substituting hops... (again)

[kornbread]

I'm getting my next order together and I'm finding that, once again, I'm having to make hop substitutions.

I'm making a recipe that calls for Target hops (bittering :60 Min) and they are out of stock.

According to several sites that I've checked, possible Substitutions are Fuggle and Willamette.

Target hops have an Alpha Acid 9.5 - 12.5% and are primarily used for bittering. (note the :60 min boil.) However, both Fuggle and Willamette are listed as "Aroma" hops. Fuggle has an AA% range of 4.0 - 5.5% and Willamette has a range of 4.0 - 6.0%. On paper, neither Fuggle nor Willamette seem like likely substitutions.

Question(s): In your experience, are these good substitutions? If so, since the AA% is lower, should I use more? If so, how much more should I use? And, for future reference, how do you determine that?

Thanks in advance,

Kornbread

 

[BigEd]

Target is a UK bittering hop that clocks in at about 10%AA. Better choices for substitutes IMO would be Northern Brewer, Northdown, Phenix, Progress or Challenger. When subbing for bittering purposes you have to replace the same amount of AA%. So to sub for one ounce of a 10%AA hop you would need 2 ounces of a 5%AA hop to be the same IBUs.

 

[Bob]

I'd choose Northdown or Challenger instead of Fuggles or any other low-alpha Fuggles derivative (like Willamette).

 

[RevRon]

Try bullion. If you can find them.

 

[BigEd]

Try bullion. If you can find them.

Yes, another good sub but finding them is the problem. Bullion's cousin Brewer's Gold would also be on the list but have the same problem. The recent Austrailian?/New Zealand? hop Pacific Gem might be another decent choice if there is any availability.

 

[Chriso]

I'd go with Challenger before I resorted to Pacific Gem...... Pac Gem is nice, but it's way different.

Challenger sounds best in my mind.

 

[TeleTwanger]

challenger or northdown.

 

[BigEd]

I'd go with Challenger before I resorted to Pacific Gem...... Pac Gem is nice, but it's way different.

Challenger sounds best in my mind.

Challenger is my go to British bittering hop but the descriptions of Pacific Gem make it sound like a modern high-alpha version of Bullion or Brewer's Gold. I'd like to try it out in some UK ales.

 

[Chriso]

Challenger is my go to British bittering hop but the descriptions of Pacific Gem make it sound like a modern high-alpha version of Bullion or Brewer's Gold. I'd like to try it out in some UK ales.

I just did a english bitter last weekend, all-Pac Gem for the hops. Will keep you posted as soon as I keg it.