Buying Hops: European or American

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

brew1982

New Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2010
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Portland
Looking to buy about 20 or so pounds of hop pellets fairly soon.

Would you guys recommend European grown or American? people I've spoken with say European hops are usually higher quality?

I don't know where else to look but there's some for sale on ebay for rather good prices I think.

Some I was looking at:

European:

http://cgi.ebay.com/T-90-Brewing-Ho...027?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb2c2f95b

American:

http://cgi.ebay.com/US-NORTHERN-BRE...947?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0095dc73


cheers!
 
Quality is somewhat amorphous. American grown hops are better at giving american style ales their distinctive qualities. These same qualities are considered to be off-flavors for european brews.
American hops are bolder, bitterer, weedier. They have piney, citruousy, and resinous aromas with strong bitterness, compared to their European counterparts. European hops tend to be milder, with more refined notes of spice, flowers, and earthiness.

Really, it depends on the sort of beers you like. If you like bold, assertive hops American might be the right way to go. If you like more subtle refinement, I might go with the European. But it does depend on the varieties and so on.
 
Yeah, it depends on what your favorite styles to brew are! European hops, as stated, are usually more spicy/herby. American will often have more bitterness capabilities, and more citrus-like flavors.

I use European hops for brown ales, stouts, porters, and the pseudo-lager I make. You can mix 'em up though as well. For example, I like American hops for the eniglish IPA I like to brew. (does that even make sense?) :)

In terms of quality, it really does depend. Euro hops are considered more "refined" (such as the noble hops), but American hops don't have to be shipped across an ocean to get here, so they might be fresher. It really depends.

I think it just comes down to your preferences on flavor, and what you like to brew.
 
Those Northern Brewer are from 2008. I like Northern Brewer also, but I'm not sure I would be that pleased with 2008 hops in late 2010.
 
Infact you can I bet visit their hop fields easily and not have to pay shipping if you can pick it up yourself! I dont think your too far away from Willamette valley Oregon?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top