I wanted to put together a simple pale ale, bordering on a bitter blonde ale, and the recipe went something like this:
Ingredients for 3.1 gallons:
6.0lbs 2row pale
0.5lbs C80
0.25lbs Victory
0.25oz Summit 0min
0.3oz Centennial 0min
0.3oz Chinook 0min
Yeast: US-05
Since I don't actively chill my brews, all the 0 minute additions give me about 20 minutes worth of bitterness.
My goal with this beer was to assess the contribution of hops added only at 0 minutes and then left with the wort to chill overnight in the fermenter.
Now that this is fermented and bottled, here are the results. I got quite a bit of bitterness with this hop schedule, maybe a little too much for my preference and this recipe. While I enjoy some beers with really big bitterness, this has a bitterness that sits in the middle of your tounge and lasts. There is minimal hop aroma, and the flavor is definitely there, but it blends well with the malt and is not overdone. I was hoping for HUGE hop flavor, but didn't get it. The flavor is well balanced in this beer but it's not way out in front. Dry hopping might help to bring out the flavor and increase the perception of the hops.
I'm also suspicious of the chinook hops for their bittering qualities, since I have heard that they can be harsh. This beer would be much different if it had the same level of bitterness but it did not linger. I think it would be good to try a similar beer again but with a smoother bittering all-around hop, possible East Kent Goldings.
Ideally, I want to brew beers that have qualities that do not linger, which makes them more drinkable and more enjoyable over the coarse of a pint.
