Northern Brewer Hops

I was recently give approximately 5-6 ozs of Nothern Brewer whole hops. Being that I don't like to waste things, especially beer related things, I am wondering if anyone has a good recipe suggestion and/or hop pairing so I can use em up without making something that tastes like hobo armpit. Any help is greatly appreciated!

NB is a pretty versatile hop. I've used it in stouts, porters, and pale ales all with enjoyable results. I've not used it as a late addition but I have seen several recipes that do and those that have brewed them report good results. I find NB to be minty flavored and the bitterness to be very resiny and unique. Good luck with it. I think you'll be pleased with the outcome, whatever style you choose.

California common is an obvious choice if you like that style (Anchor Steam)

Otherwise you aren't to make anything hobo tasting by using some NB as some of your bittering hops.

If you are looking for a good hop pairing, I would try it with willamette. I find the aroma from the willamette hops to be what I'm looking for.

I have a great recipe, but, unfortunately, it's called "Hobo Armpit Pale." Bummer.


You might try a Vienna / Northern Brewer SMaSH. I made one a few months ago and it's great. I only used 3 oz of hops, but next time I'll use more.

Palefire, that is an awesome name for a Pale Ale and I may just take that and run with it. For a 4.5 gallon batch, how much Vienna would you use? That sounds right up my alley.

Palefire said:

I have a great recipe, but, unfortunately, it's called "Hobo Armpit Pale." Bummer.


You might try a Vienna / Northern Brewer SMaSH. I made one a few months ago and it's great. I only used 3 oz of hops, but next time I'll use more.

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I think I really need to brew this one! Would you share the recipe? That is, what was your O.G. and your hop schedule? I might be able to deduce the rest...

Sure. It's really easy:

5 gallon batch

10# Vienna

1 oz NB @ 60
1 oz NB @ 20
1 oz NB @ 5

S-05

OG: 1.051 (75% eff)
FG: 1.016 (was shooting for a little lower, but I was actually happy with this)


It tasted really great, like a far more flavorful Vienna lager (like Negro Modello, say). A smooth drinker that's more complex tasting than you'd imagine!

Though if I did it again, I'd add more late hops. Maybe 0.5 oz at 15 and 0.5 oz at 10? Or something like that. As is, the minty-ness of the NB got a little lost in the shuffle.

Good luck! Make it and post back, if you want...

This is going to be my next brew as well as my fist AG with my new cooler mash tun! Thank you! I will do more late additions like you suggest and will definitely report back.

Palefire said:

Sure. It's really easy:

5 gallon batch

10# Vienna

1 oz NB @ 60
1 oz NB @ 20
1 oz NB @ 5

S-05

OG: 1.051 (75% eff)
FG: 1.016 (was shooting for a little lower, but I was actually happy with this)


It tasted really great, like a far more flavorful Vienna lager (like Negro Modello, say). A smooth drinker that's more complex tasting than you'd imagine!

Though if I did it again, I'd add more late hops. Maybe 0.5 oz at 15 and 0.5 oz at 10? Or something like that. As is, the minty-ness of the NB got a little lost in the shuffle.

Good luck! Make it and post back, if you want...

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I can vouch for the awesomeness of a recipe like this one. Vienna and NB were made for each other.

Brewing this as we speak as my first all grain batch! So much fun! I will never brew with extract again... I hope I get the same efficiency or my batch will be uber bitter. I'm going to love it regardless, it smells amazing.

Just cracked a "surveillance beer" after a week in bottles. Still not fully carbed (duh), but by FAR my best brew yet and one I will try to keep on a regular rotation. My wife who doesn't really like beer even likes this one! Not as bitter as I expected, it's really balanced well and a very complex, wonderful flavor. Thanks PaleFire!

OClairBrew said:

Just cracked a "surveillance beer" after a week in bottles. Still not fully carbed (duh), but by FAR my best brew yet and one I will try to keep on a regular rotation. My wife who doesn't really like beer even likes this one! Not as bitter as I expected, it's really balanced well and a very complex, wonderful flavor. Thanks PaleFire!

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No problem, although the recipe is really DeathBrewer's! But I totally agree, it comes out way more complex-tasting than you'd imagine. It's a really good one.

Enjoy it!!

Any chance of doing an extract version of this? I love negro modello, and have extra Northern Brewer on hand... sounds like a plan if someone can help me figure out an extract recipe.

Just checking on the Palefire Vienna SMASH recipe posted...

I plugged it into Beersmith and ended up with almost 60 IBU. This seems a bit too bitter for the gravity. I'm not saying it tastes that way, just saying that's the way it looks in the software and would like to verify from someone that's brewed it as shown. DeathBrewer's original recipe used a lot less hops and looked more reasonable on the bitterness (32.6 IBU @ 1.047).

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/smash-apa-87816/

I think Janet's Brown Ale is all northern brewer.

FarmerTed said:

I think Janet's Brown Ale is all northern brewer.

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No, JBA is NB for the bittering and flavor but finishes with a lot of cascade and uses centennial for dry hop.

Yes, Janet's Brown uses NB for bittering, cascade for flavor, and centennial for dry-hopping and it is amazing. I followed Palefire's suggestion when I brewed and used the extra hops for aroma and flavor during the boil. I only hit 70% efficiency and it is nowhere near as bitter as you would expect, even finishing around 1.013. My wife who does not like hoppy bitter beers even really enjoys this one.

JustcallmeMrT said:

Any chance of doing an extract version of this? I love negro modello, and have extra Northern Brewer on hand... sounds like a plan if someone can help me figure out an extract recipe.

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Soon as someone makes Vienna Malt extract, you're set. Unfortunately, no one makes Vienna Malt extract. Briess make a Munich malt extract, 50-50% Pale-Munich, but that's as close as you're going to get.

For those surprised at the perceived bitterness of the Northern Brewer/Vienna combo: Sometimes your software will lie to you. Brewing science still doesn't fully understand the chemistry of what makes 40 IBU from one variety much more bitter for the drinker than 40 IBU from another. In this specific instance I suspect it's the less brash, in-your-face character of Northern Brewer (compared with other hops varieties) combined with the relatively rich flavor and body provided by Vienna malt. File this experience away for future reference.

Cheers!

Bob

I bought a half pound each of Northern Brewer and Willamette hops last year. I devised this bitter based on a recipe for "Otter Head" from Otter Brewery in Devon, UK.

Great folks at Otter, BTW. If you ever see a bottle of Otter, getchasome.

Here's my recipe (third attempt):

http://hopville.com/recipe/1182247/...ish-pale-ale-recipes/christmas-tree-ale-ver-3

We call it Christmas Tree Ale because of the pine/resin flavor mixed with the wonderful cherry-like flavor of the English crystal malt.

Finishing hops are added at flameout and allowed to rest for 20 minutes as the wort naturally cools. Then I turn on the immersion chiller. This procedure is meant to simulate the hopback used at Otter.

Fermentation schedule is very important...see the notes.

HomebrewMTB said:

Just checking on the Palefire Vienna SMASH recipe posted...

I plugged it into Beersmith and ended up with almost 60 IBU. This seems a bit too bitter for the gravity. I'm not saying it tastes that way, just saying that's the way it looks in the software and would like to verify from someone that's brewed it as shown. DeathBrewer's original recipe used a lot less hops and looked more reasonable on the bitterness (32.6 IBU @ 1.047).

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/smash-apa-87816/

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Well, I've brewed it as shown (otherwise I wouldn't have posted it!). I didn't find it too bitter. I thought the bitterness was just right, but I would have added more late hops to get more hops flavor. An all-Vienna base is pretty malty, so it can take a little more bitterness than a 2-row base (or so is my conjecture).

But don't listen to me - brew it yourself! That's what it's all about, anyway.

Just found this old thread after brewing my Maris Otter/Northern Brewer sMasH last night. Was wondering if anyone has any other feed back from their Vienna/NB recipes. This is my first sMasH and I can't wait to try it. Here's the recipe:

4G BIAB BATCH!

Recipe: MO/NB sMasH
Style: English IPA
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 4.50 gal
Post Boil Volume: 4.00 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 4.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 4.00 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 5.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 47.6 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 74.4 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
8 lbs 8.0 oz Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 100.0 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.60 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 2 37.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.60 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 3 6.7 IBUs
0.50 oz Northern Brewer [8.60 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 4 3.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.60 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 5 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafAle English Ale (DCL/Fermentis #S-04) Yeast 6 -

+1 to cali common, but I also like it as an enhancer in a PA or IPA.

I loved my Vienna/NB SMaSH which was my 1st AG batch. I took some to my homebrew club and it was a hit. The Vienna/NB combo is great, but since then I have brewed a Cali Common with the NB hops twice and that is one of my all time favorite beers and it even yielded me a gold medal in a large, local competition.

Brewed this up 11 days ago. I went with 4 ounces of northern brewer and moved them around a little bit as you can see. I also switched to wlp007 and it dried out quite a bit. Gravity sample today was smooth and very tasty. I think I'm going to throw this in a keg tonight with a half ounce of NB and start drinking it this weekend.

Vienna Northern Brewer SMaSH

Type: All Grain Calories: 160
Rating: 0.0 Boil Size: 7.50 Gal
IBU's: 65.57 Batch Size: 5.50 Gal
Color:*** 5.7 SRM** Boil Time: 60 minutes
Preboil OG: 1.040
Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 05/24/2013
OG: 1.049 1.050
FG: 1.012 1.008
ABV: 4.85 % 5.50 %
Efficiency: 75 % 75 %
Serve Date: 07/07/2013 / /
*
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Time Gravity
11.00 lbs 100.00 % Vienna Malt 60 mins 1.036
*
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
0.50 ozs 17.42 Northern Brewer First Wort 10.10
0.50 ozs 17.42 Northern Brewer 60 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs 10.55 Northern Brewer 20 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs 8.65 Northern Brewer 15 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs 6.32 Northern Brewer 10 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs 3.47 Northern Brewer 5 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs 0.00 Northern Brewer 0 mins 10.10
0.50 ozs Northern Brewer 7 days 10.10
*
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Dry English Ale White Labs 0007
*

That sounds great- what's it like? Love me some Northern Brewer.