I brewing a small batch of IPA and I'm trying a different hop combination. I'm thinking of Simcoe, Amarillo, and Willamette because that's what I have. I know the Simcoe and Amarillo work well together as for the Willamette I'm not sure. Would it be best to leave them out?
I don't see why it wouldn't work. I really think there are very few bad hop combinations, if any. But keep in mind that unless you use a lot of Willamette, it's flavors/aromas (more subtle) may get lost in the other two.
Wouldn't be my first choice to dry hop with...if I were you, I might leave the Willamette out of the mix altogether unless you're just trying to use them up. They won't hurt anything, but like @VikeMan said above, it probably won't come through at all.
Yeah last time I dry hopped with Simcoe for 3weeks and turned out good. But someone told me to use a low alfa acid hop to dry hop with.
AAUs barely matter when dry-hopping since the acids don't isomerize. You were probably told that from the perspective of: "High AAU hops should be used for bittering, therefore why use them to DH with?" So its not that they shouldn't be used...it's just that the AAU% is irrelevant when dry-hopping
Honestly I don't know the guy but he was in a brew club, so I took his word on it. But another feller from the same club said the Simcoe would be great and he has medals for IPA.
low AA hops make good, layered 10 & 15 min additions, but for dry hopping (and aroma additions), pungent hops ...whatever the AA, are what the doctor ordered, IMHO
