Substitue for hops

[Cachalote]

I'm new to the forum, hope I can learn a lot from you guys!

Ok, so I'm going to start brewing beer for the first time. I'll start with a 5L batch of wheat beer (my preference). :cross:
I bought some basic equipment over the internet, some wheat and some barley grains, some yeast (bread yeast; good yeast is hard to find here), but couldn't find hops for sale near my place (I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Only thing I found was hops rhizomes, bought some and will plant in my backyard, but that will take some time to grow, I reckon...

So, for the time being, I must find an alternative to substitue hops. What I have at hand here in my home is: dandelion, myrrh, lemon balm, lemon grass and ginger. I've read dandelion and ginger are possible alternatives, but what would be the ammount to be used? What parts of them would be used? And at which moment of the boiling should I add each of them?
I've done a quick search in the forum, found some hops substitutes threads, but couldn't find any of those plants in those threads (except for dandelion, but the ammount wasn't stated).

Thank you all in advance!

 

[chefmike]

I do not have much input on a sub for hops... maybe try citrus zest and shoot for more of a wit.

but have you hit up the local breweries for yeast? Barra da Tijuca or somewhere? I would lay money they will help you with both yeast and hops.

Another source of yeast would be harvesting from bottles of commercial beer. Build starters from the yeast dregs. Many filter and use alternate yeasts to bottle, but there are many that are better than bread yeast.

 

[Dmitri]

I heard that cannabis can be used as a sub for hops (cause they come from the same family), but I'm not really sure about it, I'm new too, just brewed my first batch

 

[JetSmooth]

Try making a pizza without cheese and tomatoes.

 

[Teromous]

In the old days before they used hops, they would use various herbs. One was mugwort. I know quite a few places that sell it.

 

[unionrdr]

Check out gruitale.com. They talk about all the things used to bitter beer in the Middle Ages,before hops were known to add bittering,flavor,& act as a preservative.

 

[cshamilton]

Do not use bread yeast, it won't make a good beer (maybe drinkable if you are lucky and desperate). See if you can order from somewhere online, if not see if you have any friends who can ship you some. Dry yeast is relatively cheap and hardy.

 

[BenjaminBier]

I do not have much input on a sub for hops... maybe try citrus zest and shoot for more of a wit.

but have you hit up the local breweries for yeast? Barra da Tijuca or somewhere? I would lay money they will help you with both yeast and hops.

Another source of yeast would be harvesting from bottles of commercial beer. Build starters from the yeast dregs. Many filter and use alternate yeasts to bottle, but there are many that are better than bread yeast.

It would be so awesome if you could connect with a local brewery. I agree with Chefmike, they would hopefully help you out with a jar of yeast or some hops. The amount you would need would be insignificant compared to what they must have.

I did a quick google-search of Home Brew Brazil and found a lot of links at HBT. Like this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/homebrewing-brazil-151130/

 

[B0rnFrustr8ed]

I'm interested in trying hop substitutes just for the heck of it, so if anyone has done so, please share your results.

 

[shanecb]

People made beer without hops for hundreds of years. Search "gruit" in the forum and the web to get some good ideas.

Bread yeast will work, but as people said it's bred for.. bread, and not beer. It will ferment, but the flavor isn't totally predictable.

 

[dnichols]

People made beer without hops for hundreds of years. Search "gruit" in the forum and the web to get some good ideas.

Bread yeast will work, but as people said it's bred for.. bread, and not beer. It will ferment, but the flavor isn't totally predictable.

The May/June edition of Brew Magazine talks about the Scandanavians using juniper as a hops substitute.

 

[cervezarara]

Disclaimer: I've never tried this before, although many old timers in my home town made dandelion wine. All parts of the dandelion are edible. The leaves are supposed to give smooth bitterness- no recommended amount. Try a few cups added to the beginning of the boil (if fresh-- they'd probably dry out to an ounce or two.) The flowers are supposed to provide bitterness too, if the sepals (green leafy bottoms) are not removed. Someone suggests a loose gallon of flowers for five gallons.

From what I gather, the roots are harshly bitter and if not really cleaned well, very earthy too. Funny that the roots are supposed to protect against liver disease. I wish the beer would too!

 

[david_42]

From "Sacred and Healing Beers"

CJJ Berry's Dandelion Beer

1/2 lb young dandelion plants with tap root
1 lb sugar
1 lemon
1 gallon water
1/2 oz ginger root
1 oz cream of tartar

Put plants (well washed), crushed ginger root and lemon zest in water and boil 20 minutes. Strain onto sugar,lemon juice and cream of tartar. Stir well and let cool to 70F. Add yeast and ferment covered.

 

[mcaple1]

weed beer?

 

[JetSmooth]

weed beer?

As in dandelion beer, yes. We do not discuss the other type of weed beer.

 

[brewit2it]

People made beer without hops for hundreds of years. Search "gruit" in the forum and the web to get some good ideas.

Bread yeast will work, but as people said it's bred for.. bread, and not beer. It will ferment, but the flavor isn't totally predictable.

I'd rather drink beer made with bread yeast but with hops than beer made with brewers yeast but no hops personally. If I were the OP I'd just work a little harder to find both Hops and decent yeast. That have ebay in Brazil, right?

 

[Cachalote]

Ok, thank you all for the info. I'm searching harder for brewing stores near me (though I guess I'll have to have it shipped in the end).

 

[Toga]

Coriander gives some bittering effects as well. Crack whole coriander. If not using hops use 8-10 grams and add some orange peel.

 

[shanecb]

A good question is if there are any herbs/spices/etc that have the preservative effects on beer that hops have.