17 replies to this topic

[kbhale]

Is there a best hop for IPA? Please post your favorites.

[kbhale]

If you have a beer example please post it to.

[Greatfookin]

EKG, or Fuggles

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

English or American?

[MAZ]

No, there is no "best" hop for an IPA. With so many combinations of varieties, hopping schedule, IBUs, etc... not to mention IPA style (American, English, Imperial), how can one possibly pick what is "best".What is the motivation behind this question? Are you planning on brewing an IPA and would like some examples of what people think are good hops to use? That I can do!

[Slainte]

For English IPA, the answer is EKG.For American IPA, there are many "best" hops. Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe, and Centennial are some of my favorites.

[BrewerGeorge]

Assuming you mean American, I don't think there is any "best" but I do very much like amarillo and columbus.

[japh]

My last IPA (which I liked a lot) had Chinook for bittering, and a Centennial-Cascade-Amarillo mix for flavor and aroma.

[MtnBrewer]

Is there a best hop for IPA? Please post your favorites.

No, it's very subjective. The only thing I'd recommend is to stay away from low alpha hops for bittering. You have to use so much that you lose a lot of wort (if you use whole) and you can get some astringency from all the vegetable matter. Low alpha hops are fine for aroma.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

No, it's very subjective. The only thing I'd recommend is to stay away from low alpha hops for bittering. You have to use so much that you lose a lot of wort (if you use whole) and you can get some astringency from all the vegetable matter. Low alpha hops are fine for aroma.

^truth

[zymot]

If I can modify the question in the spirit of being helpful.I use Magnum for bittering either American or British IPA. What would make it an American or British IPA would depend on the balance of your hop additions. That makes it vaguely the "best" hop for an IPA. In this case, British hops for British IPA. EKG or Fuggle are the popular choices. My opinion is EKG are "best" for this application. Not a fan of the fuggle in later additions.For American IPA, tradition says go with the American Citrus hops. Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, CTZ, Amarillo, Simcoe, etc.There is not a good direct answer to your question, but I hope this helps anyway.zymot

[MolBasser]

Simcoe=Bleh.My Opinion™BrewBasser

[HerrHiller]

Flavoring, and aroma hops are dependent on my mood and what I want..but I have come to realize where I use to think magnums were the best bittering hop because how clean they are(this was from reading not experience) I later found out from experience that clumbus is better..in my opinion it just seems to bring out the other hops so much better and make it so much more flavorful.. Like the same effect salt has on a food..seasons the food while also bringing out other flavors.Anyone else notice this?

[BrewerGeorge]

Flavoring, and aroma hops are dependent on my mood and what I want..but I have come to realize where I use to think magnums were the best bittering hop because how clean they are(this was from reading not experience) I later found out from experience that clumbus is better..in my opinion it just seems to bring out the other hops so much better and make it so much more flavorful.. Like the same effect salt has on a food..seasons the food while also bringing out other flavors.Anyone else notice this?

I've actually never used magnum! I do agree that columbus is outstanding in IPA. I think that we generally tend to concentrate on "clean" hops and gravitate toward the low co-humulone varieties. But an IPA is like sex; sometimes a little roughness is a good thing. IMO, columbus as part of the bittering charge adds that little bit of edge that you want in an IPA. It's also wonderful for dry hopping, IMO.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Flavoring, and aroma hops are dependent on my mood and what I want..but I have come to realize where I use to think magnums were the best bittering hop because how clean they are(this was from reading not experience) I later found out from experience that clumbus is better..in my opinion it just seems to bring out the other hops so much better and make it so much more flavorful.. Like the same effect salt has on a food..seasons the food while also bringing out other flavors.Anyone else notice this?

wait a second - you've never used magnum but you know columbus is better? Magnum is good stuff - very economical.

[HerrHiller]

wait a second - you've never used magnum but you know columbus is better? Magnum is good stuff - very economical.

Sorry I should have phrased that better..I read about magnum saw it was better....and then I used magnum thinking it was best based only on what I read.. And then ina pinch I tried columbus too..and now columbus is my drug of choice.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Sorry I should have phrased that better..I read about magnum saw it was better....and then I used magnum thinking it was best based only on what I read.. And then ina pinch I tried columbus too..and now columbus is my drug of choice.

ah - fair enough. if I ever run across some columbus I'll be sure to try it out for comparison.

[cavman]

For English hops I love Challenger. American usually a hop blend of for flavor and aroma; Magnum, Chinook Columbus and even Northern Brewer work well for bittering.