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Author Topic: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?  (Read 6970 times)

Offline da_jakthund

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Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« on: August 17, 2011, 12:25:24 pm »
So I ordered 1 pound of Simcoe Fresh(Wet) Hops from NB, now I need a suggestions for a fresh hop A/IPA recipe to feature them.

I am still brewing extract, but would consider doing a partial mash for this brew. I realize that I only have the equivalent of 3 oz. of hops, so I am hoping to use the simcoe as flavor and/or aroma, with a small addition of something else for bittering.

Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive?  What would be a good target beer for this?

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2011, 12:27:27 pm »
When are they expected to arrive in stores? I plan to stock up on Simcoe early this year.
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Offline denny

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2011, 12:32:01 pm »
When are they expected to arrive in stores? I plan to stock up on Simcoe early this year.

I just heard from a wholesaler that there are virtually no Simcoe available this year.  Along with several other varieties that have been abundant in the past.  Get 'em when ya can!
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Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2011, 12:34:20 pm »
When are they expected to arrive in stores? I plan to stock up on Simcoe early this year.

I just heard from a wholesaler that there are virtually no Simcoe available this year.  Along with several other varieties that have been abundant in the past.  Get 'em when ya can!
How can there be none when they haven't even arrived yet?  Has the whole crop already been 'spoken for' or something? 

Why are hops getting so dfficult to find? 
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Offline denny

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2011, 12:36:12 pm »
When are they expected to arrive in stores? I plan to stock up on Simcoe early this year.

I just heard from a wholesaler that there are virtually no Simcoe available this year.  Along with several other varieties that have been abundant in the past.  Get 'em when ya can!
How can there be none when they haven't even arrived yet?  Has the whole crop already been 'spoken for' or something? 

Why are hops getting so dfficult to find? 

Yeah, they've been pretty much all preordered.  There may be limited availability, but if you see them and you want them, snap them up.  The weather has absolutely sucked this year, which is a major reason given for the lack of hops.  I'n told that even varieties like Chinook and Centennial will be hard to find.
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Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2011, 12:48:14 pm »
When are they expected to arrive in stores? I plan to stock up on Simcoe early this year.

I just heard from a wholesaler that there are virtually no Simcoe available this year.  Along with several other varieties that have been abundant in the past.  Get 'em when ya can!
How can there be none when they haven't even arrived yet?  Has the whole crop already been 'spoken for' or something? 

Why are hops getting so dfficult to find? 

Yeah, they've been pretty much all preordered.  There may be limited availability, but if you see them and you want them, snap them up.  The weather has absolutely sucked this year, which is a major reason given for the lack of hops.  I'n told that even varieties like Chinook and Centennial will be hard to find.

How depressing.  That's gonna seriously curtail my brewing choices this year.  :( 
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Offline blatz

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2011, 12:49:48 pm »
Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive? 

yes.
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Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2011, 12:53:08 pm »
So I ordered 1 pound of Simcoe Fresh(Wet) Hops from NB, now I need a suggestions for a fresh hop A/IPA recipe to feature them.

I am still brewing extract, but would consider doing a partial mash for this brew. I realize that I only have the equivalent of 3 oz. of hops, so I am hoping to use the simcoe as flavor and/or aroma, with a small addition of something else for bittering.

Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive?  What would be a good target beer for this?

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

If NB (who you ordered from) is 'Northern Brewer' then how did you pre-order?  I didn't see any such option & their site says they're out of Simcoe. 
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Offline da_jakthund

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2011, 12:54:03 pm »
Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive? 

yes.

Any suggestions on a commercial example that would be a good starting point to shoot for before the dry hopping?

Offline theDarkSide

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2011, 01:00:27 pm »
If NB (who you ordered from) is 'Northern Brewer' then how did you pre-order?  I didn't see any such option & their site says they're out of Simcoe. 

I think the pre-orders are all done.  Brewmasters Warehouse had 1 lb wet Simcoe preorders through 8/10/11, although it looks like you can still order from them.
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Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2011, 01:01:02 pm »
If NB (who you ordered from) is 'Northern Brewer' then how did you pre-order?  I didn't see any such option & their site says they're out of Simcoe. 

I think the pre-orders are all done.  Brewmasters Warehouse had 1 lb wet Simcoe preorders through 8/10/11, although it looks like you can still order from them.

So.... I missed it?  When did they show up?  Aren't they early? 

Dammit!!!!!!!
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Offline blatz

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2011, 01:17:41 pm »
Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive? 

yes.

Any suggestions on a commercial example that would be a good starting point to shoot for before the dry hopping?

I can't think of any Simcoe wet hopped ales, and even so if you could find one right now, I'd recommend against it since wet hopped ales should be drank by no later than November else they lose their 'magic'.

As for regular hopped beers with Simcoe as a prominent aroma hop, I'm drawing a blank except for Weyerbacher Double SImcoe which I think blows so I'd not recommend that one, even though Simcoe is one of my favorite hops.

As I recommended on NB forum, maybe make the "Dead Ringer" kit but use the simcoe instead of the included dryhop, or the CYBI Green Flash IPA, or I would do this:

1.065 OG
95% US 2 row
5% English Light Crystal
Mash 153

2oz Amarillo at 20 min
1oz Amarillo at 15 min
1oz Amarillo at 10 min
2oz Amarillo at 5 min

with enough Amarillo, Columbus or Chinook at 60 min to get your total IBUs to equal 65 (after accounting for all the amarillo late addition IBUs based on your AA)

ferment with Chico or San Diego Super (001 or 090)

then when your simcoe comes - dryhop with that.

I would drink that all day long!
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Offline pinnah

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2011, 01:23:07 pm »
Would I be better off brewing an A/IPA now and dry hopping with the fresh hops when they arrive? 

yes.

Dry hopping wet hops? ;D  Tom should be here in a minute.

Anyway, while I would not want to question your source,
I do think that there is a particular quality to be achieved by using some fresh hops in the boil, or really late in a hop stand. 
Personally, I might be inclined to honor that harvest tradition. ;)

A pound of fresh Simcoe?  Very cool.

Offline blatz

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2011, 01:29:55 pm »
pinnah - he probably got that partially from me - my pro buddy was speaking with Ralph Olsen at an event a few months ago and they were discussing fresh/wet/undryed/ blah-blah whatever you want to call them hops.  Ralph made the comment "why do you want to boil off any of those wonderful volatiles?" or something close to that - makes sense to me.

so he recommended either using them late in the boil (hop stand is a great idea!) or dryhopping.  Having a brew ready to be dryhopped made the most sense to me, especially since I can't brew during the week and the shipment, which needs to be used pronto, is likely to come in on a Wednesday not a friday - YMMV.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2011, 01:36:59 pm by blatz »
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Offline Beer Monger

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Re: Fresh Simcoe hops arriving soon....what to do?
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2011, 01:48:51 pm »
For anyone still looking, this site has them in stock ($2.79/oz + shipping for whole leaf or pellet).  

http://www.rebelbrewer.com/shoppingcart/search.php?search_query=Simcoe

I got 8oz, just so I can have SOME this year.  I'll have to come up w/ a killer IPA recipe to use them in.  
« Last Edit: August 17, 2011, 02:37:30 pm by Beer Monger »
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