Hey everyone. I've got a fair amount of hops that I'm not super familiar with using in combination, and that I want to utilize in our house Pale and some new IPA's. Malt base is real simple: Pale, some Munich and touch of C-45. I was wondering if anyone has suggestions on pairing these varieties together, and/or how they would go about using them: Comet, Hallertau Blanc, Hull Melon, El Dorado and Calypso. Perhaps some interesting NEIPA combos? I work at a brewery, so we're talking hundreds of pounds. The homebrew community are the real think tanks, so I'm turning to you all! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Cheers!
I have not personally brewed with the hops listed but I have had a number of commercial beers that featured these hops so some impressions: It has been my consistent experience with beers that featured Hallertau Blanc and Hull Melon is that they are subtle hops as compared to American Aroma Hops (e.g., Centennial, Citra, Mosaic,…). I would suggest that these hops would be best used in non-IPA beer styles. For example I have had commercial craft brewed Pilsners that featured these hops and I have consistently enjoyed them. I have had a DIPA from Carton brewing that featured El Dorado hop and I greatly enjoyed that beer. I would think that El Dorado would be a good choice for a so called ‘NE’ style IPA. I have had beers that featured Comet and Calypso but it was a while ago and my memory is fuzzy for those beers. Cheers!
I just dry hopped an APA that used Magnum to bitter, 2oz MB and one HB in the whirlpool, then 2oz of MB and one HB dry. The Mandarina and H. Melon work, really well in ratio like that. Grist was US 2 Row, a little dark Munich, less British light Carastan malt ~17 Lovibond. US -05, water was RO with acid and Gypsum +CaCl2 to hit 5.3 mash pH.
Comet is a killer hop in IPA. Way underutilized! At least the 2017 crop I got this year, significant fruit aromas to it as well. Aroma was incredible.
Curious as to what percentage of Munich you use and if you notice that your hoppy beers fall off quickly. Personally, I think that the Comet, El Dorado, and Calypso would pair well together. I like 3 hop combinations. Less and you have less complexity. More and things can get muddled. Save your Hallertau and Huell for saisons and/or hoppy weizens and wits.
I think El Dorado, Calypso, and Hull Melon would do well in a NEIPA together. Save the Hallertau Blanc for something more delicate, IMO, although @honkey did a killer NEIPA with Hallertau Blanc. Comet is among my favorite hops. I got lots of dank, resinous grapefruit rind from the 2016 crop. I think it worked really well with a similar malt bill WC IPA. I paired it with Chinook 50/50, but if you have any C hops, I think that's the way to go.
I had a great IPA with blanc and huell melon awhile back. Certainly non traditional ipa hops but the aroma was fantastic! I am a big fan of variety and you could count on this ipa being very different than comet el Dorado and calypso
Appreciate the replies! About where my expectations were falling, so I'm on the right path. I did recently do a Pale with Pils and about 3% Carahell, all Blanc throughout boil and heavily dry-hopped that through out great peach, white wine and grassy character. I wasn't sure how well that would blend with the others, but here we go!
i did a NEIPA with 2row, golden, oats, wheat with just a ton of MB and HM and was so...let down, as it was underwhelming. though i was an idiot and only happened to have sacch trois on hand, which dominated the hops. Perhaps i'll try it again with s05 or 04.
