In 2000, Yakima Chief Ranches released a new hop variety called Simcoe. I was lucky enough to brew with this hop in its experimental phase, when it was named YCR-14. I’d never smelled a hop quite like it. (For more on the story of that hop, be sure to check out CB&B Podcast Episode 437.)
Shortly thereafter, I made the first batch of Pliny the Elder, and Simcoe quickly became the backbone of this recipe. Over the years we’ve modernized the Pliny recipe, but the throughline of Pliny the Elder (and Younger) has always been Simcoe (with Amarillo as the secondary hop).
To celebrate its 25th birthday, I wanted to create a beer that honored Simcoe and all that it’s contributed to the modern American IPA movement. This Simcoe 25 IPA has a large quantity of hops, including a lot of advanced flowable hop products—some of those may be challenging or impossible for homebrewers to get, so we suggest substitutions.
However: Just like in 2005 when I first published the Pliny the Elder homebrew recipe—and like I said back then—you can use this as a base to create your own version of the beer. Then, you too can celebrate a hop that helped start the modern IPA revolution.
ALL-GRAIN
Batch size: 5 gallons (19 liters)
Brewhouse efficiency: 72%
OG: 1.058 (14.3°P)
FG: 1.005 (1.3°P)
IBUs: ~77
ABV: 7%