Hops for Helles

[Tony B]

I’m brewing a Helles this weekend and was planning to use all Tettnang hops. The pack I got from YVH is only 2.1AA. My recipe uses a FWH and a 10 minute addition. To get 20 IBU, it will take 2.5oz in the FWH and 1.5oz at 10 min. I’m wondering how much difference it would make if I used a small charge of Columbus for the FWH and just use Tettnang for the 10 minute addition.
Thoughts?

 

[DBhomebrew]

One of the disputed effects of FWH is a preservation of some flavor/aroma through the boil. I'm no sensory scientist, but I do experience some hop flavor in my bitters with lots of lowish AA EKG/Fuggles at FWH, 60m, & 30m. YMMV, but I'd use the Tettnang.

 

[Miraculix]

I'd skip the ten minutes addition completely for a helles and would use tetnang for the fwh as well.

 

[hottpeper13]

I've noticed a different flavor in lighter brews, pils, helles,kolsch, and so on if I change only the bittering charge. The first one was my kolsch, I used magnum instead of perle. I would go with the tet all the way.

 

[Tony B]

I appreciate the input. I changed my recipe to use all Tettnang in FW and an early boil addition and removed the late boil addition.

 

[Broothru]

I’m brewing a Helles this weekend and was planning to use all Tettnang hops. The pack I got from YVH is only 2.1AA. My recipe uses a FWH and a 10 minute addition. To get 20 IBU, it will take 2.5oz in the FWH and 1.5oz at 10 min. I’m wondering how much difference it would make if I used a small charge of Columbus for the FWH and just use Tettnang for the 10 minute addition.
Thoughts?

Got any Perle? Great hop for Helles. How about Hallertau Magnum? Tetnang and Hallertau (all varietals) play nice together as long as you use a gentle hand and focus on the Tettnang for flavor/aroma. Tradition or Northern Brewer would work as well, but I’d stick with authentic hops from Germany.

Got three German beers conditioning/lagering as we speak, all for a competition for Oktoberfest. German beers are by far my favorites.

 

[Tony B]

I brewed it last night. Pitched at 68F. First time pressure fermenting. Didn’t see any activity before bed, a few hours after pitching. I was happy to see the spunding valve pinned at 12psi and the yeast doing yeasty things this morning. The temp is holding at 68* in my 75* house.
Tettnang are currently the only Nobel hops I have in the freezer. I noticed the LHBS has restocked with an awesome variety of hops including Perle and some NZ varieties that I’ve been wanting to try. I’ll give the Perle a shot in my next Helles.

 

[fluketamer]

i love perle/ tetnang alone and in combination for all my helles and kolsch'

i also find pressure fermenting warm at 70 with 34/70 really brings out tettnang for some reason. (more than the other german nobles)

 

[Broothru]

I brewed it last night. Pitched at 68F. First time pressure fermenting. Didn’t see any activity before bed, a few hours after pitching. I was happy to see the spunding valve pinned at 12psi and the yeast doing yeasty things this morning. The temp is holding at 68* in my 75* house.
Tettnang are currently the only Nobel hops I have in the freezer. I noticed the LHBS has restocked with an awesome variety of hops including Perle and some NZ varieties that I’ve been wanting to try. I’ll give the Perle a shot in my next Helles.

What yeast are you using? I just did four different beers using either NovaLager from Lallemand or Mythical Hammer from White Labs. Both are hybrid lager yeasts that ferment clean at mid-60s temperatures for lagers. Mythical Hammer was a joint venture between White Labs and Clawhammer to develop a pressurized fermentation lager yeast that works well at 63F-65F. Coincidentally, I used that one to brew a Helles.

The NovaLager is a dry yeast for warm lager fermentation, and though not specifically engineered for pressurized fermentations, it performs quite well.

I started all fermentations at 63F and capped at 6 psi CO2 pressure. As soon as I saw a pressure rise, I attached a spunding valve set to 1BAR/14.7 psig and let it rip. After 4~5 days the SG was within 5 points of estimated FG, so I raised the temperature to 73F for diacetyl rest. The finished beers are all very clear, well balanced, clean and no diacetyl, following cold crashing to 38F.

To say the least, I am very pleased with the results, both with the yeast and the pressurized fermentation process, which resulted in finished lagers in a little over a week grain-to-kegging rather than my ‘normal’ month or more.

Wednesday I’m planning a brew day making a classic West Coast IPA (Simcoe, Cascade, Citra), but brewed as a ‘Cold’ IPA (half Pilsner malt, half 2-row pale ale; brewed at 63F@1 BAR with Mythical Hammer harvested from the previous brew sessions).

I’m lovin’ these new yeast strains under pressure. Clean and fast, and I think they present a better finished product.

 

[Tony B]

What yeast are you using? I just did four different beers using either NovaLager from Lallemand or Mythical Hammer from White Labs. Both are hybrid lager yeasts that ferment clean at mid-60s temperatures for lagers. Mythical Hammer was a joint venture between White Labs and Clawhammer to develop a pressurized fermentation lager yeast that works well at 63F-65F. Coincidentally, I used that one to brew a Helles.

The NovaLager is a dry yeast for warm lager fermentation, and though not specifically engineered for pressurized fermentations, it performs quite well.

I started all fermentations at 63F and capped at 6 psi CO2 pressure. As soon as I saw a pressure rise, I attached a spunding valve set to 1BAR/14.7 psig and let it rip. After 4~5 days the SG was within 5 points of estimated FG, so I raised the temperature to 73F for diacetyl rest. The finished beers are all very clear, well balanced, clean and no diacetyl, following cold crashing to 38F.

To say the least, I am very pleased with the results, both with the yeast and the pressurized fermentation process, which resulted in finished lagers in a little over a week grain-to-kegging rather than my ‘normal’ month or more.

Wednesday I’m planning a brew day making a classic West Coast IPA (Simcoe, Cascade, Citra), but brewed as a ‘Cold’ IPA (half Pilsner malt, half 2-row pale ale; brewed at 63F@1 BAR with Mythical Hammer harvested from the previous brew sessions).

I’m lovin’ these new yeast strains under pressure. Clean and fast, and I think they present a better finished product.

I’m using 34/70. I’ve read and heard that it works well at ale temps and under pressure, plus it seems very versatile. I’ve also heard heard good things about Novalager, so may give that a shot down the road.

 

[Broothru]

I’m using 34/70. I’ve read and heard that it works well at ale temps and under pressure, plus it seems very versatile. I’ve also heard heard good things about Novalager, so may give that a shot down the road.

34/70 is a real workhorse and a very versatile lager yeast. I've not yet used it in either a cold (60-ish) ale fermentation, nor under pressure, but others have stated that it does a great job in that environment. White Labs has been tight-lipped about what yeasts they blended to produce the Mythical Hammer, but supposedly 34/70 was one of them. My experience with that yeast was quite good. Anxious to hear how yours comes out with the 34/70.

 

[Tony B]

34/70 is a real workhorse and a very versatile lager yeast. I've not yet used it in either a cold (60-ish) ale fermentation, nor under pressure, but others have stated that it does a great job in that environment. White Labs has been tight-lipped about what yeasts they blended to produce the Mythical Hammer, but supposedly 34/70 was one of them. My experience with that yeast was quite good. Anxious to hear how yours comes out with the 34/70.

I’m in San Diego, so White Labs is kinda my local yeast company. Excited to hear about Mythical Hammer. I’ll keep an eye out for it.

 

[Broothru]

I’m in San Diego, so White Labs is kinda my local yeast company. Excited to hear about Mythical Hammer. I’ll keep an eye out for it.

There’s a cool video on the White Labs website where they brew a beer with the guys at Clawhammer using the new yeast. The video is kinda’ long, but it moves along with plenty of inside info about the product. They even share the recipe.

 

[Tony B]

It’s been slightly less than 48 hours at this point and it looks like it’s done.
I’ll probably leave it be until Thursday or Friday and then transfer it to a keg.