Centennial hop Alpha Acid Question

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013.

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  1. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    I plan on brewing a Centennial and Amarillo IPA and just got the ingredients from Midwest to do so. On the packages of the Centennial hops I got it say the Alpha is 6.9%. Everywhere I look online says Centennial is 8-11%. Should I take this into account in my recipe? Here is my recipe, any feedback would be helpful. Its a partial boil and the alpha for the Amarillo is 9.2.

    1 lb caramel 40 steeped 20 minutes at 160.
    7lbs Muntons extra light dme added at start of 60 minute boil
    .75 ounce Amarillo 60 minutes
    .5 ounce Centennial 60 minutes
    .5 ounce Centennial 20 minutes
    .5 ounce Amarillo 15 minutes
    .5 ounce Amarillo 5 minutes
    1 ounce Centennial 5 minutes
    .25 ounce Amarillo @ flameout
    dryhop???
     
    #1 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  2. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    8-11 is the general range but the actual amount can vary from year to year... if it says 6.9 on the pack I would assume it is accurate and base a recipe off of that
     
    #2 OddNotion, Mar 1, 2013
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    That's really low for Centennial. Is the package a Hop Union package? If so, could you be reading the Beta Acid % rather than Alpha?
     
    #3 VikeMan, Mar 1, 2013
  4. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    no it's a vacuum sealed 3m package (no logos) and only has the alpha. I have 2, one ounce packages and they both say this.
     
    #4 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  5. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    Any suggestions on how to change the recipe?
     
    #5 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  6. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    Depending on what you are looking for in the beer the solution would be different. In most cases the solution would be to add more. If that is not an option then I am sure itll be just fine as is albeit a little less bitter.
     
    #6 OddNotion, Mar 1, 2013
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I would use an IBU calculator (either standalone or within brewing software) to bump up the 60 minute addition enough to reach the same total calculated IBUs. That's assuming you already knew what IBU level you were expecting with the assumed higher alpha number Centennial.
     
    #7 VikeMan, Mar 1, 2013
  8. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    How many IBUs do you want this beer to have?
     
    #8 Tebuken, Mar 1, 2013
  9. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    I was expecting between 45-55, but I plugged it in to beer calculus, and it says 63 ibu and only 4.9% alcohol. This is with putting the actual alpha's of the hops I bought into the calculator. I would expect it to be lower since the alpha on the Centennial is lower than expected. But, there is nowhere to put in boil size so maybe this is a factor. I am thoroughly confused.
     
    #9 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  10. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    I havent used the program in a few months but you used to be able to change boil size.
     
    #10 OddNotion, Mar 1, 2013
  11. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    FWIW, I entered your kit into Beer Calculus on hopville.com and obtained:

    · 60.3 IBU (Tinseth)
    · OG = 1.064
    · ABV = 6.4%

    I personally do not use Beer Calculus for my recipe formulations.

    You stated: “I was expecting between 45-55 IBUs”. Why did you have this expectation?

    So, the IBU estimator that was formulated by Glenn Tinseth is the default method for Beer Calculus. So you may achieve something like 60 IBUs but you also may achieve something different.

    Cheers!
     
    #11 JackHorzempa, Mar 1, 2013
  12. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    This is getting more confusing as It goes. I was expecting 45-55 because I combined a Two Hearted clone recipe (which didn't specify IBU) with an Amarillo Ipa recipe that expected 45 iibu, but I'm not sure if either took boil size into account. But playing with Beer Calculus, I did find where to change the boil size now. With a full boil its says 5.3% abv and 64.9 IBU. When changed to incorporate a partial boil with a 2 gallon top off it says the IBU will drop to 48.3. I can get the same stats you did if I just select 7 lbs of "extra light dry extract" but if I select "muntons extra light dme" it changes the abv down to 5.3. I am actually using Muntons. Could there really be this much of a difference in DME brands? The 6.4% is more of what I was shooting for.
     
    #12 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  13. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    “I can get the same stats you did if I just select 7 lbs of "extra light dry extract" but if I select "muntons extra light dme" it changes the abv down to 5.3. I am actually using Muntons. Could there really be this much of a difference in DME brands? The 6.4% is more of what I was shooting for.”

    No, there shouldn’t be much difference. I believe there is a ‘bug’ in Beer Calculus concerning “muntons extra light dme” Brewing with 7 lbs. of DME and 1 lb. of crystal malt should get you closer to 6.4%.

    Cheers!
     
    #13 JackHorzempa, Mar 1, 2013
  14. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Sounds like the calculator is treating muntons DME as if it's LME. Which would be wrong.
     
    #14 VikeMan, Mar 1, 2013
  15. Frankinstiener

    Frankinstiener Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2009 Illinois

    Thanks for all the help, really appreciate it. When using the Dme selection that isn't glitching and adjusting for a 2 gallon top off it brings the IBU down to 42.2. I think I will just add a bit more Centennial at 60 minutes to bring that up a little and brew this thing up.
     
    #15 Frankinstiener, Mar 1, 2013
  16. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah


    “ …it brings the IBU down to 42.2. I think I will just add a bit more Centennial at 60 minutes to bring that up a little and brew this thing up.”

    Adding a bit more Centennial for the beginning of boil is OK. Just continue to keep in mind that the ‘result’ of 42.2 is just an estimate. The only way to know for sure what IBUs you produce in your beer is to send a bottle to a lab for analysis.

    Good luck with your IPA!

    Cheers!
     
    #16 JackHorzempa, Mar 1, 2013
  17. tngolfer

    tngolfer Initiate (0) Feb 16, 2012 Tennessee

    Since your Centennial is so low in AA, you may want to add more Amarillo if you have a choice.
     
    #17 tngolfer, Mar 1, 2013
  18. Tebuken

    Tebuken Initiate (0) Jun 6, 2009 Argentina

    According this recipe I get an OG=1057 and IBUs=53 .
     
    #18 Tebuken, Mar 2, 2013
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