Which IPA is harder to brew well?

Which hop variety(s) 'stand out' to you even when they are mixed with other types of hops?

Cheers!

P.S. And how a certain hop variety is utilized in the production can be a big influence here. For example I sometimes find Citra to be particularly potent when dry hopping and if I am seeking a more balanced hop aroma I may combine a lesser amount of Citra vs. the others. For example for dry hopping a 5 gallon batch I might use 1 ounce of Citra and 3 ounces of other aroma hops.

 

I'll just put a disclaimer upfront that I do enjoy both styles.

I have no brewing experience, so my opinions are based on, well, nothing.

I think both can be equally difficult. For WCIPA's, they're usually (or always) filtered. There seems to be fewer ways to hide any "flaws". Sort of like how a great light lager is pretty much a naked beer. That said, I personally feel as though WCIPA's aren't as "complex", flavor wise as a NEIPA. I basically get grapefruit/bitter citrus, pine and caramel malts. Maybe some other subtle flavors depending on the hops. But that's just my palate.

The flavors some brewers are able to pull out of the hops for a good NEIPA are quite extensive. Sometimes it gets muddled, but when done right, it's just really fruity and bursting with all kinds of flavors. The yeast can also play a big role in these beers. Tree House is the perfect example of that and a big part of why their beer is so popular.

On the negative end, it seems like you can hide "flaws" more easily with a NEIPA. It's muddy and unfiltered so you either like that appearance or you don't. But if there's something off the brewer can just add an extra dry hop or something to mask it. Again, I am not a brewer so I apologize if everything I'm saying is complete nonsense.

I guess I'll just say that making good beer in general is extremely difficult.

 

mosaic and galaxy tend to be the easier as their aromas are both distinct and strong. Simcoe and citra are hops I can pick out but not as common. Just recently a buddy asked me if I can tell what hops are in a beer he gave me blind. I was able to get 2/3. Citra, and simcoe being of 2/3 and the 3rd motueka being the 3rd. But I am not that familiar with that hop. You can say citra in every ipa and you’ll be 50% right. Many of the C hops and Nelson too. Strata is getting easier and it’s getting used more and I am getting more familiar with the hop. Also, strong and unique.

 

The Mosaic stood out a little more to me than the Azacca and the Simcoe but they were all clearly there. I got the usual onion/garlic on the nose and taste for the Mosaic with a hint of tropical fruit and then the pine and honey-ish tastes came through. The flavors play well together but that plus the high ABV, it's a one and done beer for me and by the end of the glass I was over it (but it has always been a one per year type of beer for me).

 

Well...it was not that long ago that it was not typical for Mosaic to have "usual onion/garlic" flavors. Mosaic (and some other hop varieties) is very sensitive to when the hops are harvested and if they are harvested later there will be perceptible flavors of onion/garlic. A few years ago (5ish and further back) it was not unusual to obtain flavors of blueberries from Mosaic but I have not picked that up in the past 5 years; an artifact of increased acreage for Mosaic (i.e., a terroir effect)?

Cheers!

 

Below is something I posted last year:

"I recently brewed an IPA that featured Motueka hops (e.g., late kettle addition and dry hopping) and it is indeed a very tasty hop. I personally mostly perceive lime zest but there are other fruity flavors as well in that beer."

I have purchased more Motueka hops and I will re-brew this batch sometime in the fall.

Cheers!