What Hops To Use With A Pepper Beer?

[lopatkam]

I’m planning on brewing a beer with habanero peppers this weekend. My thought is about 16 to 18 lbs pale 2 row and two to three lbs smoked malt for 10 gallons. I plan on adding eight peppers in the last 10 minutes of the boil. My question I have is what hops should I use? I’m sure that I want to avoid the American hops like cascade, citra, etc. because the citrus may clash with the peppers. I’m not sure about the noble hops. I was thinking of kent or fuggle. Anyone have an opinion? I was also thinking of just one 60 minute addition.
Thanks!

 

[Leithoa]

I've never made a pepper beer so hopefully those that have will chime in with specifics. Cascade, Perle, Bullion, and willamette have all been used by some of the chili beer's I've seen posted here. some of those were cocao/chili beers so keep that in mide. Also I've seen people say that 1 chili/gallon was plenty of spice, so keep your target consumers and pepper variety in mind.
http://byo.com/resources/hops
http://thehopry.com/hops/
Once you have the flavor profile in mind(you may already) just peruse the list and find hops that share those flavors. I agree with your choice EKG or even domestic goldings.
It looks like you're kind of going for a spicey smokey combo, so perhaps hops like Saaz for it's earthy, sweet spice ; Willammete again earthy, spicey notes; Goldings of some variety;or Hallertau the ever popular noble hop would complement your reciple . At 60 minutes most of the unique flavors will have isomerized or boiled off. I think best bet is just a smooth bittering hops.
I'd do an addition at 20-25min if you want some complementary flavor. Though I don't know how well the hops will be able to compete with smoke and spice, so a single bittering addition might be the only thing worth the effort.

 

[acidrain23]

I’m planning on brewing a beer with habanero peppers this weekend. My thought is about 16 to 18 lbs pale 2 row and two to three lbs smoked malt for 10 gallons. I plan on adding eight peppers in the last 10 minutes of the boil. My question I have is what hops should I use? I’m sure that I want to avoid the American hops like cascade, citra, etc. because the citrus may clash with the peppers. I’m not sure about the noble hops. I was thinking of kent or fuggle. Anyone have an opinion? I was also thinking of just one 60 minute addition.
Thanks!

I dunno, habaneros have a very fruity quality that could very well be enhanced by some of the fruitier American hops- Citra, Amarillo, Palisade, Galaxy?

 

[Leithoa]

Nelson, and if you can find them, Bullion are supposed to have noticeably fruity profiles as well

 

[lopatkam]

Thanks for your replies. I was thinking what you said acidrain23. The habaneros are fruity. I have a lot of cascade and sterling left over from my hop plants last years and will be getting a new harvest in a week, so I will use the cascades. Here is my plan for 10 gallons:

18 lbs pale 2-row
2 lbs smoke malt
1 lb caramel 80l
8 oz caramel 40l
2 oz cascade at 60
2 oz cascade at 30
2 oz cascade at 15
Irish Moss at 15
8 habaneros at 15
White Labs WLP005
12 brats*
1 can sauerkraut*
8 ears of corn*
zombie dust clone*
rye beer*
Irish red ale*

* While these ingredients will not go directly in the beer, they will help a lot. (I’m having some friends over to “assist”.)

iBrewMaster has this at OG:1.049, FG:1.015, 4.45% ABV, 6.8 SRM, 51 IBU.

Thanks!