What hops should I buy?

[Brewboz]

Just about to do my first AG recipe. I have all the ingredients for it. Just the EASY BLOND ALE from (brewers friend) at first. I bought a 50# Bag of cargill 2 row pale so I do plan of course to make an assortment of 5 gallon batches. id like to buy a few 1b bags of hops at least three different ones. planning to go with hops direct and I'm wondering what hops I should get that are very versatile and go well with each other?
I was thinking Chinook, centinell and comet?

Would like to do a pale ale, IPA, pumpkin ale, and idk something else.. But yeah trying to save some scratch and buy in bulk so what 3 hops do you think I should get? Or should I just play with 1 pound for now if so which one?

Thanks for your input

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Buy what you like. I like to have/grow some dual use hops to have some open options.

 

[RM-MN]

Just about to do my first AG recipe. I have all the ingredients for it. Just the EASY BLOND ALE from (brewers friend) at first. I bought a 50# Bag of cargill 2 row pale so I do plan of course to make an assortment of 5 gallon batches. id like to buy a few 1b bags of hops at least three different ones. planning to go with hops direct and I'm wondering what hops I should get that are very versatile and go well with each other?
I was thinking Chinook, centinell and comet?

Would like to do a pale ale, IPA, pumpkin ale, and idk something else.. But yeah trying to save some scratch and buy in bulk so what 3 hops do you think I should get? Or should I just play with 1 pound for now if so which one?

Thanks for your input

While buying in bulk can save you some money, things that have a shorter lifespan should be bought in smaller amounts. One wouldn't buy 10 gallons of milk to save a few cents when the family only uses 2 gallons a week. Hops lose their aroma and perhaps their ability to bitter your beer with time. Pay the extra for smaller packets. Any hops you don't use quick enough will have to be thrown out, negating any up front savings.

 

[Pkrd]

Get a vacuum sealer so you don't waste the leftovers.

 

[Brewboz]

Yeah i read they can stay fresh if vacuumed sealed and frozen. I suppose I should try a few small packs at least until I know more what I like. Its hard to decide what you like when a lot of recipes call for several different hops. Some beer call for up to 8 oz at 2.99 a pop. Then i brew the beer and if i find a flavor that I don't like im to weed it out of the other varieties in the recipe by taste? Mabey make a wort then divide it into five 1 gallon batches and single hop each one then bottle them. idk I like fruity juicy citrus flavors a hint of skunkish is ok sometimes

 

[Brewboz]

Buy what you like. I like to have/grow some dual use hops to have some open options.

I actually do plan on growing my own as well. I know I like cascade and I read they do a pretty good job in the garden

 

[kh54s10]

Farmhouse Brewing Supply sells 4 ounce packages. They are a little less than one ounce packs but a bit more than a pound. That way you could get more than just 3 types.

I vacuum seal and freeze my hops, some are close to 5 years old. I am sure they are different than fresh, but they are still producing good beer. Bought too much a while back and I am trying to burn through them.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I like Hoplist.com for info. A local college extention could likely tell you what would do well in your climate, and the great lakes hops website gives good info too as far as growing tips. I'm growing centennial, chinook, Crystal, Liberty, Newport, nugget, Fuggles, wilamette and mount hood... Saaz didn't do well at all. I'm going to plant it again in a different location in my yard it got very wet over the winter.

I actually do plan on growing my own as well. I know I like cascade and I read they do a pretty good job in the garden

 

[RM-MN]

I actually do plan on growing my own as well. I know I like cascade and I read they do a pretty good job in the garden

I may be in the minority on my views but I found hops growing wild on my farm so I picked a bunch, dried them, packaged them in one ounce bags and popped them in the freezer. They work fine for my beer but...

I could have gotten a minimum wage job and been much more money ahead for my time.

 

[RM-MN]

Yeah i read they can stay fresh if vacuumed sealed and frozen. I suppose I should try a few small packs at least until I know more what I like. Its hard to decide what you like when a lot of recipes call for several different hops. Some beer call for up to 8 oz at 2.99 a pop. Then i brew the beer and if i find a flavor that I don't like im to weed it out of the other varieties in the recipe by taste? Mabey make a wort then divide it into five 1 gallon batches and single hop each one then bottle them. idk I like fruity juicy citrus flavors a hint of skunkish is ok sometimes

You don't "have to" make those beers that take all the hops. If you like fruity citrus try a recipe with a neutral flavor bittering hop, then dry hop with Cascade or Amarillo. If you like them, experiment with others. I like more simple recipe combinations so the flavors are distinct, not muddled with a bunch of flavors. YMMV

 

[Brewboz]

I imagine I will go forth and buy a few pounds of hops. I'm going to wait and buy some after a few more batches. I only just started actually still setting up to do an AG batch. I feel it be silly to buy bulk grains and not hops but I will be patient and make sure too use my own judgment after trying a few before spending $$. As for growing I plan to for sure doing cascade I have a 4x4x8deep box pretty sure i could at least do two plants in it. I appreciate all the input everyone has gave me and kinda get the feeling I should take my time and do more research.

 

[emribecky]

To try to answer your actual question OP:
I LOVE Magnum for bittering hop additions. It has a very neutral and clean flavor when used early in the boil that can work with almost any recipe. It is a cheap and high Alpha varietal, which means it can kind of be like the "2-row of hops": use in bulk, let the other varieties shine through for character.
Cascade is one of the most popular for almost any american ale.
Also, German Tetnanger seems to be applicable to nearly any continental lager in a variety of ways (bittering, flavor, aroma)

Those are the pantry staples that I always have a pound or so on hand.

 

[Brewboz]

Thanks man I'm going to buy a few pounds next batch and do a big ipa figured it be nice to have some extra for lighter beers

 

[divrack]

I have been buying 5kg (11lb) bulk packs and selling the rest on the UK version of this forum to keep some freezer space.
Centennial citra Amarillo going to be good for us style. EKG fuggles UK, saaz lager,
Ends up really cheap.
You need a vacuum sealer though really.

 

[Brewboz]

Yeah I got a sealer and a deep freezer so not to worried about storage. Just thought I like around and see what everyone's favorite hops are

 

[Sadu]

Yep go ahead and store them in bulk. Hops only get harvested once per year, then they get stored in a freezer somewhere. Might as well be your freezer and if you vac seal after each use you are doing better than some homebrew shops.

 

[MGamber]

I buy all kinds of hops, some because i know and like them and some because I don't know what they'll do but the description sounds good and I want to try them out. Several are experimental, some of those I have a lot of because they're really good (BRU-1, Exp. Stonefruit) I buy from Farmhouse Brewing Supply and Hops Direct but the vast majority, because I've had great luck with them, come from Yakima Valley Hops. I did an inventory a couple days ago and have 38 pounds of 41 varieties in the freezer. It's always good to try new things!

 

[Tribe Fan]

Yeah I got a sealer and a deep freezer so not to worried about storage. Just thought I like around and see what everyone's favorite hops are

My last bulk purchase of American Hops were Centennials, Cascades and Willamette. I'm almost through those and was just looking at the variety packs on Yakima Valley Hops dot com. Really would like to try some Mosaic and Citra (I'm behind the times).

 

[ba-brewer]

Some of the bigger commercial brewer list their ingredients, check out the website of some of your favorite commercial beers they may have the hops used listed.

Getting close to harvest time, should be good deals on 2017 and 2016 hops happening soon. If you want to freeze then maybe wait until 2018 show up to get the best shelf life.

Brewing smash beers is a good way to see if you like certain hops.

 

[Brewboz]

Some of the bigger commercial brewer list their ingredients, check out the website of some of your favorite commercial beers they may have the hops used listed.

Getting close to harvest time, should be good deals on 2017 and 2016 hops happening soon. If you want to freeze then maybe wait until 2018 show up to get the best shelf life.

Brewing smash beers is a good way to see if you like certain hops.

Yeah I have been thinking about doing a smash still haven't gotten around to buying a some bulk but I'm thinking a pound of citra and a pound of cascade

 

[Brewboz]

Some of the bigger commercial brewer list their ingredients, check out the website of some of your favorite commercial beers they may have the hops used listed.

Getting close to harvest time, should be good deals on 2017 and 2016 hops happening soon. If you want to freeze then maybe wait until 2018 show up to get the best shelf life.

Brewing smash beers is a good way to see if you like certain hops.

That is good advice. I think I will wait until there are some good deals

 

[Brewboz]

I buy all kinds of hops, some because i know and like them and some because I don't know what they'll do but the description sounds good and I want to try them out. Several are experimental, some of those I have a lot of because they're really good (BRU-1, Exp. Stonefruit) I buy from Farmhouse Brewing Supply and Hops Direct but the vast majority, because I've had great luck with them, come from Yakima Valley Hops. I did an inventory a couple days ago and have 38 pounds of 41 varieties in the freezer. It's always good to try new things!

Wow that's a ton of hops I bet you brew a lot and have a pretty sweet set up

 

[kh54s10]

I buy all kinds of hops, some because i know and like them and some because I don't know what they'll do but the description sounds good and I want to try them out. Several are experimental, some of those I have a lot of because they're really good (BRU-1, Exp. Stonefruit) I buy from Farmhouse Brewing Supply and Hops Direct but the vast majority, because I've had great luck with them, come from Yakima Valley Hops. I did an inventory a couple days ago and have 38 pounds of 41 varieties in the freezer. It's always good to try new things!

Yes wow! That is a ton. I don't think I have used 38 pounds in my entire 7 year two months of brewing. Just a little under 500 gallons.

 

[ba-brewer]

Just got an email from yakama valley hops they have the 2017 hops on sale
https://www.yakimavalleyhops.com/default.asp