Hop Substution

[Morrey]

Couple of months ago I made a smashing Bitter using East Kent Goldings finished with Bullion as a dry hop addition. This beer is easily the best Bitter I have made.

Much to my dismay, I cannot find Bullion hops anywhere and will be facing a substitution for the delicate dry hop addition. I cross referenced and see that the German variety of Northern Brewer will be a possible substitute.

Has anyone faced this choice, and is Northern Brewer my best and closest substitute?

 

[Garrymcdgll]

It looks like AIH have Bullion hops in stock if you can wait to have them delivered.

https://www.homebrewing.org/Bullion-Hop-Pellets-1-oz_p_111.html

 

[Morrey]

It looks like AIH have Bullion hops in stock if you can wait to have them delivered.

https://www.homebrewing.org/Bullion-Hop-Pellets-1-oz_p_111.html

Awesome....just checked the link!! Thanks!

 

[Morrey]

I think I may need to rethink my strategy on continuing the use of Bullion hops in my Bitter. My original post indicated my local shop(s) don't carry Bullion any longer, and I did get a response that AIH (online) does carry them. After investigating, this is some left over hops and the availability is limited to the point that there will be no more soon. In fact one of the biggest issues with Bullion (they say) is that the storage of this hop is quite limited...so if AIH has 2016 harvest, the quality may be suspect.

Sooner or later I'll be forced to replace Bullion with something else. I am pairing this with East Kent Goldings in a Bitter, so if there are any other suggestions I am all ears. In fact, if you have a totally different hop paring for a Bitter, I would love to hear some other options. Many thanks!

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Well there's some in the UK... (albeit 2016, no affiliation) Bullion seems to be one of those hops that's seen a bit of a revival of interest among British commercial brewers at least, so it's not going to go away completely.

Usual recommendation here for a Bullion sub is Bramling Cross to get the blackcurrantness. BX is one of my favourite hops, particularly when blended with Goldings in the copper and dry hop of a brown bitter. I'd try dry hopping with Goldings just on its own to see how you like it - very classic and would also help your inventory management. then try adding in some BX. Or just do a split batch, one half dry hopped with Goldings, one with BX - that's the nice thing about dry hopping, it's quite easy to experiment with.

 

[Morrey]

Well there's some in the UK... (albeit 2016, no affiliation) Bullion seems to be one of those hops that's seen a bit of a revival of interest among British commercial brewers at least, so it's not going to go away completely.

Usual recommendation here for a Bullion sub is Bramling Cross to get the blackcurrantness. BX is one of my favourite hops, particularly when blended with Goldings in the copper and dry hop of a brown bitter. I'd try dry hopping with Goldings just on its own to see how you like it - very classic and would also help your inventory management. then try adding in some BX. Or just do a split batch, one half dry hopped with Goldings, one with BX - that's the nice thing about dry hopping, it's quite easy to experiment with.

Beautiful idea.

To follow your suggestion, I was thinking of doing an 12G batch anyway, so splitting into two 6G batches will be fine. Please correct my logic if I didn't follow correctly: I'll use EKG exclusively for additions in the entire "base" batch, then split this base batch into 2 separate fermenters. When dry hopping fermenter #1 I'll dry hop with another addition of EKG, and in fermenter #2 I'll dry hop with Brambling Cross.

Agreed, this will be a very revealing experiment, and I like the split batch approach. Love the idea, and look forward to trying this with some friends in a blind triangle tasting.

Another positive.....going by pitch rate alone (splitting hairs) of a double batch is yeast usage. I am using dry sachets (11 grams ea) of Nottingham. Technically speaking 1 sachet is barely shy of the proper or reccomended amount for a 6G batch. 2 sachets for a 6G batch may be an overkill, but is yeast stressed if under pitched using 1 sachet only? Hard to say, but 3 sachets for 12G may be an ideal dosage. Anyway, I like the idea of a 12G split batch and thanks for this nice suggestion. I'll pick up some BX next trip to the LHBS.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

From the internets...

BULLION
6.7-12.9% Alpha Acids • Domestic • Bittering Hop
Intense,black currant aroma, spicy and pungent. One of the earliest high alpha hops in the world. Raised in 1919 in England from a wild Manitoban female crossed with an English male hop.
Used for: Mainly bittering. Stouts and Dark ales
Aroma: Strong and zesty blackcurrant characteristics
Substitutes: Brewers Gold, Northern Brewer, Galena, Bramling Cross, Mt. Ranier

 

[beernutz]

I see OP found Bullion but for anyone else in a similar situation this chart has been helpful in the past when my LHBS was out of a hop I wanted: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/how-to-brew/hop-substitutions/

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Please correct my logic if I didn't follow correctly: I'll use EKG exclusively for additions in the entire "base" batch, then split this base batch into 2 separate fermenters. When dry hopping fermenter #1 I'll dry hop with another addition of EKG, and in fermenter #2 I'll dry hop with Brambling Cross.

Exactly. You could even make a bit of BX tea to add to #2 to get a bit of an idea of what it's like as a copper hop, which is probably where it shines best. But Goldings in the copper and BX dry hop will be fine - party round at your house?!

If you've got any Goldings-y wort left over, then Goldings and Cascade is another good combo that's pretty common here.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

@Morrey update?

 

[tennesseean_87]

Exactly. You could even make a bit of BX tea to add to #2 to get a bit of an idea of what it's like as a copper hop, which is probably where it shines best. But Goldings in the copper and BX dry hop will be fine - party round at your house?!

If you've got any Goldings-y wort left over, then Goldings and Cascade is another good combo that's pretty common here.

What is a copper hop?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Hops added in the copper = kettle, ie during the boil.

 

[kmarkstevens]

I second the split batches approach. These days I split the majority of my brews. Makes it pretty obvious to figure out what my palette likes in terms of yeast, hops, dry hops, etc.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Usual recommendation here for a Bullion sub is Bramling Cross to get the blackcurrantness.

Just as a comment, I've had a chance to play with some 2018 Bramling Cross and as I feared, last year's heatwave knocked out most of the blackcurrant, whereas the Goldings parentage really comes through. So if you do find some BX, check what vintage it comes from - retail websites aren't always up to date on these things. In comparison 2017 Bullion was full of blackcurrant, at least when I made a tea at ~65°C (149°F), but just two minutes boil killed most of it.