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Author Topic: NE IPA  (Read 2324 times)

Offline James K

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NE IPA
« on: January 07, 2018, 10:42:12 pm »
I am wondering how important hops are for a NE IPA. I am in the process of fermenting my first one and have already told myself I’ll never make another because the amount of hops.

I used .75oz Citra at 60 minutes and .25 citra 1oz ekuanot and mosaic at flame out, another .5oz at 10 min flame out and the same at 20 minute flame out.

I still have to dry hop twice.

Can I make something similar without all these hop additions. Like just dry hop with higher amount? Or more hops in hop stands?

Just wondering.
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Offline coolman26

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NE IPA
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2018, 05:27:43 am »
It is your beer, make what you want to make. If you don’t want to dryhop at all fine. You will lose some of the aromatics, but it will still have plenty of Hop flavor. Why not try it since it is your first one and see what you think?  It may not be a true NEIPA. To be honest I have not found a NEIPA that I’m into. I much prefer a regular IPA. Plus, depending on your process for dry, it may save you some oxidation issues.


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« Last Edit: January 08, 2018, 05:30:15 am by coolman26 »
Jeff B

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: NE IPA
« Reply #2 on: January 08, 2018, 08:18:57 am »
I think an IPA needs dry hopping. You can get away with just doing a big whirlpool addition for a pale ale if you want but I don't think an IPA hits all the marks without it. Even if you did just whirlpool and no dry hops you'd still need to add essentially the same amount of hops. You can't do that style without throwing a massive amount of hops at it.
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Offline braufessor

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Re: NE IPA
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2018, 08:52:22 pm »
I make these all the time, and have tried and compared many different methods of hopping.  I have settled on the following because it is simple, and it gets me the same results as more complicated methods I have done.

1/2-3/4 ounce warrior at 60 minutes.
6 ounces of hops after flame out and after chilling has brought temps down some (160 range or so).
6 ounces in one dry hop on day 2-3 in primary.

My late hops are generally combos of the usual suspects - Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe, etc.

This has worked every bit as well as multiple additions, multiple transfers, dry-hopping in the keg, etc.

Offline James K

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Re: NE IPA
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 01:30:54 am »
I make these all the time, and have tried and compared many different methods of hopping.  I have settled on the following because it is simple, and it gets me the same results as more complicated methods I have done.

1/2-3/4 ounce warrior at 60 minutes.
6 ounces of hops after flame out and after chilling has brought temps down some (160 range or so).
6 ounces in one dry hop on day 2-3 in primary.

My late hops are generally combos of the usual suspects - Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe, etc.

This has worked every bit as well as multiple additions, multiple transfers, dry-hopping in the keg, etc.

I guess where I am getting at is, do I really really need to use so many hops? I guess it’s an opinion, or part of the style (hazy, juicy, citrus opposed to piney resiny, and clear) but for BJCPStyles there is no ENIPA so going for 21b?

I am using around 9oz of hops in my recipe. I also don’t really make IPAs all that often, but. In terms of what cost and what’s going into the beer, is there a cheaper alternative like hop oils? Or adding fruit?

Just kicking the can around. If I want really juicy IPAs, can I make then that way without spending like $30+ on hops.

Most beers I make only use like 2-3oz.
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Offline braufessor

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Re: NE IPA
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 07:33:20 am »
I make these all the time, and have tried and compared many different methods of hopping.  I have settled on the following because it is simple, and it gets me the same results as more complicated methods I have done.

1/2-3/4 ounce warrior at 60 minutes.
6 ounces of hops after flame out and after chilling has brought temps down some (160 range or so).
6 ounces in one dry hop on day 2-3 in primary.

My late hops are generally combos of the usual suspects - Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, Centennial, Amarillo, Simcoe, etc.

This has worked every bit as well as multiple additions, multiple transfers, dry-hopping in the keg, etc.

I guess where I am getting at is, do I really really need to use so many hops? I guess it’s an opinion, or part of the style (hazy, juicy, citrus opposed to piney resiny, and clear) but for BJCPStyles there is no ENIPA so going for 21b?

I am using around 9oz of hops in my recipe. I also don’t really make IPAs all that often, but. In terms of what cost and what’s going into the beer, is there a cheaper alternative like hop oils? Or adding fruit?

Just kicking the can around. If I want really juicy IPAs, can I make then that way without spending like $30+ on hops.

Most beers I make only use like 2-3oz.

Buy hops by the pound.... or, at least the hops you use in these by the pound - that will cut your hop cost in half right off the bat.  From there.....Sure, try scaling back a bit from one batch to the next and see if you get to a point where you feel you went too far.  You can get even hops like citra and mosaic for $1 per ounce give or take a little bit.  If you are buying hops at $2-3 per ounce, the cost is going to be overwhelming.  It is basically cheaper to buy a pound of hops, throw 4-6 ounces in the garbage, use the rest - and you are still money ahead compared to buying them by the ounce.

I make a light (1.040) hoppy wheat beer similar to the beer outlined above.  However, I do an ounce each of citra/mosaic at flame out and an ounce each of citra/mosaic at day 2.  It is a nice, hoppy, light beer.  Definitely not like the NE IPA I brew though in terms of hop flavor.  So, in my opinion - 4 ounces of flame out/dry hop would not get the job done in a 1.060+ IPA type beer.  I use 12 ounces total for those additions........ that is definitely enough to get this kind of beer.  Would 6-8-10 ounces work well enough?  Maybe.  But, you are likely going to be in that range.  I bet you could get by with 8-10.

I don't think hop oils will get you where you want to go.  Not sure fruit would get you the same thing either.  Plus, fruit is pretty expensive for beer too.

I also would hedge toward keeping more in the dry hop on day 2-3 and scale back on flameout if you are cutting back somewhere.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2018, 08:08:54 am by braufessor »

Offline UnequivocalBrewing

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Re: NE IPA
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2018, 09:21:25 am »
I brew this style almost exclusively, trying to replicate Treehouse.  I have about 25 of these beers in the past two years under my belt.  Some have been great and some have really sucked.  It's a difficult beer to get right.  Try making the beer with only a little hop and see how it goes. You may be able to get your bittering from a high Alpha hop or extract, have some restraint on the whirlpool, and then season with a dry hop amount that you think suits your palate.  Using more hops doesn't necessarily make a better beer.  Some of my latest beers use the least amount of hops and have resulted in a better representation of the style.  My last dry hop was only 4oz in 5 gallons and it was the most aromatic I've ever made.  I'm sure I could back off on that as well and it would be ok.

The overarching advice I'd give you is that you have to brew to your taste and brew what you like.  Brew, taste, refine, and understand your process.  What works for someone may not work for others.