0.5 oz - Herkules for 10 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 15.7, IBU: 16.72)
0.5 oz - Polaris for 5 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 21.3, IBU: 12.47)
1 oz - Herkules for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 14)
1 oz - Smaragd for 0 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 6.6)
0.3 oz - Herkules for 0.1 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 15.7, IBU: 0.12)
0.3 oz - Polaris for 0.1 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 21.3, IBU: 0.16)
0.5 oz - Smaragd for 0.1 min, Type: Pellet, Use: Boil (AA 6.6, IBU: 0.09)
1 oz - Herkules for 7 days, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop (AA 14)
1 oz - Polaris for 7 days, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop (AA 21.3)
1 oz - Smaragd for 7 days, Type: Pellet, Use: Dry Hop (AA 6.6)

MASH STEPS:
1) Infusion, Temp: 149 F, Time: 90 min, Amount: 15 qt, Sacc Rest

YEAST:
Wyeast - German Ale 1007

NOTES:
0.1 minute addition = post-hop stand
20-minute hop stand

[Slowbrew]

Thanks for sharing your opinions everyone! I decided to go with the Alt, and the Helles Bock will be next in line after that. I have to make the best use of the cooler temps while I have them.

They all look good though, so I hope the plan is to brew all of them!

Got no choice, really. The wife nearly had a frozen turkey land on her head since my hop stash is literally pushing food out of our freezer at the moment. I've got to start using up some hops before she kicks me out of the freezer. These four brews, plus a Brett Trois IPA using Belma, Meridian, Mosaic & Caliente is pretty much my entire winter/spring brewing schedule.

I hear ya. Lately, I've been hunting craigslist for a refrigerator, so that I can put the kegs in the fridge, and hops in the freezer. I've actually put off buying hops in bulk this year because of space concerns in the freezer, as it turns out that the wife and I need to use that freezer for other things.

Looks like a good schedule for the winter though. Keep us updated on these! When the space frees up in my freezer, I am really hoping to buy some Polaris and Herkules.

If you find one, I hope you have better luck than me. 

We replaced the kitchen fridge and I kept the old one for beer.  Between the juice boxes, soda, flavored water and frozen vegetables I can sometimes fit a few ounces of hops in it.  We seemingly need more than a 24cf refrigerator and 29cf freezer to accommodate our needs in the kitchen.  8^(

Paul