[euge]

Congrats on the medals. I expect no less from ya man!

Otherwise the stepped up completion on this beer went well? What are symptoms of your perceived problem(s)? I'm assuming it's hop character.

[brewsumore]

"Green" hop character is something I think sometimes has no remedy except the passage of time, depending on the hop varieties and amounts (hence the term "green" or "young"?).  I am drinking an IPA or probably actually an imperial IPA I made, that used an admittedly harsh-at-first hop - calypso, and the hop harshness is dissipating, and fruity flavor/aroma components associated with that hop (apple, pear) are only starting to show up after 2 months in the keg.  So maybe if time is an issue and you want a hoppy beer, compromise and make a pale ale.  I know someone is likely to disagree, and certainly I have made IPAs that drank well a week or two after kegging.  Another suggestion is for a soon-to-drink IPA or APA, minimize or omit a gypsum addition since it can add to the dry and harsh perception of hop bitterness in the beer.

Also, ditto - congrats on your medals!

[blatz]

thanks euge and brewsumore.

i can't describe it any other way than as just green.  i don't think it was bacterial as no one mentioned that and i would have picked that up.  one taster said 'raw hop'.  many people actually liked it, but it just lacked the more pleasant aromas from the simcoe, amarillo and centennial and instead just smelled like plain green hop.

I think i need to brew not using an extended whirlpool and see what happens with that since i know how that should turn out.

[beersk]

Is it a grassiness, Paul?  I think I know what you're talking about.  I have a black IPA on tap right now that is usually very dank and tasty, but this time I used a hop bag in the boil and it's kind of grassy without those nice flavors and aromas from the simcoe.  It could be the hop screen thingy, for you. I'm starting to think that having the hops roam free in the boil really benefits that flavor/aroma quality we like so much.  I have another batch fermenting that I also used a hop bag on, so I'll be able to confirm my theory with that batch, perhaps. I also did a hopstand on the black IPA for 30 minutes, which would be comparable to your whirlpool.
Congratulations on the medals.

[blatz]

Is it a grassiness, Paul?  I think I know what you're talking about.  I have a black IPA on tap right now that is usually very dank and tasty, but this time I used a hop bag in the boil and it's kind of grassy without those nice flavors and aromas from the simcoe.  It could be the hop screen thingy, for you. I'm starting to think that having the hops roam free in the boil really benefits that flavor/aroma quality we like so much.  I have another batch fermenting that I also used a hop bag on, so I'll be able to confirm my theory with that batch, perhaps. I also did a hopstand on the black IPA for 30 minutes, which would be comparable to your whirlpool.
Congratulations on the medals.

i've been letting the hops roam free in the boil - not much luck with the spider when recirculating unfortuately.  I used a hop basket ( a different one: http://www.stainlessbrewing.com/Dry-Hopper_p_155.html) to dryhop in the fermentor.  that may be giving me problems.

i can't imagine its from using pellets to dryhop rather than whole since thousands of brewers use pellets for this step. 

am brewing a black ipa with a club member this weekend so we'll see - hey want to send me your recipe?  i was thinking something along the lines of SSR and am still drawing up the recipe.

[beersk]

I can post it here if you want, or I can send it through private message. 

But for a 4 gallon batch of "None More Black IPA":

OG 1.068
FG 1.014-1.016
6.8-7% ABV
IBUs...not sure since I do the hopstand. But this is designed more for huge hop flavor than bitterness.
The color is dark, obviously, somewhere in the 30's for SRM.

Grainbill:
86% 2-row
7% blackprinz malt
7% C50-60

Hopbill:
1oz simcoe, chinook, cascade blend - FWH
5oz simcoe, chinook, cascade blend - Flame out and hopstand for 30 minutes or until it gets down to 180F

The blend is 2oz of each.

1 or 2 packets of US-05 (originally was WY1450, which was great, but US-05 rocks also)

I've been doing this recipe for a couple years now and I've finally settled on the hopbill which, to me, is awesome.
I don't dry hop it, although someday I should try that. Just haven't had much luck dry hopping, always seems to get too grassy for me. The hopstand does a good job of giving me a good aroma and flavor.
I am planning on playing with the hop blend a little bit. Maybe lowering the Simcoe amount and upping the Cascade for more balance. I wonder if the Simcoe overpowers the other hops. I may try doing a blend of 1oz simcoe, 2oz chinook, and 3oz cascade next time. Either way, this recipe, I think, is awesome.

I love Sublimely! That's an awesome beer!

[dean_palmer]

At least as a consolation, i won a bunch of medals at the comp 

Saw you listed for 4 medals in all in that comp, and you didn't mention the Best of Show! Congrats!

[blatz]

At least as a consolation, i won a bunch of medals at the comp 

Saw you listed for 4 medals in all in that comp, and you didn't mention the Best of Show! Congrats!

thanks Dean! 

[davidgzach]

+1 on the medals.  Good work Paul!

Dave

[jeffy]

At least as a consolation, i won a bunch of medals at the comp 

Saw you listed for 4 medals in all in that comp, and you didn't mention the Best of Show! Congrats!

thanks Dean!

Yes, very nice, Paul.  2nd BoS with a Baltic Porter!
I sent three of my finest and got nada this time.  Tough competition.