Hop Less beer

[compact007]

Has anyone made a hop less beer, Im thinking of trying one to see what it is like. What are your thoughts?

 

[McKBrew]

Any particular reason why? If you don't like hops or are allergic, it's a possibility. There are also other spices that could be substituted instead. If you don't want excessive hop flavor, find a milder variety or cut back your amounts.

In my opinion hops in some amount are a necessary ingredient of beer, if you leave out the hops you will still have beer, and the empahsis will be on the malt flavor.

 

[Flyin' Lion]

I have made a Heather Ale. Some recipes use hops, the one I used did not. A friend of mine thought he was allergic to hops--turns out it was stress related.

The Heather ale was good after a bit of aging.

Here's a link:https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=19403

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Add a small amount of vodka to a half and half sugar to club soda ration and you should be about there on taste. Naw, really, you NEED something to balance the sweet out with, wether it be hops or some other ingredient. Good luck

 

[malkore]

yeah, it'll be oddly sweet and unbalanced without any hops. i'd suggest a very lightly hop'd beer, low IBU hop variety and not a lot of it. maybe .5 oz total. .25 for bittering and .25 in the last 10-15 mins.

 

[olllllo]

Spruce tips have also been used as a hops substitute.

 

[Brewtopia]

Originally posted by olllllo
Spruce tips have also been used as a hops substitute.

A very pleasing substitute I might add. However, these bottles are for McKBrew.

 

[the_Roqk]

Spruce tips have also been used as a hops substitute.

And so have lemongrass and rosemary.

 

[McKBrew]

A very pleasing substitute I might add. However, these bottles are for McKBrew.

Guess I need to get my axx over there to get them, before you give them away.

 

[olllllo]

Siletz from Brewtopia reviewed by me here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=339389&postcount=8

2 weeks ago I had the Siletz Spruce Ale among the largest stand of Ponderosa Pines in the world. Sitka Spruce, they are not, but it would have to do.

I found that the pine tips added slightly menthol flavor to a pleasant medium flavored ale. I'm sorry that I couldn't have taken a picture of the brew!



When passed around a mixed crowd of beer lovers it was agreed by most that it is a somewhat of an acquired taste.



I was in the moment and so... I was longing for about 4 more.



Coincidently, there is a mispelling on the beel label. On the directions section it uses the word "form" instead of "from".

 

[WOP31]

Just posted this in another thread but this is a good resource for Hopless beer:

Gruit Ale

Cheers

 

[Bobby_M]

I've had a Gruit before (open fermented, wild yeast) and I have to say, it's somewhere right between wanting to puke it up and can't get enough of it. It's the weirdest thing. I guess it's just my programmed expectation of "beer" revolting. You should try it.

 

[Ol' Grog]

I've been toying with the idea of brewing a hopless beer because I just don't like the way hops taste or smell. Even now when I brew, my IBU's come out to about 5 to 10 range. I also add about 4 ounces of lactose into the boil to bring up the sweetness. I don't know what it is, I'm not a sugar head. I mean, I hardly touch sweets, but will be known to eat a bad of M&M's from time to time. I just think a sweeter brew is absolutely delicious.

 

[MadHatter]

Has anyone made a hop less beer, Im thinking of trying one to see what it is like. What are your thoughts?

I'm totally with you man. I had thought about doing that (NOT because I don't like hops) just to see what the result would be.

:rockin:

Let us know how it turns out

 

[Focus]

I think I made a hopless beer one back in 2003. It was from a prepared LHBS kit - I don't remember the "style" but it was along the lines of your average amber. I was surprised that it wasn't as sweet as I was expecting. Let us know how it comes out. I may try one myself.

focus

 

[Jim Karr]

Any idea where one could get a recipe for the spruce brew?