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IPA which hops to use

boltking

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I want to buid my own but so many hop choices. Should I do small batches with only one type of hops to learn the flavor?
 
Yes, doing a SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) will give you an idea of what hops do what and what malts do what if you're exploring that territory as well. I like SMaSH beers even if I'm not doing "research". They're simple and can be very tasty when you get the right combo.

The other thing you could do is just find out what hops are in your favourite commercial IPA's that you like and go that route. I like American IPA's so I end up using Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra... The list could go on. :D

You could also try some well-respected recipes and see how that goes.

Good luck.
 
Here's my $0.02 - I think you can get a pretty good idea of what a hops will taste like by its dry aroma.  Of course the flavoring of a bittering hops is best learned by taste.  My personal opnion is that the best way to experience them is in combinations from IPA clone recipes.  While its not a pure comparison, you still get a pretty good feel for the individual hops flavors and also which ones complement each other well and in what proportions they're best used. 
 
I like the Columbus and Amarillo combo. Columbus to bitter and Amarillo for the rest.
 
The only way to know for sure what hops satisfy your taste is to do what pcollins said.  I did it myself. For a couple years I made batches were I would vary only one ingredient from the previous.
For example I would keep the grain the same and use a different hop.  Or I'd keep the hops and base grain the same but vary the amount of crystal.  Or I'd keep all ingredients the same and change the mash temperature.

It gave me a really good feel for how to achieve an intended result.

For IPA brews I would recommend hops that are described as having a "citrus" quality.  Chinook, Cascade and Amarillo come to mind off the top of my head.
 
Thanks for all the input. Pliney the Elder is my favorite IPA. There is something that I taste in that IPA that I don't get in others. I think I will brew a Pliney and then brew in small batches with just  one hop at a time until i get it figured out. Thanks again!
 
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