Bittering Hops for a Pliny the Elder Clone

Take a look at the Modified Tinseth Model IBUs near the bottom of the sheet. They will be closer to reality. The standard Tinseth model doesn't work well above about 65 IBUs.

 

I would say dial it back. Have done it both ways and IMO the super-heavy dose of Columbus is not needed . . . I don't care what Vinnie says. Somewhere along the line you reach the limit on alpha acid saturation. Plus, it's the killer late/DH additions that will make or break the brew.

I'm an East Coaster, and on my one visit to Santa Rosa decided to try the Belgian flight. I figured the next morning I'd just pick up some Pliny/Blind on the way out of town. Alas . . .

 

Maybe whirlpool some Columbus. Also, if you're looking at the old recipe, I believe this was created before Amarillo was around and the current Pliny does indeed have some late/DH Amarillo. I started to add a little bit of this new hop at the obvious times. Vinnie also emphasizes a low FG to let the hop flavor shine through. I copied this for a while, but found it was tastier to finish a little higher . . . somewhere in the 1.014 range. YMMV.

 

I brewed my version of Pliny the Elder a few years ago I I used 2 ounces of Columbus hops (13.8% AA) and 0.5 ounce Columbus after 45 minutes of boil (total boil time of 90 minutes). I think this batch turned out well from a bitterness perspective. I regularly drink PtE on draft since it is often on tap in my area (Philly area). My homebrewed batch tasted like PtE to me.

On a separate note I did dry hop for 14 days per Vinnie's recipe.

Cheers!

 

In the same vein, I recall reading an interview with Vinnie in which he said the theoretical IBU of Pliny was about 175 but when they sent a sample off to a lab it came in at 92. Diminishing returns...

 

That's in line with a July/August 2009 Homebrewers Association recipe provided by Vinnie Cilurzo "IBUs: 90-95 (actual/not calculated)"
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/6351/doubleIPA.pdf

 

I brewed the PtE clone recipe (extract version) and followed the hop schedule as listed. The beer came out exactly as what my memory could match up to the real Pliny, and the beer was not overly bitter at all. I've always thought that many DIPAs are overly sweet, and the high amount of the Columbus hop may be needed to prevent that sweetness.

 

A few years after Vinnie said PtE measured at 95 IBU, it was measure at 65 IBU at Stone's lab per Mitch Steele's book. I've been to RR many times over the years, PtE used to be a tongue bruiser, now it is more balanced.

At an NHC talk years ago, Vinnie said he used Amarillo in Younger but not in Elder. Then he said he was thinking about working some Amarillo into Elder. Amarillo was released in 2003, I was brewing with it in 2005 or 2006.

Vinnie also says he uses hop extract at 90 and 45 minutes. Hop extract is available to Homebrewers now, so you could go that way.

 

Jeff, have you ever used hop extract?

I was contemplating using hop shots when I brewed my version of PtE but I read a lot of reports from homebrewers that when they transferred their wort they found a lot of 'globules' sticking to the sides of their kettle from the hop extract. They postulated that the hop shot was not very soluble in the boiling wort.

Based upon the above I personally decided to use pellet hops for the 90 and 45 minute additions.

Cheers!

 

I used two small ones early in an IPA. I had read that you should get them warm. I also put them in a mixing bowl with wort taken from the boil, mixed, added the bowl contents back in. Seemed to work.

I have a big and two smalls left to use up.

 

Wouldn’t really recommend Co2 extract on the homebrewer scale. The surface to volume ratio we work with just doesn’t make it conducive. So much of it gets stuck to the kettle I just don’t think you can get anywhere near the utilization as they say.

I think Pliny changes quite a bit depending on the hops but it’s a blend of Columbus, Warrior, Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade, and Amarillo.

I thought highest possible IBUs you could get into a beer was somewhere around 88-92.

Got some cans (yup cans) of DDH Pliny headed my way this week hopefully. Supposedly has two “new” or “different” hop varieties in it as well.

 

And with this technique you achieved proper solubility? No issues afterwards cleaning your kettle?

John F posted on Northern Brewer:

"Very hard to clean residue (PBW helped some, but did not remove completely). Finally found that Go-jo hand cleaner would remove from tools and hands"

Cheers!.

 

Finally the Master Russian and I see eye-to-eye on something. I've been using hop extract for years with good results. It's ideal for something like Pliny . . . I even use it for low/moderate levels of bitterness. For @GetMeAnIPA , this is an excellent solution to avoid wort loss due to absorption. Does anyone really think 3+ ounces of Columbus at 90 will yield more flavor than say 1 ounce of whirlpool?

 

I wouldn't say more flavor, but a different flavor. There's a reason folks still do 15 IBUs of Hallertau at 60 for a hefeweizen vs. 15 IBUs of Magnum.

 

It was a while ago, I just remember normal scrub work. The beer was fine.