Single hop dry hop experiment

I want to brew a 5 gallon batch of IPA and split it into 5 separate gallons to ferment and dry hop each with a different hop. I guess the goal is to make a lazy man’s single hop series of beers.

What I’m not sure of is how to make the beer as hop neutral as possible up until the dry hopping point without "missing" anything. I think bittering should be fine if I just use 1 oz of something with a high AA (Columbus? other suggestions welcome) at 60 minutes. I know the choice of hop will play some role in the finished product, but I figure this is as neutral as I can get.

The problem is in the late additions. If I were to completely omit any hop addition between 60 minutes and dry hopping, would it taste like there was something missing? I figure I’ll buy 1 oz of each of the 5 "single" hops, so I’d be using a full ounce per gallon.

If you think I need some kind of 0 minute addition, what would be a good hop to use that won’t overpower the dry hop additions in flavor? I’m looking to try some of the newfangled hops like Citra, Galaxy, Motueka, Mosiac and something else for the dry additions, so something that would blend well with them is ideal.

If neither of those are going to produce the results I want, I could potentially just split the batch right at knockout and use some of the ounce as 0 minute additions in each gallon, but that’s obviously going to be a bit more work and I’d like to avoid it, unless you think it’s going to yield dramatically superior results.

Please advise.

For bittering, use the HopShot stuff from Nothern Brewer. That way any taste perception will not be altered from knowledge of the bittering hop.

Originally posted by mkgrenwel
If I were to completely omit any hop addition between 60 minutes and dry hopping, would it taste like there was something missing?

Originally posted by mkgrenwel
If you think I need some kind of 0 minute addition, what would be a good hop to use that won’t overpower the dry hop additions in flavor? I’m looking to try some of the newfangled hops like Citra, Galaxy, Motueka, Mosiac and something else for the dry additions, so something that would blend well with them is ideal.

I would do a neutral bittering hop like Magnum and then chose another single hop for the late additions... maybe something standard like Cascade or Centennial but keep it subdued. Then do a massive dry hop with each variety as planned. They won’t technically be single hop beers, but I’m sure you’ll still get major differences between each one that will give you an idea of what each hop is about.

Originally posted by joeneugs
maybe something standard like Cascade or Centennial but keep it subdued.

How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

Originally posted by GarethYoung
How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

Originally posted by HornyDevil

Originally posted by GarethYoung
How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

This would certainly be the best way to eliminate variables, but not the best way to end up with good beers in the end.

Originally posted by HornyDevil

Originally posted by GarethYoung
How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

This would certainly be the best way to eliminate variables, but not the best way to end up with good beers in the end.

Originally posted by mkgrenwel

Originally posted by HornyDevil

Originally posted by GarethYoung
How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

This would certainly be the best way to eliminate variables, but not the best way to end up with good beers in the end.

Why do you say this? If I read Gareth’s idea correctly, it’s the same thing i said in my original post, which is that you’re using each individual hop as your 0 minute/KO addition.

Are you imagining a problem with the logistics of separating and cooling the different batches simultaneously?

Originally posted by GarethYoung

Originally posted by mkgrenwel

Originally posted by HornyDevil

Originally posted by GarethYoung
How about just putting the hot wort into the different vessels with a portion of the hops and let it cool. Then ferment, then dry hop. That should get you some of the aroma compounds you’d miss with just dry hopping.

This would certainly be the best way to eliminate variables, but not the best way to end up with good beers in the end.

Why do you say this? If I read Gareth’s idea correctly, it’s the same thing i said in my original post, which is that you’re using each individual hop as your 0 minute/KO addition.

Are you imagining a problem with the logistics of separating and cooling the different batches simultaneously?

I misunderstood your post then. I thought you were going to ferment out first without any aroma addition, then dry hop. I think a separate ’KO’ addition for each, then dry-hopping after fermentation is the way to go.