SpanishCastleAle

Recipes 

I'm gonna buy some bulk hops but I don't want too many varieties because it will take too long for me to use them all up. So I'd like a few varieties that are versatile enough yet can cover a broad spectrum pretty well (ya know...have my cake and eat it too ).

I already bought a pound each of 4.3% AA Hallertau (GR); by the way...what does the (GR) mean? and of 12% Sorachi Ace (both from Puterbaugh). I don't usually brew many IPAs or other uber-hoppy brews but occasionally do...usually more likely to be a European brew (lagers too). Thanks.

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flyangler18

Recipes 

I find Willamette to be an extremely versatile hop.

Jason

ohiobrewtus

Recipes 

Willamette is a good choice. I like to always have some EKG or Fuggles around as well.

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GilaMinumBeer

Recipes 

"....what does the (GR) mean?"

German?

SpanishCastleAle

Recipes 

Thanks. I have some brews in primaries/secondaries right now with varying amounts of Willamette but nothing drinkable yet...I think I have 2 or 3 oz. left of it.

My usual hopping consists of low alpha hops for both bittering and flavor/aroma but I usually give the bitterness a little 'kick' by using a high-alpha hop (like just 1/4 oz. @ 60 min. to give it little boost so I don't have to use copious amounts to achieve my target IBUs). Anything wrong with that approach?

I may have screwed up by getting the 12% Sorachi Ace because I bought them to use as the 'bitterness boost' mentoned above...but they are usually listed as an aroma hop (when you DO see it listed that is). So...if my approach above is sound AND Sorachi Ace is not a great choice as my 'bitterness boost'...what is a good high-ish AA bittering hop? Magnum maybe?

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Early brewers were primarily women, mostly because it was deemed a woman's job. Mesopotamian men, of some 3,800 years ago, were obviously complete assclowns and had yet to realize the pleasure of brewing beer.- Beer Advocate

mmb

Recipes 

Horizon, Magnum, Galena are all options for a high AA bittering hop.

I use Galena. *shrug*

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zoebisch01

Recipes 

Yeah Fuggles is a good choice and a bittering hop as mentioned. It doesn't matter terribly much when it comes to bittering. Very very few people can crack open a beer and tell you exactly what bittering hop was used.

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lordbeermestrength

Recipes 

Yup, the key is using an equivalent (or higher) AA% hop to the recipe, that way you have equal amounts (or smaller) of hop matter in the beer.

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And wearied with Fatigue and Toil/Can cheer each manly Heart.
Labour and Art upheld by Thee/Successfully advance,
We quaff Thy balmy Juice with Glee/And Water leave to France.
Genius of Health, thy grateful Taste/Rivals the Cup of Jove,
And warms each English generous Breast/With Liberty and Love!
(Rev James Townley, 1751)

starrfish

Recipes 

You are correct,

US Ahtanum (Cascade family)
US Cascade
US Crystal
US Golding
US Mt. Rainier (Hallertau type)
US Palisade
US Perle
US Saaz
US Sterling
US Willamette

FR Strisselspalt (french)
GR Hallertau Mittelfruh (german)
GR Hallertau Hersbrucker
GR Select
GR Tradition
NZ Hallertau Aroma (2008 New Zealand crop just arrived)
NZ Pacific Hallertau (2008 New Zealand crop just arrived)
Polish Marynka
Styrian Golding
UK Kent Golding (United Kingdom)

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