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Belmapocalypse IPA


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#41 beach

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Posted 04 December 2012 - 04:27 PM

The link to the thread over at homebrewtalk.com sounds promising. I only got into it a few pages and hope to finish it soon. A couple of guys are raving about the Belmas. Sounds like they are mixing them with another hop or two.


Keep us up to date on the consensus over there please. I saw how big the thread is and pussed out.

Beach

#42 al_bob

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Posted 04 December 2012 - 07:09 PM

Keep us up to date on the consensus over there please. I saw how big the thread is and pussed out.

Beach

Me too. I read enough to get to the part where one guy was raving about them. They were a part of 2-3 hops in the beer. I want to read more.

I got my share of what the club bought, tonight, so I may use them in my next IPA. Thinking of blending them with Amarillo, Cascade, or Citra, or Centennial, or combinations of that group. I'll read more of that thread before I brew. I still have to step up my starter one more time.

#43 djinkc

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Posted 06 December 2012 - 06:41 PM

Went on tap tonight, needs another day before it's really carbed appropriately. Pils and Vienna and a sniff of crystal - around 5%. 60 IBUs with 40 from 15 minutes and less from Belma. 20 IBUs came from a Magnum addition at 60. So I think they are first in line for flavor and aroma. Also had a nice slug at 175df whirlpool. Aroma, well they smell like hops - actually I liked them better before the kettle. I think there is a nice smooth bitterness but that may be the usage. Honestly I can't really pick out much in the aroma except that they are hops, wife couldn't either. But, my nose and palate are in serious recalibration since the ciggies were trashed - just takes a while. My take. A very pleasant hop that could go well in many styles. I can see it working well in beers over ~16 SRM and higher simply for bittering. It will be a nice lawnmower beer hop too. If you are hoping for the next Citra, Simcoe, Galaxy... whatever - this one isn't it. Bottom line, I bought 4 pounds. Glad I did, it should blend well with a lot. I can even see it blended with UK hops ( with of course the exception of Fuggles B) ). But YMMV, I'm interested to hear what everyone else thinks when theirs are ready.

#44 al_bob

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Posted 06 December 2012 - 08:42 PM

Went on tap tonight, needs another day before it's really carbed appropriately. Pils and Vienna and a sniff of crystal - around 5%. 60 IBUs with 40 from 15 minutes and less from Belma. 20 IBUs came from a Magnum addition at 60. So I think they are first in line for flavor and aroma. Also had a nice slug at 175df whirlpool.

Aroma, well they smell like hops - actually I liked them better before the kettle. I think there is a nice smooth bitterness but that may be the usage. Honestly I can't really pick out much in the aroma except that they are hops, wife couldn't either. But, my nose and palate are in serious recalibration since the ciggies were trashed - just takes a while.

My take. A very pleasant hop that could go well in many styles. I can see it working well in beers over ~16 SRM and higher simply for bittering. It will be a nice lawnmower beer hop too. If you are hoping for the next Citra, Simcoe, Galaxy... whatever - this one isn't it. Bottom line, I bought 4 pounds. Glad I did, it should blend well with a lot. I can even see it blended with UK hops ( with of course the exception of Fuggles B) ). But YMMV, I'm interested to hear what everyone else thinks when theirs are ready.

That's similar to some of the comments on homebrewtalk. Seemed like the best reports were of blends, or heavier than normal additions because it is so smooth, or even in Saisons. Some were getting major berry or even strawberry and cream (?). The link is up above in the thread.

I'm going to use some with other American hops in an IPA soon. Prolly Citra and or Amarillo.

#45 al_bob

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Posted 16 December 2012 - 11:33 AM

Any more reports? I may brew today, maybe tomorrow, and I'm going to use them alongside a few other hops.

#46 Big Nake

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 08:46 AM

In an attempt to brew one more time before Christmas and possibly the end of the world, I was looking to use these hops. As I go over my ingredients, I put something together that looks like this... a little different from what I was originally thinking but...

Belma-Palooza

5 lbs Briess Pale Malt
3 lbs Maris Otter
1 lbs White Wheat
8 oz Crystal 20L
2 oz Belgian CaraMunich
1 oz Styrian Goldings 4% for 60
1 oz Belma pellets 12.1% for 5
1 oz Belma pellets 12.1% for 2
Wyeast 1056 American Ale

OG: 1.054, FG: 1.014, IBU: 31, SRM: 8, ABV: 5.2%

I'm wondering specifically about the hops and when to add them. Should I screw the 60-minute addition altogether and add an ounce of Belma at 20, 5, 2? Should I move the Styrian Goldings to a FWH? I have never made a beer where there was NO bittering or FWH addition. Never got 40 minutes into the boil without hops. If I skip the bittering addition and go Belma at 20, 5 and 2, I get 46 IBUs. If I go 10, 5 and 2, it comes to 33 IBUs. If I skip the bittering addition and wait all that time to add hops, what would you guys do with mash temp? Do you want to make it dry (mash low) because there are no bittering hops? Not sure the best way to proceed and if I have any concern, I would probably stick with bittering, 5 and 2 because I can predict the outcome better and I would mash at 150-151 for that. Thoughts?

Ps. Planning a possible Saturday 12/22 brewday which I realize is end-of-the-world plus 1 but whatever. Stupid Mayans. <_<

Edited by KenLenard, 19 December 2012 - 08:47 AM.


#47 HVB

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 09:08 AM

IMO. Skip the bittering and do the 20,5,2 and let them steep in the kettle for 15 after the flame is turned off. You will pull more IBU's out of them that way and would get a good idea on the Belma flavor and aroma with no additional hops to mask it. For a beer like this I would set my control to 151. That would let it go to 150 before the RIMS kicked on. Not sure why the lack of bittering hops would cause you to worry about your mash temp.

#48 beach

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 09:12 AM

Hops Direct lists them as dual purpose. When I make my first Belam beer I'm going to use them all the way through, from FWH to whirlpool. From what I've read it's a pretty mild mannered hop. Beach

#49 Big Nake

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 09:25 AM

Not sure why the lack of bittering hops would cause you to worry about your mash temp.

I have always thought that "bittering" hops were there to offset the sweetness of the wort. Without a bittering hop and then the use of a higher mash temp, I'm envisioning the beer having an overt sweetness to it, followed by the flavor and aroma of the late hops. So I'm thinking "overall balance" when I mention mash temp as it relates to how the hops are added to the boil. Again, I have always used either a 60m or a FWH addition and have never gone with just late hops so I'm in some deep water with that approach. 151 sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I'm also thinking that 46 IBUs (from 20, 5 and 2) is a little higher than I would like so I wonder about a 10, 5, 2 (33 IBUs) and then maybe a dry hop also. Pretty wild that hops added at 10, 5 and 2 can give you 33 IBUs but they are 12.1% after all.

#50 Brauer

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 12:35 PM

I have always thought that "bittering" hops were there to offset the sweetness of the wort. Without a bittering hop and then the use of a higher mash temp, I'm envisioning the beer having an overt sweetness to it, followed by the flavor and aroma of the late hops.

If you want the same bitterness, but eschew a 60' addition for all late hops, you increase the total amount of hops to make up for the lower utilization and still get the same IBU. The balance doesn't need to change just because you don't have an early hop addition, so I would base your choice of mash temperature on the body and residual sweetness you would like and adjust it more for the amount of Crystal Malt you choose to use than when the hops are added.

One caveat, though, I feel that hopburst beers tend to loose bitterness faster then beers with an early addition. So, if you don't plan on drinking the beer right away, I would consider a slightly higher IBU to account for this loss.

#51 Big Nake

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 12:58 PM

If you want the same bitterness, but eschew a 60' addition for all late hops, you increase the total amount of hops to make up for the lower utilization and still get the same IBU. The balance doesn't need to change just because you don't have an early hop addition, so I would base your choice of mash temperature on the body and residual sweetness you would like and adjust it more for the amount of Crystal Malt you choose to use than when the hops are added.

One caveat, though, I feel that hopburst beers tend to loose bitterness faster then beers with an early addition. So, if you don't plan on drinking the beer right away, I would consider a slightly higher IBU to account for this loss.

Great points. Many of the "hopburst" beers that I have seen commercially say "Don't let this beer sit around!" or "This beer is better when it's fresh!" so that makes perfect sense. I think I might just go with the recipe I posted (some Styrian Goldings for 60m) so I don't have to worry about that part of the equation. I am rarely in a hurry to get beer to the taps and I would hate to lose that balance just because it sat for 4-6 weeks in secondary or a keg. Cheers.

#52 Brauer

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 01:28 PM

I am rarely in a hurry to get beer to the taps and I would hate to lose that balance just because it sat for 4-6 weeks in secondary or a keg. Cheers.

It would be a bit of a waste making a late hopped beer if you expect to let it sit around, anyway, since the purpose of doing it in the first place is to amplify the hop flavor and hop flavor doesn't age well, either. In fact, while some just get dull, some hop flavor forward beers can get quite unpleasant tasting with age.

#53 Big Nake

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 01:57 PM

In the past when this has come up, I will get the beer to the taps, sample it and if I think it needs something extra, I will add a muslin bag of hop pellets to the keg and this has always resulted in an excellent and fresh hop profile. I was thinking from the beginning that a dry-hop addition of these Belma hops could be very nice so that's always a possibility.

#54 ncbeerbrewer

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 04:18 PM

I got my HopsDirect Season's Greetings Newletter this afternoon and was just reading throught it. They were highlighting their excitement about this new Belma Hop. Since Ken you and others have already gotten some of these hops I thought I would share the review that they included. Sure sounds like an interesting hop!!

https://www.bear-fla...lma-single.html

Edited by ncbeerbrewer, 19 December 2012 - 04:18 PM.


#55 Big Nake

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 04:41 PM

I got my HopsDirect Season's Greetings Newletter this afternoon and was just reading throught it. They were highlighting their excitement about this new Belma Hop. Since Ken you and others have already gotten some of these hops I thought I would share the review that they included. Sure sounds like an interesting hop!!

https://www.bear-fla...lma-single.html

Wow, so do you think this hop has a strawberry profile? :P I'm glad this review paints the hops in a good light because I'm looking forward to using them and since he mentioned that the hops would work really nicely as a "summer hop", I plan to make some Belma Blonde and Belma Wheat beers for spring and summer. So what is this Conan yeast he talking about? Did he culture it from a bottle/can of Heady Topper? I assume it's not a yeast that's available to homebrewers via White Labs or Wyeast, correct? Sounds interesting nonetheless. NC, thanks for posting that review... good stuff.

#56 ncbeerbrewer

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Posted 19 December 2012 - 05:10 PM

Wow, so do you think this hop has a strawberry profile? :P I'm glad this review paints the hops in a good light because I'm looking forward to using them and since he mentioned that the hops would work really nicely as a "summer hop", I plan to make some Belma Blonde and Belma Wheat beers for spring and summer. So what is this Conan yeast he talking about? Did he culture it from a bottle/can of Heady Topper? I assume it's not a yeast that's available to homebrewers via White Labs or Wyeast, correct? Sounds interesting nonetheless. NC, thanks for posting that review... good stuff.


Reading a hop description that says it tastes like strawberries sounds intriguing..I am not much for fruit in beers but it seems it blends well and wheat and a blonde sound like two styles i would consider their use in as well. Needless to say when i get around to buying some 2012 hops from HD if these are around I will pick up a lb too.

As for the conan yeast yes it sounds likes it was cultured from several (3) cans of Heady Topper which I have heard is an outstanding IPA. The yeast contributions he talks about is interesting too since I must agree first thoughts on an APA/IPA for yeast says clean ferment in my mind too. It does not sound like the yeast adds the strawberry flavors but just accentuates the fruitiness of the hops. Here is another link to the same site talking about culturing this conan yeast. https://www.bear-fla...ists-heady.html

#57 Big Nake

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Posted 20 December 2012 - 08:49 AM

My schedule for the week has changed a little bit and I decided to make this beer today. I am making it as I posted above and the mash has started. I opened these hops and did get a little bit of that onion-garlic aroma (mentioned in the thread on Homebrewtalk) which apparently comes from a gas that they use to purge the bags of oxygen. So I have no real sense of how they will actually come out but I am looking forward to adding them to the boil & see if the strawberry that was mentioned in the review above is as noticeable as that brewer said. Hey, what if you used some biscuit malt to get that bready flavor and then used the Belma hops? Strawberry shortcake! :wub:

#58 Big Nake

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Posted 20 December 2012 - 07:35 PM

I didn't really get much from these hops when adding them to the boil. They smelled good, clean and mildly fruity but I did not pick up orange, melon, strawberry or anything along those lines. It's possible that once the primary starts cranking I'll pick some of that up or maybe I won't pick it up until the beer is in my glass... or maybe I won't ever pick it up. This wort ended having a great dark yellow/light amber color that is a little different than most of my beers. I don't really use crystal 20 very often but I had some and figured I'd use it in a new recipe. I'll report back as things progress.

#59 Big Nake

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Posted 21 December 2012 - 02:00 PM

The fermentation has been going now for a little over 24 hours and it's quite robust. I'm getting good aroma that is clean and very nice-smelling but still none of these fruit descriptions. I wonder if the guy in the review got all of that strawberry from a reaction that occured between the hops and the yeast or something. Just grabbing at straws. I'm about 90% certain that I will want to dry hop this one to see what comes of that. Probably an ounce of these pellets in a muslin bag in the keg.

#60 al_bob

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Posted 21 December 2012 - 10:24 PM

I did an IPA today with Belma in the mix. Chinook for bittering, and Belma, Amarillo, and Citra equal parts blend for 25 and 5 min, with a whirlpool addition at 170 degrees.


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