Hop wine - help required with hop selection

[abbey_man]

Hi,

I have a copy of the CJJ Berry First Steps in Winemaking book, and I would like to try the Hop Wine recipe.

Do I need to be careful when selecting hops? I have noticed from other recipes that I should always leave out bitter tasting ingredients (i.e. orange/lemon pith) and yet hops are used to bitter beers/ales etc. I know that hops have an alpha rating and that the higher the rating (as a percentage) the more bitter they are, or at least the more bitter taste they can impart into a drink. I was thinking of using a low alpha rating hop (like Cascade, about 6% alpha) for my first hop wine but could use any advice people have.

I have also seen that hops are sold as leaves or as cones, but my lack of beer making experience means I have absolutely no idea what any of the differences between them are.

I really need some help on this one LOL

Thanks

 

[RobWalker]

I would go for low alpha too. Chances are berry used fuggles, goldings or wild hops because there wasn't much about when he wrote his book!

Just avoid anything abnormal and you'll be fine I guess :)

 

[abbey_man]

Thanks for your reply! I hadn't considered Berry's options when I started this thread, so you have helped me a lot.

I decided to stick with the Cascade and have ordered enough to make a gallon of hop wine and a gallon of hop metheglin. I also found a hop variety called Target that is about 11% alpha that cost me two and a half quid. I'll brew that up as a wine as well purely as an experiment (and probably as a way of poisoning all my family lol) I'll try to remember to post the results here. I have no spare DJ's at the moment so it might take a while :)

 

[Moley]

Clarification for anyone who hasn't got the book:

CJJB uses 75g hops + 25g bruised ginger, boils those in water for 1 hour then strains the liquor over 1.5kg of sugar plus juices of 1 orange + 1 lemon.

If you follow his recipes to the letter, you will usually end up with a full DJ plus a smaller bottle for topping up after racking. Going back to Imperial measurements, 3lbs sugar + 1 gallon of water will give you 9.5 pints, so if you want to make to 1 gallon it often makes sense to reduce the amount of sugar used.


So to go back to the original question, I agree with Rob that CJJB would most probably have used Fuggles or Goldings, and I would think that your Cascade could work well but I'd have reservations about the Target.


I've never tried that recipe, so I may have to join you and have a play with a couple of single gallons. A metheglin could be interesting.

 

[RobWalker]

Yeah I agree, Target can be a little on the crazy side from what I hear! Would like to hear how this turns out if you do get round to it abbey_man. Got loads of hops lying around and it could be a fun little use for them.