Citra whole hops.

[unclebarrel]

Hey all,
I am planning a toucan IPA, I dont have all my ingredients yet but I have a hop question.

I have 100g of citra whole hops and wanted some advice on how to appropriately use them for bittering or aroma if that is the go.
I am planning on hopping quite heavily and letting it bottle condition for at least 6-8 weeks to settle.
If anyone has suggestions, bring it on !!
I do have some pac gem, cascade and simcoe.

Would love to hear any experiences or advice !

Thanks guys.

 

[bignath]

Well, if you're doing a toucan, chances are you'll have plenty of bitterness already, so if it was me, id be keeping Citra until very late...

It's a good bittering hop, but it really, really shines as a flavour or aroma addition.

Try a 5min or a 0min boil with maybe 15-20g Citra as a nice addition "over the top" of the bitterness you'll already have from the cans.
Cool the hop boil quick smart though as you don't want it to add more bitterness IMHO.

0min boil? - you could try bringing your wort up to a boil, adding the hops, take off the heat and cool straight away.

Citra is a great hop, one i always have in my freezer. And lots of it.

 

[unclebarrel]

Thanks Big Nath, good point about the bitterness from the cans. Didn't factor that in !!!
Will look at it for aroma.


Beauty.

 

[Nick JD]

I'd be inclined to just dry hop it heavily. That was you don't need to do any boiling.

 

[bignath]

I'd be inclined to just dry hop it heavily. That was you don't need to do any boiling.

yep, that'll work too. I was just trying to "bridge the gap" a bit between a bittering addition (already done in this case) and something else like a dry hop.

For the OP:
Sometimes overdoing it with "dry hop additions" can result in a very grassy type of sensation in your beer, but i haven't found this with Citra. I've dry hopped single batch size of 20lt with everything up to 40g and it's been fantastic.

 

[Tony]

A few questions first.

I assume you will be using pre bittered kits..... or will you be using unhopped extract?

and if kits, what ones are you using?

You have to be careful when boiling lots of hops with pre bittered kits because you can throw the balance right out.

also something to consider when dry hopping with whole hops, is they are really REALLY good at blocking the fermenter tap if you don't put them in something

 

[unclebarrel]

I am using pre hopped kits Tony, At the moment a Bacchus and barley pale ale and maybe a coopers real ale kit. I think maybe switch up to one kit can and one LME.
Great heads up on the flowers in the FV, if I dry hop them I will use a hop sack.

I love a big bitter flavour in a beer, so even if technically it is unbalanced I won't be too stressed. I am planning on leaving it to sit for a while, hope that it settles in.

 

[seamad]

Where did you get these hops from, would love to get some myself.
I thought that citra was one of the US only hops and therefore not possible to get whole hops in Aus ?

 

[unclebarrel]

Hey seamad,
I got them from Brew Adelaide, an online store out of.......well.

one of the members on AHB runs it I think. I looked there one day and thought they had good stuff and reasonable prices. Delivery is also cheap.

 

[Batz]

Hey seamad,
I got them from Brew Adelaide, an online store out of.......well.

one of the members on AHB runs it I think. I looked there one day and thought they had good stuff and reasonable prices. Delivery is also cheap.

Nice bloke who runs it as well, we had a few beers at the Wheatie when I was there last.

Batz

 

[Nick JD]

That's a good point. Citra flowers in Aus are illegal...

Back OT, as with Nath - you can't mess it up dry hopping Citra. Many other hop varieties can give grassy flavours when used for dry hopping, but Citra just gives a fruit bowl, and keeps on giving.

When the beer is at or very close to FG, add ~2g/L of Citra for 2-4 days and it'll be delicious.

 

[bum]

That's a good point. Citra flowers in Aus are illegal...

Controlled. Not illegal.

Do you ever get sick of flat out lying just to give people the shits, Nick?

 

[DUANNE]

looking at the site they appear to have citra plugs but no whole hops. i think that plugs are not under the same restrictions as whole hops but the same as pellets due to the compession helping to kill bugs and prevent disease entering into the country.

 

[unclebarrel]

Wow,

well I definitely got hop flowers !!!
I will use them quick before border control come and get me.

 

[np1962]

Wow,

well I definitely got hop flowers !!!
I will use them quick before border control come and get me.

Must be some confusion, have never sold Citra flowers. Plugs yes. Other types of flowers, Aussie and NZ.
Not familiar with your username to put a real name to it otherwise I would look up what you bought and clarify.
Cheers
Nige

 

[AmberDigits]

Nice bloke who runs it as well, we had a few beers at the Wheatie when I was there last.

Batz

I bought some stuff from BrewAdelaide and the guy was really helpful when I asked him about making a Strawberry Wit.
He seems to know his stuff and takes time for his customers. especially with my dumb questions.

 

[unclebarrel]

Ok guys.....time for the BIG egg on my face..........


I have GALAXY flowers....not citra.
Sorry I have started a thread about this topic and I have utterly buggered it up.
The worst stuff up since the last big stuff up in world history !!!!

Oh man.


Anyway.
Thanks for all your replies and advice, Sorry to Nige for the implication....no doubt I feel like a douche.

Anyway....IPA on the way....maybe using GALAXY flowers somewhere...........IDIOT !!!!!!!!!




....berating most welcome.

 

[Yob]

Mate.. This is a beer forum, cockups of epic proportions are common..

Coming clean and admitting the mistake is the important thing...

Moving right along..

Spewing, probably would have been interested in citrate plugs... lol

 

[unclebarrel]

Thanks Yob,

SO....how would galaxy flowers go in an IPA ?
Knowing how galaxy is I would definitely use it for aroma.

Advice and laughter welcome !!!!!


....I'm getting a beer.

 

[bignath]

now that we know you've got Galaxy flowers......never ever ever use them in an IPA.

Trust me, it will be shit*









*when i say "shit", i mean, i'm jealous that you have them to brew with, and by all means throw them hard, at an IPA recipe of your choice.
Will be delicious.