# Which hop is best for double IPA?



## controversy13 (25/5/17)

I'm currently brewing a double IPA which will be over 80 IBU and I want to dry hop either huell melon or chinook, which I have plenty of. 
What do you think is best and what are your thoughts on these two varieties?


----------



## timmi9191 (25/5/17)

First thought is 80 ibu's is short of a double ipa. Second, there is no answer to which is best. Would depend on other hops you're using and personal tastes.


----------



## controversy13 (25/5/17)

It will be over 80 not sure exactly, I'm just not sure if huell will be too fruity or if chinook is too high in a-a's


----------



## wereprawn (25/5/17)

Huell melon is very mild. You'd need a shitload in a big flavoured beer for it to come through
.


----------



## controversy13 (25/5/17)

Ok cool thanks for that, maybe I should just chuck both in [emoji51]


----------



## wereprawn (25/5/17)

Or save the huell for something else. I've used it in faux lagers with good results. Would also go well in some wheat beers, saisons and golden ales.


----------



## Leyther (25/5/17)

Simcoe one of my favourites, I like its resinous expecially in a DIPA


----------



## Yob (25/5/17)

Chinook will bring big pine, tempered with a heavy dose of melon could work well

But yeah... Simcoe


----------



## Dan Pratt (26/5/17)

Run with a 100% Chinook.

Boil for 90mins

FWH = 15 ibu
90m = 30 ibu
30m = 40 ibu

Whirlpool/hopstand end of the boil for 30mins with 6g per Litre of Chinook. This will be another 30+ibu and all your flavour.

Chill and ferment.

When the beer has fermented add 6g per litre of Chinook. 2days later add another 3g per litre and leave them for 3-4 days.


----------



## hirschb (26/5/17)

Pratty1 said:


> Run with a 100% Chinook.
> 
> Boil for 90mins
> 
> ...


Dude, do not use that recipe! I cannot imagine it will be drinkable.
1. Chinook has really high cohumulone levels, the resultant beer will have an overwhelmingly astringent-bitterness associated with this compound. High cohumulone levels can be fine if they are well balanced by other flavors and mouthfeel, but I see no evidence that you're doing anything to balance out the flavors/aromas in this beer.
2. Using a lot of a hop, "just because you have it," is a bad idea. Plan out the beer you want to drink, don't just thrown shit in a pot.
3. Chinook works very, very well in combination with other hops. It is not a good all-around hop that can be used for a SMASH or single hop beer.


----------



## Dan Pratt (26/5/17)

^ ^ yeah cos Stone Arrogant Bastard has been such a failure.


----------



## bigmacthepunker (26/5/17)

My double was warrior at 60 then calypso, equinox & citra. That combo made a great beer imo


----------



## timmi9191 (26/5/17)

Pratty1 said:


> ^ ^ yeah cos Stone Arrogant Bastard has been such a failure.


Bahaha... somone just got owned


----------



## pist (1/6/17)

Chinook mosaic and galaxy. Just about finished a dipa now that has those and my god is it tasty


----------



## bradsbrew (2/6/17)

pist said:


> Chinook mosaic and galaxy. Just about finished a dipa now that has those and my god is it tasty


Add simcoe to that combo and you've got a cracker.


----------



## hirschb (2/6/17)

Pratty1 said:


> ^ ^ yeah cos Stone Arrogant Bastard has been such a failure.


Yeah, Arrogant Bastard is not my favorite beer. The hop profile is pretty gross (and this is from someone who could regularly get fresh Arrogant Bastard in the States). The only thing making AB palatable is the large amount of malt-sweetness to balance out the overwhelming bitterness of the hops. If you used the same quantity of hops as AB, but with a standard DIPA malt bill, I think you'll get exactly what I said- a pretty shitty beer. In this case, he's suggesting to use ~3 times the amount of Chinook in AB.


----------



## Liam_snorkel (2/6/17)

Columbus for the dank pine and something fruity like citra or mosaic for the juice. Go hard


----------



## Thefatdoghead (2/6/17)

If you have all that chinook, make a black ipa on the roasty side and use your lower alpha hops for bittering.
Do a big long hop stand with Chinook and then dry hop it like pratty said.
I love Chinook dryhopped in roasty dark beers.


----------



## pist (3/6/17)

hirschb said:


> Dude, do not use that recipe! I cannot imagine it will be drinkable.
> 1. Chinook has really high cohumulone levels, the resultant beer will have an overwhelmingly astringent-bitterness associated with this compound. High cohumulone levels can be fine if they are well balanced by other flavors and mouthfeel, but I see no evidence that you're doing anything to balance out the flavors/aromas in this beer.
> 2. Using a lot of a hop, "just because you have it," is a bad idea. Plan out the beer you want to drink, don't just thrown shit in a pot.
> 3. Chinook works very, very well in combination with other hops. It is not a good all-around hop that can be used for a SMASH or single hop beer.


I disagree 200% with this. Nail released an american amber called beazle brew as part of their brew log series which was exclusively chinook for aroma/flavour and it was great


----------



## hirschb (5/6/17)

pist said:


> I disagree 200% with this. Nail released an american amber called beazle brew as part of their brew log series which was exclusively chinook for aroma/flavour and it was great


See my comment above about Arrogant Bastard. Chinook is pretty harsh- it needs to be balanced out with some serious malt/sweetness/alcohol, or used in a bland of other hops. This guy is making a 80+ IBU DIPA. It's not going to be balanced using all Chinook.


----------



## Liam_snorkel (5/6/17)

since when did an American style DIPA have to be balanced?


----------



## drsmurto (5/6/17)

Since when did we all have the same taste in hops or beer for that matter?


----------



## hirschb (5/6/17)

Liam_snorkel said:


> since when did an American style DIPA have to be balanced?


The best made DIPA's are well balanced beers. If you ever have a chance to try a fresh Pliny the Elder, you'll get a pretty good demonstration of how massive hop bitterness can be balanced by just the right amounts of aroma hops, malty-sweetness, and alcohol mouthfeel. I've had many, many shit DIPA's that were way out of balance and not enjoyable at all. 
And yeah, everyone's palate is different. I personally have an aversion to high cohumulone beers. That being said, the original poster was asking for advice about which hops to use. If he had said straight off that he was aiming for an overly-bitter, off-balanced beer, I would have replied that yeah, all-Chinook will get that. If I'm assuming correctly, and the OP wants a well balanced drinkable beer, I stand by my comments.
I know that there is no one "right" way to make beer, and everyone has their personal preferences, but I think the goal should be to make something that tastes good. Throwing in a bunch of hops that you have in the freezer with little/no regard for what the final product might be isn't the way to make something tasty.


----------



## drsmurto (5/6/17)

hirschb said:


> The best made DIPA's are well balanced beers. If you ever have a chance to try a fresh Pliny the Elder, you'll get a pretty good demonstration of how massive hop bitterness can be balanced by just the right amounts of aroma hops, malty-sweetness, and alcohol mouthfeel. I've had many, many shit DIPA's that were way out of balance and not enjoyable at all.
> And yeah, everyone's palate is different. I personally have an aversion to high cohumulone beers. That being said, the original poster was asking for advice about which hops to use. If he had said straight off that he was aiming for an overly-bitter, off-balanced beer, I would have replied that yeah, all-Chinook will get that. If I'm assuming correctly, and the OP wants a well balanced drinkable beer, I stand by my comments.
> I know that there is no one "right" way to make beer, and everyone has their personal preferences, but I think the goal should be to make something that tastes good. Throwing in a bunch of hops that you have in the freezer with little/no regard for what the final product might be isn't the way to make something tasty.


Balanced for you is not necessarily balanced for others. You acknowledge that in one sentence and then contradict yourself in the next.

The Adelaide crew have a term for 'throwing in a bunch of hops that you have in the freezer', we call that 'Just ******* beer'. Stop overthinking it.

Fresh Pliny at RRB is amazing! Feral War Hog tastes very very similar.


----------



## Coodgee (5/6/17)

ok let me settle this once and for all, the best hop for a double IPA is Crosby Experimental Hop #4.


----------

