Vermont IPA v3

[Braindead]

How's it coming along?
I wanted to ask about the dry hopping as I'm having my 3rd crack at this style in a couple of weeks. Previously I've added the first round of dry hops at the same time as pitchig the yeast partly so I don't forget to do it and partly to avoid lifting the lid one extra time - is there any benefit to waiting until the fermentation is underway do you think?
:

Ive just brewed 2 NEIPA and added first hops on day 3 for both for biotransformation. Both have turned our super juicy and pure hazy hop bombs.
This recipe is a blinder if you can get hold go Galaxy hops.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7701386&postcount=1418

 

[strange-steve]

How's it coming along?
I wanted to ask about the dry hopping as I'm having my 3rd crack at this style in a couple of weeks. Previously I've added the first round of dry hops at the same time as pitchig the yeast partly so I don't forget to do it and partly to avoid lifting the lid one extra time - is there any benefit to waiting until the fermentation is underway do you think?
:

I took hydrometer samples this morning, the original F1 on the right and the C4 variant on the left. As you can see the C4 has more haze, it has also fermented a tad lower at 1.014 compared to 1.016 of the original.
There is a fairly obvious difference in the aroma and flavour, the F1 is fruitier, the malt definitely coming through more in the C4. They are both pretty smooth, but there is a very slight harshness in the C4 which is a little more bitter tasting, but I think that's just from the hop particles in suspension.
The second load of dry hops went in today, so I'll give them a few days then get it bottled.

 

[dan125]

Ive just brewed 2 NEIPA and added first hops on day 3 for both for biotransformation. Both have turned our super juicy and pure hazy hop bombs.
This recipe is a blinder if you can get hold go Galaxy hops.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7701386&postcount=1418

Thanks - I do have some galaxy but its destined for a different brew,
Wouln't hops added when yeast pitched still be available for biotransformation? Or do you know if there's a particular reason to wait until high krausen?
:

 

[Braindead]

Spoke to the lads from my local brewery and they sent me this.

"I would up your oats and wheat - c15-20% of each gives you that fog and full mouthfeel.


If you don't want any bitterness skip all hot side hops - re circ to 80 then steep.


If you want the juiciness look to bio-ferm, dry hop half way through your fermentation at gravity of 1.02 - 1.03."

I`m not sure about adding when pitching yeast. I`ve just gone off research really.

 

[dan125]

Spoke to the lads from my local brewery and they sent me this.

"I would up your oats and wheat - c15-20% of each gives you that fog and full mouthfeel.


If you don't want any bitterness skip all hot side hops - re circ to 80 then steep.


If you want the juiciness look to bio-ferm, dry hop half way through your fermentation at gravity of 1.02 - 1.03."

I`m not sure about adding when pitching yeast. I`ve just gone off research really.

Thanks - interesting that they wait until the brew's half done before dry hopping.
Also reassuring to see the comment about the oats & wheat - I was planning to use 15% malted oats (rather than flaked), and had started convincing myself this may be too much.

 

[strange-steve]

I bottled this yesterday, both reached an FG of 1.013. There is a very noticeable difference between the two at this stage, some observations on sampling:

The F1 has loads of pineapple flavours, smooth though the bitterness is still a little high, not enough hoppy aroma but good flavour. Much more full bodied.

The C4 is more citrusy, milder hop flavour but more bitter, not as much fruit but a bit more estery maybe. Thinner bodied and not as flavourful in general.

 

[strange-steve]

Well I tried one of these tonight and it's not bad. I purposefully reduced the hops a bit in this one so that they weren't completely overpowering the yeast flavours, because this was a comparison after all. I'll do a side by side next week at some point, but there definitely isn't enough hop aroma for the style, however I am really happy with the flavours.

I let a couple of friends taste it without telling them it was a homebrew, one said it tasted like pineapple juice, another said it reminded him of a fruit smoothie, so I take that as a win (despite the fact that both of them said it was just ok!).

 

[strange-steve]

Well tonight I decided to do a side by side comparison, and at first I was sure there were some big differences between the two, even in the aroma. So I decided to do a semi-blind triangle test à la Brulosophy just to check.

I poured two samples of the F1 and one sample of the C4, had them mixed about then tried to pick out the C4. When I smelled them together, then I wasn't so sure they were different after all, but I thought I noticed a slight difference in one of them so marked it as the C4, but I wasn't too confident. Then I tasted them and honestly wasn't sure I could tell a difference. Turns out I was correct with the one that I thought smelled a little different, but it felt like a lucky guess, so I tried twice more and got it right both times just from the aroma. Taste wise they are very similar, I thought the F1 was a little sweeter and more full bodied but it's very subtle, however the aroma is quite different. The F1 is citrusy whereas I get a slight bananery ester aroma from the C4.

So despite the big differences that a I thought were there through multiple samples, they obviously aren't that different after all. And as you can see they look identical too.

 

[Ajhutch]

I'm going to do a blind tasting of both tomorrow. I haven't read your post any further than where you said that's what you'd done so haven't read any comments you may have made about differences.

I'll set mine alongside yours after I've done that but it's a very different colour so I won't bother using it in the blind tasting, though I do have my son's plastic cups (coloured, opaque) available!


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[strange-steve]

I'm going to do a blind tasting of both tomorrow. I haven't read your post any further than where you said that's what you'd done so haven't read any comments you may have made about differences.

I'll set mine alongside yours after I've done that but it's a very different colour so I won't bother using it in the blind tasting, though I do have my son's plastic cups (coloured, opaque) available!


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Cool, look forward to seeing the results. Though I have no doubt yours will be a much better beer!

 

[Ajhutch]

Cool, look forward to seeing the results. Though I have no doubt yours will be a much better beer!

Crazy talk!


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[Ajhutch]

Ok the results are in. Me and my wife did a blind tasting of both versions of this and my NEIPA. First things first, Steve they are fabulous beers. My wife said all three were 'perfectly drinkable but nothing special'. I'm proud of her high standards but it was a gross insult! Trying yours highlighted a grassy note in the aroma of mine which presumably comes from hop contact time. Otherwise they are both clean. So, to my observations:

F1: very noticeable pineapple note on the aroma and flavour to complement sweet citrus (mandarin?)

C4: Lime and grapefruit up front with a noticeable melon note coming through later (as it warmed?) in aroma and flavour

I've reread the other thread and the pineapple seems to have come up on the 'wrong' one! I wonder if my wife got the pouring wrong on my samples.

Very enjoyable evening of drinking and you've made a fabulous beer, cheers!


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[strange-steve]

Thanks for the kind words :hat: When my mates tried these beers, they made very similar comments to your wife's actually, and I thought they were fair.
And actually you're right, I got more pineapple from the F1 also.