Newest Threads

z987k · 03-24-2008, 11:35 PM

So there are certain hops for styles and each variety of hop has it own taste/aroma. However for the bittering hop... put in at say at least 50mins to boil, most always 60, you get no flavor or aroma at all from this hop correct?

So in my mind it stands to reason that it makes no difference what bittering hop you use for any beer. Normally this wouldn't be a big deal, but with hops being slightly pricey it seems to make sense to use a high AA hop in small quantities to bitter with and then add your aroma and/or flavor hops to the end for what you really want out of picking a particular variety of hops for your beer.

Am I off here? Reason I ask is because I have a bunch of Nugget, and Warrior hops, all being pretty high AA, I can make these last a log longer by going with 1/2 oz or less increments for 60mins on my not so hoppy(read bitter) beers. Or even on a citrusy ipa, whats wrong with an ounce or two of nugget/warrior and then some Amarillo and simcoe for flavor/aroma/dryhop? Would there be a noticeable difference between that beer and one that has say simcoe for its bittering hop?

Beerrific · 03-24-2008, 11:41 PM

You can get a little flavor and (even less) aroma from a 60 minute addition.

But, you are right, you can use almost any hop for bittering. If you are making a beer with no late additions and just one addition at 60, you need to be careful. I would not use cascade for the 60 minute hop addition for a low hopped German lager.

For the APA, you might be able to tell a difference if you were to taste them side-by-side, but the difference would be barely noticeable. Do it, good idea.

***Yooper*** · 03-24-2008, 11:41 PM

I think you're pretty much got it correct- except I wouldn't say the bittering hops give NO flavor from them. I think you can still taste chinook, for example, although it is slightly different than say, nugget or warrior.

I would also say that the bittering hops matter less in a beer with lots of other stuff going on- (IPA) but more in a beer with less other strong flavors.

I've been bittering with high AAUs myself, and saving the cascade, simcoe, and amarillo for flavoring and finishing. I would say the difference between using cascade and warrior for bittering in an APA or IPA would not be noticable, or at least not undesirable if noticed.

Edit- yeah, what he said.

**Denny's Evil Concoctions** · 03-24-2008, 11:46 PM

The only "flavor" you should notice form a 60+ minute boil is a perhaps harsher bitterness from cohumulone (an alpha acid). Any bittering hops with hi levels of cohumulone will likely taste that way.

Examples. Bullion has higher cohumulone, Columbus does not.

EDIT: Forgot to add that First wort hopping is another monter all together.

z987k · 03-25-2008, 12:11 AM

ok so say I was going to make a wit.... Lots of stuff going on there, and we still want a wee bit of bitterness. So shooting for an og of 1.047 and 12ibu's what do you think of this hops schedule:

.25 oz Nugget @ 11.60% 60mins
.3 oz Styrian Goldings @ 4.0% 15mins
.3 oz Strisspalt @ 4.0% 15mins
I mean that's less than 1 oz of hops there!