"Hoppiness" = Bitterness? (DIPA's)

You're in Maine, stick to Maine Brewing Company's "Another One", "MO", "Substance" from Bissell Brothers and Marshall Wharf "Ace Hole". Those are Hoppy beers. The syrupy taste is usually the malts. The fruity notes are usually hops or a by product from the Yeast used. Try out regular IPAs, APAs versus DIPAs. Regular IPAs usually have a profound hop presence/crispness versus DIPAs, which could be more maltier.

Edit: Check for Bottle Dates! Hoppy beers do not age well un-refrigerated!

 

The hops provide both bitterness and unique flavors (e.g., pine, grapefruit, mango, etc.). The bitterness seems to fade more quickly than some of the other flavors from the hops.

Part of the confusion that arises over the term "hoppiness" is that some people use "happiness" to be the same as "bitterness" and seem to think that's all there is. But "happiness" isn't necessarily equal to "bitterness."

As for IBUs they are a measure or estimate of certain chemicals being present in the beer that can create bitterness. The problem is the number of IBUs is not directly related to perception of bitterness. Depending on how the hops are used during brewing and how much malt is used it is quite possible for a beer with 50 IBU to have more bitterness than a beer with 80.

 

Do hops = bitterness?

I don't think so, although bitterness is often a major component of the hops profile, and one of the main sources of bitterness in most beers. Hoppiness is a combination of characteristics. Citrus, floral, dankness, and bitterness are all common reference points. So are piney, medicinal, and herbal elements. A big blast of pine will sometimes be called hoppiness, and certainly if you get a big fruit hop bomb, that too will get that label. This is contrasted with the sweetness of malt in a typical APA or IPA. IIPAs and DIPAs will generally use more malt to balance off the hop.

Which leads to my second point - Hoptimum is a pretty hop-forward brew, but its hops might have dropped off, leaving the malt sweetness behind. That is not my typical experience with old IPAs; usually, the bitterness remains but the powerful, but fragile and transient, fruit notes fade. But I have had the hops drop out more completely once or twice, leaving a sticky-sweet brew.

 

depending on when hops are added during the brewing process depends on whether they contribute bitterness to the beer, or whether they contribute flavor/aroma. Hops added at the beginning of the boil contribute all bitterness (the aromatic oils boil away by the end of the brewing process), hops added at the end of the boil or at flame out contribute mostly to flavor/aroma, and dry-hopping contributes aroma. Read here: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-1.html

The actual flavors/aroma will vary based on the hop variety - floral, earth, pine, citrus fruits, etc.

If you want to geek out on IBU calculations and utilization: http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-5.html

 

I used to dislike DIPAs because I found them too sweet & cakey. Ironic, no?

 

Good question. I was at first confused also. Shouldn't a DOUBLE IPA be hoppier than an IPA?! I learned through here and lesson learning out and about, that a DOUBLE IPA is equal malt and hops (not exactly, of course), but most double's seem to explode on your palate, rather than just a hoppy 'tang', if you will.

 

I found hoptimum to be sweet and syrupy as well, but I did find it pretty darn biter. With that being said the beer is getting fairly old and the hops probably have faded, to what extent depends on the storing condition.

 

I find a lot of DIPAs to be too sweet as well. It's rare that I find one in double digit ABV that I really, really enjoy. Sweet spot for me is around the lower end of the scale at 8%-9% ABV

 

I find some DIPAs to have an overly sweet characteristic, in part due to more malt being used. I seem to be more sensitive to this than a lot of my friends so you may be in this camp as well. Personally this is the dividing line between really great DIPAs and everything else. Find DIPAs that don't have that sweet flavor to you and you will love them. I'd suggest Enjoy By, and Pliny to start but there are plenty to be found.

 

you didn't mention how experienced you are with craft beer in general, hops usually import a variety of different flavors, sometimes including bitterness, if you are unfamiliar with hops, you might want to start with pale ales, and then fruity IPA's, to try and develop your pallet a little more.

 

Agreed. I'm a big IPA fan but am very picky about the DIPAs I drink. I think that a lot of DIPAs are too balanced and therefore too malty. I'm not a brewer but I think the DIPAs should have "double" the normal hop level but only 50% more malt or something like that.

 

The biggest "hop bombs" you'll have for most part will be below 9%. And Iv'e had 100 ibu that aren't that bitter, and 60 ibu beers that are very bitter. Once you get past the 10% abv mark I find the balance gets shifted to too much malt and not enough hops (exceptions are enjoy by and double jack). Hoptimum is a prime example of this where malt presence is just a tad too big making it overly sweet. Age effects this as well where the hop presence diminishes in ipas, so that could have made your Hoptimum even maltier.

 

As others have posted, with DIPAs brewers often increase the malt in addition to increased hopping. The net result is that while the beer may be very hoppy (read: bitter) as measured by IBUs the 'extra' malt addition can also provide a sweet, cloying flavor as well. The net result is that the beer may come off as being too cloying and not extremely hoppy (as in bitterness).

I personally do not enjoy many DIPAs because they are too cloying for my palate; I much prefer the IPA style since I rarely find an IPA to be too cloying.

Cheers!

 

Quickly fading bitterness in a fresh beer is more a sign of "yeast bite" to me, and of hop polyphenols dropping out also. If you search the literature the bitterness form IBUs is more stable than any flavor and aroma compound.

 

I just want to add that more malt does not necessarily mean a less bitter drink. Take Stone IPA vs. Arrogant Bastard. Both are fairly close in IBU, but the rich toffee malt of AB seems to make it taste more bitter to me (and many others). Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot is another prime example.

Like others have said, for the most part I find <8% IPAs to seem more bitter. Founders All Day at 4.7% has one of, if not the longest lasting, most resiny, hoppy aftertaste of any beer I've had. Cheers!

 

Have you tried different lagers and brown ales? Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold perhaps? That is a malt forward beer. Bready sweetness? That is malt. (and some yeast byproducts) Now, compare that to some sort of IPA. All that other flavor besides that malty flavor, that is hops, and again, some usually subtle yeast byproducts.

Fruit? GRAPEFRUIT? Mostly hops with yeast influence sometimes
Pine? Certainly the hops.
Bitterness? Only the hops.

Everyones taste is a little different, but I assure you if you taste any of the above, those flavors are a direct reflection of the hops used during the boil and/OR dry hopping. Bitterness specifically comes from the boiling of the wort.

An imperial IPA with 100 ibu usually does not translate into a very bitter beer. As more hops are adds to the recipe, more grain is added as well, to "balance" the final product into something drinkable. You would not want to drink it without the grains... And do yourself a favor and throw that ibu crap out. It's nothing more than a marketing tool now, and has very little meaning. I could show you 100 ibu beers that are anything but bitter, and 50 ibu beer will make paint peel.

If you want a bitter IPA experience, I would stick with single IPAs, probably the west coast styled ones. West Coast IPA, Swami's IPA, Headhunter come to mind. If the same thing happens to you that happens to alot of people, after a while you will not taste the bitterness after a while..

On a side note, it sounds like your Sierra Nevada Hoptimum may have been a touch old. "Hop bombs" do not age well at all.

 

Zum Uerige Altbier is one of the most bitter beers I have ever tasted, fresh in Duesseldorf.Damn is that bitter, but after 5 or 6 you don't notice so much. Edit that is a 45 to 50 IBU beer, around 4.8 or 5 ABV (to lazy to look up)

 

Thanks for the clarification/correction!

 

Just want to add that I think another great example for this is Stone Levitation vs. Go To IPA. Both are 45(?) IBU, but Levitation drinks much more bitter to me (now if I could just find it consistently.. ) . Cheers!