Hops for summer pale ale

[Alex NG]

Hi there

I recently brewed a golden ale using Pacific Gem and Centennial, but it was all bitterness and no flavour, certainly not a pleasanta roma or after-taste either.

So, I was looking for some advice on brewing a tasty but light pale ale.

What hops give a fruity or floral flavour - without being citrussy or too overpowering in terms of bitterness??

If anyone could recommend me a good hop schedule, I'd be very grateful indeed.

Thanks

[critch]

i did a centennial ipa last year had loads of citussy floral aromas!

try putting a shed load at flame out and steep for 30+minutes and very low ibu at start of the boil.

loads of hops work well in summer ale all the c variatals, saaz,styrians,anything from new zealand to name a few

[coatesg]

Dry hopping with Centennial (1-2oz/5gallons) will give you a big centennial flavour with no bitterness addition - though people often report their *perception* of bitterness increases with dry-hopping. Combine this with critch's suggestion of a big late addition of something like cascade, styrians or even goldings and a steep for 30min at about 80C and you'll have buckets of flavour and aroma.

[far9410]

cascade and amarillo taste of summer

[Alex NG]

Thanks for the info - much appreciated.

I used Centennial before, but I think it just got drowned out by the intense sharp bitterness of the pacific gem.

I'm a big fan of Amarillo, almost like an orange-y flavour - so I'd be keen to give that a try in a brew of my own

If I were to use Cascade, Centennial & Amarillo... which would be best for bittering / flavour / aroma / dry-hopping??

Sorry to ask for so much detail, but my recent attempts have knocked my confidence when selecting hops for paler ales.

Thanks.

[simple one]

You have to try really really hard to drown out centennial. It is aggressively flavoursome. BUT it can come across a little too spicy/peppery/musty when used in large amounts, which seems also to give it a perception of increased bitterness IMO. Cascade doesn't seem to have this peppery/mustyness and seems sweeter. (I love both)

So if you didn't like the last brew, why not try dropping centennial altogether, or just using it in the bittering additions.

IMO Cascade and Amarillo, or EKG on its own, or with Fuggles.

[Alex NG]

After reading around a fair bit, I think I'm gonna go with Centennial, Cascade and Amarillo

Centennial for bittering,for 45 or 60 mins.
Cascade in at about 20 mins
Cascade & Amarillo in at about 5 mins and more Amarillo in at flame-out
Dry hop with Cascade and/or Amarillo and maybe even Willamette.

Probably steep a bit of pale crystal malt, and aim for about 4.5% keeping it as simple as possible.

[6470zzy]

I would go with the Cascade/Amarillo for the dry hop.......................Willamette is nice but in my opinion not what you are looking for here.

Cheers

[Bigveees]

I'd Personnaly say that EKG is a top aroma hop and I love challenger or Aurora for bittering.

[6470zzy]

How about Brewers Gold or Northdown or Northern Brewer for bittering and East Kent Golding for the Aroma/Flavour?

Those are all fine hops too.

Cheers

[Grahame]

how about using centennial as the bittering hop and cascade as aroma. If you aim for a light ale with a low IBU, you should get the flavours you want without the bitterness. Something like:

Code: Select all

Amount        Item                                      Type         % or IBU      
3.51 kg       Pale Malt, Maris Otter (Low Colour) (2.5 EGrain        79.95 %       
0.38 kg       Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC)              Grain        8.66 %        
0.25 kg       Pale Crystal Malt (59.1 EBC)              Grain        5.69 %        
0.25 kg       Vienna Malt (6.9 EBC)                     Grain        5.69 %        
8.70 gm       Centennial [9.50 %]  (60 min)             Hops         8.4 IBU       
8.70 gm       Centennial [9.50 %]  (35 min)             Hops         7.0 IBU       
8.70 gm       Cascade [7.80 %]  (20 min)                Hops         4.2 IBU       
8.70 gm       Cascade [7.80 %]  (5 min)                 Hops         1.4 IBU       

I adapted that from an american recipe. It has around 21 IBU. I guess the low colour maris otter is harder to get hold off though. I get thirsty just thinking about what it would taste like

[Rookie]

I'd Personnaly say that EKG is a top aroma hop and I love challenger or Aurora for bittering.

Listen up people, here's a man who knows what he's talking about.

[yogester]

Riwaka and Moteuka are great fruity hops. Paired with Centennial and they rock!

[Alex NG]

Thanks for all the tips...

I decided on Centennial, Amarillo & Cascade

Centennial for bittering @ 60 mins
Cascade & Amarillo @ 20 mins / 5 mins / flame-out

According to Beer Engine, only around 1/4 of the IBU's should come from the bittering hops.

OG was 1.043, and after 3 days it's now at 1.012, so it's shaping up nicely.

Smells very fruity. A cheeky sip out of the sample tube is very, very encouraging,.

[critch]

Listen up people, here's a man who knows what he's talking about.

well personally im with

Riwaka and Moteuka are great fruity hops. Paired with Centennial and they rock!

just love new zealand hops, farhams container lands in a few weeks, you can also add rikau pacifica and nelson sauvin too