IPA tastes of lager

[Blackmuse]

Don't change too much on this next batch or it could be hard to discern what exactly was the issue.

I'd be picking up new hops or adjusting my hop utilization in the recipe. Seems to me that the hops might be old and underperforming (have they all been from the same package?

I also agree with the recommendation to use magnum for bittering and using the same amount of the other hops you have in the recipe but just all towards the end of the boil.

Don't bother with camden tablets unless you know you have chlorine in your water....

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Hawkbox]

Little bit of sulphate from campden won't hurt an IPA even if there is no chlorine.

 

[^Tony^]

Little bit of sulphate from campden won't hurt an IPA even if there is no chlorine.

Campden is really really cheap as well. I can get 50 tablets for $3 here. 1 tablet for 5 gallons is all you need and your golden. 1 less thing to worry about.

 

[^Tony^]

How would you dry hop 4 litres of beer in a demijohn?[/QUOTE]

Same as a larger batch. If your worried about oxygenation then, as Trailben says, add the hops at/just after high krausen. I don't because I like to leave my beer to ferment at least another week after high krausen and that long of a dry hop is not to my taste. But, I also don't worry about that much oxygenation. For my 24 litre batches, it might make a difference or it might not. I've never been able to tell the difference and I like the beer I make with my techniques so I don't worry about it.

IMO: I add dry hops 3 to 5 days before I bottle. A quick pop open of the fermenter bung, drop in the hops, seal it back up in an Indiana Jones stealing the idol kind of thing. As long as your not leaving the bung out or letting the airlock dry out your probably fine, especially if you fill the demi right up the the neck.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

The problem with a beer that has no hop character has little to do with water, campden tablet or not. Water is one of the last refinement brewers need to make unless their brewing with swamp water or super hard water. Just use a soft water or RO, add 3-4 grams each of calcium sulphate and calcium chloride. Done.

I’m convinced the problem has to do with how to use hops. Most brewers new to IPA misuse their hops. They have told to boil the piss out of them. Not only is it not necessary, it destroys all the hop character your after. You can pick up bitterness and keep the flavor and aroma by adding them at flame out or in a whirlpool.

The other problem is balance, lots of hops means a higher gravity. It’s a simple concept, but not always easy to get right.

I think this thread is confusing people.

 

[^Tony^]

The problem with a beer that has no hop character has little to do with water, campden tablet or not. Water is one of the last refinement brewers need to make unless their brewing with swamp water or super hard water. Just use a soft water or RO, add 3-4 grams each of calcium sulphate and calcium chloride. Done.

I’m convinced the problem has to do with how to use hops. Most brewers new to IPA misuse their hops. They have told to boil the piss out of them. Not only is it not necessary, it destroys all the hop character your after. You can pick up bitterness and keep the flavor and aroma by adding them at flame out or in a whirlpool.

The other problem is balance, lots of hops means a higher gravity. It’s a simple concept, but not always easy to get right.

I think this thread is confusing people.

Maybe it is, maybe not. We started talking about hops, then moved to minerals that effect hop flavor (Cl and SO4) and the water he uses, then hop quantity then talking about the sulfur taste he has, then he mentioned he does not use campden, then he asked about how to dry hop a 4 litre demi. A whole conversation in a single thread.

I agree with you that many misuse their hops in many many different ways. I think we established that point a while back in this thread.

And with all due respect: Nobody should obsess over the water BUT you can't have beer without water. Telling someone not to worry about the water they use to make beer is like telling a baker not to worry about the temperature of the oven. If your lucky to live where nice water comes out of the tap, good for you. Some of us have crap water from the tap that makes awful beer and we need to learn how to deal with that. Like everyone else here, I am just offering my opinion. He can take it or leave it.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Maybe it is, maybe not. We started talking about hops, then moved to minerals that effect hop flavor (Cl and SO4) and the water he uses, then hop quantity then talking about the sulfur taste he has, then he mentioned he does not use campden, then he asked about how to dry hop a 4 litre demi. A whole conversation in a single thread.

I agree with you that many misuse their hops in many many different ways. I think we established that point a while back in this thread.

And with all due respect: Nobody should obsess over the water BUT you can't have beer without water. Telling someone not to worry about the water they use to make beer is like telling a baker not to worry about the temperature of the oven. If your lucky to live where nice water comes out of the tap, good for you. Some of us have crap water from the tap that makes awful beer and we need to learn how to deal with that. Like everyone else here, I am just offering my opinion. He can take it or leave it.

I meant no offense. But I worked water from end to the other and it makes a difference, but it’s not the magic bullet it sometimes made out to be. It’s really quite simply, especially with lighter beers like Pilsners and IPA’s as well. Use soft water. If you want to be even more precise, monitor pH from grain to glass. That has a big impact, but it doesn’t make hops fall flat.
In your face hoppy beers require a different approach to hop use.

My water sucks for light beers, I cured that by using RO water. Pretty easy.

 

[Chaos home brewing]

The beauty of RO water is that it is neutral. You can add different stuff to make any water profile you want! I've used it a few times. It will be my next big purchase. We had an under the counter one but would only make a few gallons a day so I had to prepare a week ahead of time by filling a jug or two every evening but sadly it broke and I haven't replaced it yet.

 

[Craigerrr]

Quick couple of questions for the original poster.

When you purchase your hops are they in a factory sealed package? Or are they repackaged by your home brew shop I to zip lock baggies?

When you open a package of hops is the aroma real, real strong? It should be an over the top pungent smell.

If the answers are, HB shop repackaged, and there isn't much of an odor. Your hips are shit, and will result in shit beer.

On the water topic, if you have chlorine, and or chloramine in your water, your berr will not turn out well at all.