What does hope percentage mean on a recipe?

My first batch I did a total kit, 2 cans dumped in water and boiled. So I really didn't learn anything.

This is the hops portion of my recipe:

Hop Additions
1 oz. Centennial Pellet or Centennial Leaf
9.3% Alpha 60 min. Bittering Hops
1 oz. Cascade Pellet or Cascade Leaf
6.6% Alpha 5 min. Finishing Hops
0.75 oz. Cascade Pellet or Cascade Leaf
6.6% Alpha Secondary Dry Hops

I know all about the countdown and when to add and all that, but what are the percentages?

It's telling you the alpha acid % for the hop crop used in the batch. It can vary from year to year, so you can adjust the amount of hops to get the same contribution. Personally, I prefer to have IBU numbers listed for hop additions. That way I can tweak the amount according to the AA% of the hops I have.

The percentages are how much alpha acids are in the hops in the original recipe. Alpha acids effect the bitterness of your beer but each crop of hops can have different amounts of alpha acids so they can help you match the bitterness of the beer you are brewing.

So, its just extra information for me. I don't have to do anything different because of the number, and still add the 1oz that the recipe says?

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up

wonderfulwino37 said:

So, its just extra information for me. I don't have to do anything different because of the number, and still add the 1oz that the recipe says?

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ONLY if the hops you're going to use are the same AA% as the ones listed. If your centennial hops are more, or less, than 9.3% AA, you should adjust the hop addition amount. Same for the rest of the hops. A small AA% might not make a difference, but if you have 10%+ centennial, or 5% cascade, then you'll want to adjust the hop additions.

The "Hope" percentage is a percentage of hope they have that you will like the beer I kiiiid

You say you dumped in two cans so you didn't learn anything... I disagree. You (hopefully) learned sanitation, you saw how the wort looks while boiling and learned hop addition schedules. And soon you'll learn how disgusting a fermenter can get and what normal krauzen looks like. I call it a success.

captianoats said:

You say you dumped in two cans so you didn't learn anything... I disagree. You (hopefully) learned sanitation, you saw how the wort looks while boiling and learned hop addition schedules. And soon you'll learn how disgusting a fermenter can get and what normal krauzen looks like. I call it a success.

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+1 I am still quite green as a brewer, but agree that it is possible--and IMHO, important-- to learn as much as we can from all brewing processes...even if they seem basic. Personally, i still enjoy an occasional extract batch or partial mash brew day as a way to practice writing recipes or organizing...
Thanks for the positive framing captian!