Whole Hops cooking

[DieterVonBrauhaus]

Hello all, Noob here, four brews under my belt by using Brewers Best Kits, German Oktoberfest, English Pale Ale, German Kolsch, German Alt. So far I am getting pretty good at this. I am a wonderer on your website and read these posts everyday for about six months now.
Question is, I recieved Whole Hallertau and Saaz hops from a Hops Give Away from a large brewery in St louis(AB). I want to cook German Bitburger Pilsner from a recipe I found on another website. Two questions come up rather. First how do I cook whole hops? Second what is the conversion for AAU to ounces or in any weight?
I have yet to do a recipe only, so I am not sure if I need any special equipment, but what I have now is a pot, fermenter and glass carboy.
Thanks for your help in advance and as always Prost!!

 

[Skaggz]

By cooking, I assume you mean brewing. Just use them as you would normally. Some people like to use up to 15% more whole hops compared to pellets. This is due to the large surface contact area of the pellet hops. Others argue that volatile compounds are lost in the pelletizing process and it's a wash. Either way you go, you'll make good beer.

Second what is the conversion for AAU to ounces or in any weight?

The formula for AAU is:
AAU = (alpha acid %) x (weight in oz.)

So, if a recipe calls for 4 AAU cascade. And you have cascade hops with 6% alpha acid.
4 AAU / 6% = weight in oz. = .667 oz

I have yet to do a recipe only, so I am not sure if I need any special equipment, but what I have now is a pot, fermenter and glass carboy.

How were you brewing before? Is this Bitburger recipe an extract one?

 

[Captain Damage]

You want to put them in a mesh bag - like the muslin "gym sock" that comes with the kits you've done, or a nylon paint straining bag from a hardware store/home center (Home Depot, Lowes). The particles from whole hops are a lot bigger and get messy. Most people say up the amount by 10% when working with whole hops instead of pellets.

 

[theredben]

1. Not sure what hops you were using before (pellets?), but whole hops just go right in the boil like anything else.

2. AAU is simple the AA (Alpha Acid) % multiplied by the weight in ounces.
John Palmer's excellent book "How To Brew" gives these values;

Saaz: 2-5% gives you 1oz=2-5AAU, 2oz=4-10AAU, and so on.
Hallertau: 3-5% gives you 1oz=3-5AAU, 2oz=6-10AAU, and so on.

If you don't know the actual AA% percentage of this batch (it varies from year to year depending on growing conditions) then you can just say they are both 4% and enjoy something new.

 

[DieterVonBrauhaus]

Thanks for the replies. Uh yes, I was using kits that had sealed pellet hops. Here is the recipe rom BYO.com
Ingredients:

•1 lb. carapils malt
•6 lbs. Muntons extra-light malt extract syrup
•6 AAU Perle hops (0.75 oz. at 8% alpha acid)
•6 AAU Hallertau hops (1.5 oz. at 4% alpha acid)

•German lager or pilsner yeast (Wyeast 2007 or White Labs WLP830

•7/8 cup corn sugar for priming

So I am to assume the conversion in parentheses is correct and I should weigh the hops as stated above?
Thanks

 

[Captain Damage]

I don't think you need to sweat it that much. See the thing is, it's questionable whether or not you'll actually be able to tell the difference in bitterness between whole and pellet hops, especially in a 5 gallon batch. The threshold of taste is around 5 IBU in a lightly hopped beer - think: american pale lagers (BMC). Even a moderately hopped beer at 40 IBU, 10% more or less hops is only 4 IBU, still beyond the threshold. And consider that you have to measure out your hops in 10ths or 100ths of an ounce to try and makeup that difference for a 5 gallon batch.

Now think about all the other variables in beer making: how much syrup you actually get out of the can affects the wort density and hop utilization, as does the age of the extract; if you have a boilover and loose a little hops or wort to your stovetop; the pH of your water affects hop utilization; hops analysis only has a 0.1% accuracy so hops rated at 4% AAU may actually 3.95% or 4.04% etc.

So it seems to me that you're worrying about applying an unnecessary level of precision to a process that has a lot of inherent variability. Relax. Whatever you make,it will be BEER!