Hop flavor of Founders Centennial IPA?

Pure Awesomeness!

 

Are you asking which hops they use in Centennial IPA? Because that doesn't determine bitterness. Any hop can be bitter depending upon how much and when it's added to the boil. Though some hops can produce a perceived harsher bitter than others.

 

Kadonny will jump up my ass if I say it, since "I really need to expand the number of IPAs I drink", but Centennial hops, in my opinion (especially in single hop C beers), taste of candy pineapple.

 

You know, you should really expand the number of IPAs you drink.

I do taste candied pineapple with Centennial but I notice this flavor much more with age. I really do not pick up a lot of candied pineapple in Two Hearted but give me a Third Coast Old Ale with a bit of age on it I really start to pick in up. In most IPAs I notice a blend of citrus and floral flavors.

 

As far as I can tell it's Centennial and Centennial only, I get pineapple, grapfruit from it. An outstanding beer to say the least.

 

It's 100% Centennial hops. The typical flavor characteristic is grapefruit/orange rind/pineapple with a hint of pine.
Bitterness is related to the alpha acid content of the hops, and how much are used. This beer is heavily dry-hopped so it has a higher perceived bitterness than actual measured bitterness. Don't quote me on it but I believe it's only about 60 IBUs...

 

I think that Founders Centennial has quite a bit of residual caramel malt sweetness, so that may be a contributing factor there, especially the 'candied' aspect. I haven't gotten that quality in, say, Two Hearted or Stone IPA.

I don't know what type of hops Lagunitas uses in Maximus, but I really get huge pineapple in that one, though it is more of grilled pineapple rather than candied. Great stuff- that baby was on my heavy rotation during Feb/Mar.

 

Yes alpa acids and the amount of hops all help you determine the bitterness. How long they are boiled actually has much more to do with bitterness. Basically, your first addition hops will give you the majority of your bitterness. The later addition hops add flavorand the aroma. Heat extracts bitterness (boiled longer gives you more bitterness...) so dry hopping should add aroma and no bitterness.

 

Dry hopping does not add IBUs. It does add essential oils and Beta Acids. The Beta Acids become bitter when oxidized. The oils add the impression of hoppiness.

The analytical measure of IBUs does not go up.The perception of bitterness does though.

 

I get a distinctive and largely one-note flavor of grapefruit and orange from Centennial IPA, and other Centennial-exclusive IPAs. I can pick Centennial out easier than many other hops.

 

To clarify, I did not mean to imply that dry-hopping imparts bitterness. Essential oils in the hops provide the flavor and aroma. Those oils are voltile and boil off in high heat. Regardless, the perceived bitterness is affected by the late addition hops as well, particularly the flavor addition. Perceived bitterness is your taste and olfactory senses tricking you into believing something is more bitter than it is, because of other related flavors and aromas.

 

tho there is minimal to no flavor contribution, I believe the bitter addition is Nugget. At least at one time they used Nugget for a number of beers.

 

Don't take my comments out of context please. We were talking tropical IPAs. I said if you think Two Hearted is tropical, then you need to try more IPAs. I stand by that. Don't mix my words to make it into something it's not.

You can get pineapple flavors in the centennial hop, but the main flavors are still grapefruit and orange. Centennial and Two Hearted both have pretty big orange flavors, Two Hearted much more so, when fresh of course. Others obviously agree as per this: