So I recently made a APA with 2:1 Sorachi Ace and Chinook. Many of my friends like it, but the friends who know beer, myself included, are not really digging it. Its too... I don't know-- not good. Any combinations of hops that just didn't do it for you?
Green Bullet and CTZ. Calypso and Sterling. I can't guarantee this wasn't due to some other deficiency in my brewing/cellaring practices; these two just stood out. Most hops get along well. Most of my failed combinations were probably due to factors other than the specific hops. Sorachi Ace and Chinook sounds very tasty to me, but then I've never had it.
On paper, Sorachi and Chinook sounds like it would work. But, then you realize that Sorachi Ace is a disgusting hop that ruins all the other hops I really don't like Sorachi Ace I can't think of any hop combo that did not "work", just some beers that I would not repeat again. That is more likely due to other issues besides the hops.
Hop love seems so personal. I'm not sure that "knowing beer" really matters. Also worth considering amounts. Maybe blending 20% Ace with Chinook is da bomb, but 50/50 is intolerable. I would find it difficult to write off without considerable experimentation. Damn this hobby -- yet another considerable experiment that I will never have time to implement.
I've never had any that turned out gross, but a few that just turned out less than the sum of its parts.
Citra and mosaic....ewwww Really though, not sure I've had a true failure on straight hop combo...but I have had at least one hop-yeast failure, adding all chinook hops for a hefe. May have worked if I waited until flameout to add them, but was pretty bad...that was many moons ago though.
It wasn't even that though, I was hoping for the woodiness, which was fine. Mandarina was underwhelming. I should have used cascade.
