A simple hop question

Well I hope it is a simple question!

All of the hombrew books I have read have explained quite clearly about the variable Alpha Acid content of hops and how one should adjust the amount of bittering hops you use based upon how the alpha acid content of your hops differs from the alpha stated in a recipe. However, none of the books I have read mention whether the amount of flavour/aroma hops added at the end of the boil (or when dry-hopping) should be similarly adjusted.

I always thought that late hops shouldn't be adjusted but I read recently that hop flavour can vary inversely with respect to alpha acid content. i.e. High alpha -> low flavour and vice versa.

Can anyone clarify this?

Cheers!

Deuchar said:

I read recently that hop flavour can vary inversely with respect to alpha acid content. i.e. High alpha -> low flavour and vice versa.

Can anyone clarify this?

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I wish I could see the actual text you read. Was this statement made as a broad generalization of all hop varieties and not necessarily talking about AA fluxuations within a particular type of hops? In other words, did they possibly mean "Hops varieties with high alpha acid content offer lower flavor/aroma components than hop varieties with low alpha acid content"?

I'm not sure I'm getting my point across there. Tricky wording (or maybe just another cup of coffee) is needed.

-walker

hop flavour can vary inversely with respect to alpha acid content. i.e. High alpha -> low flavour and vice versa.

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I think what is being said here is: High AA hops aren't the best flavor/aroma hops and good aroma hops tend to be low AA. There are hops that do well for all three purposes (NB), but try and make an IPA with all Fuggles. At the other end, a Mild made with Cascade would be really strange and you'd add the hops with a tweezers.

The aroma and flavor oils enter the boil within minutes of addition and the oil levels don't vary much year to year. Finally, aroma and flavor are far more qualitative than quantitative, because they stimulate our very complex odor receptors.

Bittering is one note on the tongue. IBU is how loud.

The book I read wasn't too clear whether it meant that in general high alpha hops had low flavour or whether it meant that variations in alpha within a given hop variety would cause flavour/aroma variations.

So far I have used quoted weights of hops at the end of boils and when dry-hopping and have varied bittering hops only according to the alpha percentage.

I take it this is what everyone else does?

thanks david... you supplied coherency I seem to be lacking this morning.

-walker

I believe what your book was trying to convey was that the AA% of any hop variety is variable based on what happened during the growing period of the hop. The amount of hops you put in the boil and the time they are in the boil affects the IBU of the brew. You can adjust the amount of hops in the brew or the amount of time if you want to in order to keep the IBU the same from brew to brew.

i.e. Batch one - Cascade hops used with AA% 5.5 - need to use 1 oz.
Batch two - Cascade hops used with AA% 7.0 - need to use less.

There's a formula for all this in the book I have at home.

Right, I adjust the bittering hops for AA, but go by weight for aroma and flavor. Dry hopping, it's sniff & toss. Big sniff, small toss. One book described the correct amount of dry hops "as much hops as the smallest woman working at the brewery can grasp in one hand."

I dont know whether i am right or wrong!!But guys is he right that in homebrew's we are having alpha acid's???I was just reading its benefits and losses...but i find the losses are more then benefits!!!Is that true??