Hops! Brewing an American hop bomb for competition

[dean_wales]

Gents,

We have a local/fun competition coming up on 30th April (i.e. 6 weeks away). I have brews on but I'm planning on brewing a last minute American hop bomb to ensure aroma is as fresh as possible. I have always aged my beers and been conservative with hops - not this time! I dont brew a lot of these beers, despite liking them, as they cost more due to the hops!

Few basics:
1. I'm brewing a simple all grain base beer that is 90% Pale and 10% Cara Blond and around 5%. It's a three vessel set up.
2. 50L batch and so there is plenty of potential to split, either in half to two 25L buckets or loads of demi johns.
3. I prefer whole hops unless anyone says anything strongly the other way.
4. If I brew next week, is four weeks really enough time for a quality beer? Americans seem to think so. I can/will force carb if needed.
5. What fermentation temps should I go for? Cooler for clean flavours or warmer to speed it up?

Here is where I need the help/suggestions on method:
1. How important are the steep/whirpool additions?
2. Would brewing 50L with a clean bittering hop to 30IBU and then a whole load, say 6 (!) split batches with single hop dry hopping be a good or stupid idea? No late additions.
3. What about boiling for 60mins, running of 25L into a bucket and immediately whirlpooling with one hop bill whilst boiling the remainder for another 5mins with a second hop bill?
4. Am I better off just making 50L with reliable late additions and then just twisting each 25L fermenter with a different dry hop?
5. I was going to use Nottingham yeast for everything, sensible choice or is US-05 better?
6. My water is soft in Exeter, worth a small addition - maybe one half - to accentuate the hops?

And finally, the biggie, whats are the best hop varieties for late and dry hoping for big citrussy/fruit hits? I have enjoyed the Citra/Simcoe/Mosaic combo before in a Dead Pony Club clone. The place I'm ordering from have Ahtanum, Amarillo, Apollo, Centennial, Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Mosaic, Simcoe, Summit and Tomahawk. What would your immediate choices be for big late/dry additions? If I relinquish and get pellets they also have Citra and Lemon Drop.

What about a split batch bittered with something clean to 30IBU then:
25L dry hopped with 100g Amarillo and 100g Mosaic whole hops.
25L dry hopped with 100g Citra and 100g Lemon Drop hop pellets.

Thanks,
Dean.

[Rookie]

Be aware that whole hops will suck up more wort than pellets.
Four weeks would work if force carbing.
Fermentation temps depend on which yeast you use. The chico strain would probably be the way to go.
Whirlpool? I've never done, but thumbs up to steeping.
I add a bit of gypsum to my softish water for this type of beer.
Simcoe and amarillo go together great, as do centennial and cascade.

[WalesAles]

dean,
Amarillo and Apollo big time.

WA

[john luc]

Have a good read of this. It has a lot of good information on how to apply a hopping regime.
http://scottjanish.com/examination-of-s ... nd-flavor/

[soupdragon]

Have a good read of this. It has a lot of good information on how to apply a hopping regime.
http://scottjanish.com/examination-of-s ... nd-flavor/

Very interesting......

Will need to give it another couple of readings before it all sinks in though. Thanks for the link

Cheers Tom

[scuppeteer]

Have a good read of this. It has a lot of good information on how to apply a hopping regime.
http://scottjanish.com/examination-of-s ... nd-flavor/

Great article. Bits I knew or thought I did. To get it right, in the right sort of beer seems you need to select the right hop as well.



Dean.

Leave Notty alone. For that proper American flavour, use WLP051 or BRY97.

For hops, in our APA at work, we use Cascade, Chinook and Apollo, but for gods sake don't use Apollo for bittering!

For method, brew it proper don't try and fanny about with lots of hop additions. FWH with an amount to get 30IBU then use a 10 or 15min addition to ramp it up to 50. For 50l I would suggest about 250g at flame out, then give it a 10-20min rest before chilling down to pitch temp. Post fermentation dry hop at 2 or 3g/l for no more than 48hrs with whatever takes your fancy. Pellet would be best.

[AnthonyUK]

Would brewing 50L with a clean bittering hop to 30IBU and then a whole load, say 6 (!) split batches with single hop dry hopping be a good or stupid idea?

For maximum flavour and aroma a large late addition is the way to go but as you mentioned it is not economic and can be expensive given the price of the preferred hops.
Cool your wort down to under 80°c post-boil and add around 10g/l.
I prefer pellets for this late addition for maximum impact.

Think about things that may have an impact on flavour/aroma during and post fermentation such as not too active a ferment (low and slow?), will crash chilling or fining strip flavour?