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Author Topic: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles  (Read 4933 times)

Offline alcaponejunior

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Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« on: February 04, 2012, 03:06:40 pm »
General question.

Suppose I have both centennial and cascade hops.  In the near future I'm planning on brewing a sweet stout.  This calls for cascade hops.  What if I substituted centennial?  

Obviously I would make sure to do the calculations for the AAs to make sure the bittering would be proportional.  The stout calls for a single hops addition, if I recall (no dry hopping).

Now, different beer...what about dry hopping an IPA with cascade instead of centennial?  I'm considering dry hopping an IPA recipe and need to decide.

I only have two ounces of cascade but plenty of centennial.  The two ounces is just enough for the sweet stout and also just enough for the dry hopping of the IPA.  Since I have little experience I'm kinda hoping someone has a strong opinion that will make it crystal clear which way to go.

This is purely newbie curiosity.  No actions have been taken!  If I don't get any WOW answers I'll stick with dry hopping with centennial and brewing the sweet stout with cascade.

I can get the suppliers if need be.  
« Last Edit: February 04, 2012, 03:08:39 pm by alcaponejunior »

Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2012, 05:45:58 pm »
Centennial works well in a big stout, the Expedition stout recipe I have has Centennial for the bittering additon.

For an IPA a 1:1 blend of Cascade and Centennial works really well for late additions or dry hopping.

Good luck with what you choose to do.
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Offline Hokerer

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2012, 05:50:18 pm »
 In the near future I'm planning on brewing a sweet stout.  This calls for cascade hops.  What if I substituted centennial?  

Sounds like you're talking about an American Stout and not a Sweet Stout.  Sweet Stouts get some of their sweetness due to the lack of hops and what hops there are aren't our resiny varieties.  On the other hand, an American Stout is more highly hopped and resiny hops are perfectly appropriate.  Brewing to style may not be that important but it could be confusing to folks who think they're getting a Sweet Stout and end up with Cascade/Centennial hops.

In any case, I've always considered Cascade and Centennial pretty much interchangeable (as long as, like you say, you do the AA calcs).  It might make sense to use the Cascade for dry hopping so as not to waste the higher AA of the Centennials.
Joe

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2012, 06:15:00 pm »
+1 on hokerer's guidance.  The sweet stout might not be exactly sweet if you're using the crazy C-style American hops.  And for the IPA, to me, Centennial is somewhat more lemony in character whereas Cascade is more grapefruity.  So you *might* want to base your selection on that.
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Offline alcaponejunior

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2012, 09:57:23 pm »
Exactly the answers I wanted, although it doesn't make my decision much easier. 

Basically I can dry hop my IPA now with cascade and wait to brew the stout with centennial.  Or I can skip dry hopping the IPA and just use the cascade for the stout (sweet or otherwise). 

Either way, I'm not to worried about it.  But I have the cascade now, in the prime zone for secondary for dry-hopping the IPA.  In about five days I'll have the centennial, probably fine for bittering a stout, but a bit too late for dry-hopping an IPA.  No rush to brew the sweet/American stout tho.  I don't know the recipe so it could well be more of an American stout, which would be fine by me.  Exact ingredients available if anyone cares enough to ask.

Just tossin' ideas around.  I would like to try the dry hopping on the IPA, but if I wait to try it, I'll have to wait till after the stout, because I don't see dry-hopping as a good idea for the stout brew.  Will have to wait till the brew after that if I don't dry-hop now.

I would like to have dry hopped batch one (Al's celebration clone ale) but it's too late.  It came out something like an amber ale.  I will elaborate more on that in the appropriate thread in about ten days. 

Great answers, BTW.  Great place this forum!

Offline majorvices

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2012, 06:09:22 am »
It also helps to think of centennmial as a "super cascade". I like cascade well enough and it is a good sub for centennial (and vise versa) but I actually prefer centennial's aroma quality.

Definitely +1 to the sweet stout comments. On a beer like that I would personally use magnum just because it is cheap, abundant and provides a very clean bitterness, but if you want to use what you have go centennial because you will use much less and there will be less chance the hop flavor will emerge. Unless you are really talking about an American Stout.

Offline alcaponejunior

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Re: Interesting bittering / dry hopping question, different styles
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2012, 12:10:26 pm »
It also helps to think of centennmial as a "super cascade". I like cascade well enough and it is a good sub for centennial (and vise versa) but I actually prefer centennial's aroma quality.

Definitely +1 to the sweet stout comments. On a beer like that I would personally use magnum just because it is cheap, abundant and provides a very clean bitterness, but if you want to use what you have go centennial because you will use much less and there will be less chance the hop flavor will emerge. Unless you are really talking about an American Stout.

I think you pushed me over the edge towards "going for it" and dry-hopping my IPA today with the cascade, and bittering the stout with the centennial.  Thanks!  I will (eventually) report how they both come out.