Hops with low AA

[BillyD]

As a total newbie I've got some hops coming that have a lower AA than they might normally have and so if I put info into calculators they are suggesting I need to put a lot more into a brew than I thought to get the IBU values.

I'm new to this so I'm thinking of just following the amounts and seeing what happens (it will only be a gallon brew) but what's the general approach to this as when you start searching people say all sorts about the flavours being horrific and so on?

 

[brumbrew]

Everyone's palate is different. I've brewed an AG before, trub, hop debris the lot. Dry hopped for days and days and never noted grassy flavours.

Some say high alpha are for bittering and low for aroma. I tend to dry hop or flame out hop with high alpha for my tastes.

It's experimentation my friend. Tis what the hobby is about. Find what works for YOU.

 

[Johnf]

As a total newbie I've got some hops coming that have a lower AA than they might normally have and so if I put info into calculators they are suggesting I need to put a lot more into a brew than I thought to get the IBU values.

I'm new to this so I'm thinking of just following the amounts and seeing what happens (it will only be a gallon brew) but what's the general approach to this as when you start searching people say all sorts about the flavours being horrific and so on?

What are the Hops? And whats their AA??

Cheers
John

 

[geetee]

What sort of hops are they and how low are they?
Are you following a recipe where the AA quoted is higher, if so then you will have to increase the hops in ratio to get the same IBUs.

If it is your own recipe then as Brumbrew says if they are really low AA (say less than 5%) then it is possible they were not really primarily meant for bittering however it is totally your choice where to use them but you will have to use a lot more than a traditional high alpha hop.

 

[BillyD]

The hops are Hallertauer Hersbrucker at 1.8%, I was going to do a SMaSH with them using Vienna.

 

[brumbrew]

The hops are Hallertauer Hersbrucker at 1.8%, I was going to do a SMaSH with them using Vienna.

Use a lager yeast and ferment cool. If you dry hop it with these also you will get a hoppier flavour. 1.8% is quite low. So as much as you dare for the dry hop imo.

 

[Johnf]

Use a lager yeast and ferment cool. If you dry hop it with these also you will get a hoppier flavour. 1.8% is quite low. So as much as you dare for the dry hop imo.

Mmm do a Lager/ Californian common type beer with a Yeast thatll work at about 15c, if you can ferment at that temp. Personally I would go with lager malt instead. Vienna may be a bit malty for your hops.

Cheers
John

 

[Johnf]

Use a lager yeast and ferment cool. If you dry hop it with these also you will get a hoppier flavour. 1.8% is quite low. So as much as you dare for the dry hop imo.

Boom you posted as I was typing.

Cheers
John

 

[BillyD]

Thanks for the input, I'll revisit the calculators and play about with the numbers and then just give it a whirl.

 

[IainM]

Let me guess. These are the ones from THBS. I have a pack sitting in the freezer too and was planning a Nottingham pseudo-lager based on the Greg Hughes European Lager recipe, dry hopping with these hops and Summer.

John, Brum, let me get this right. Lower than normal AA means more flavour as a dry hop? I haven't heard of this before.

 

[Covrich]

Noble hops are generally low AA but the flavours are more delicate, doing a clean light beer / pseudo lager or real lager and they are lovely and plesant.

 

[IainM]

I feel a bit ripped off by these 2013 1.8% AA Hallertauer Hersbrucker hops now that I've found out that you can buy them for a tenth of the price I paid!. They have a third of a tonne of them still to shift! That seems pretty dodgy, so I'll give them a whiff when I get to doing my pseudo-lager, but unless they smell really nice, I think I might just ditch them.

 

[MyQul]

Let me guess. These are the ones from THBS. I have a pack sitting in the freezer too and was planning a Nottingham pseudo-lager based on the Greg Hughes European Lager recipe, dry hopping with these hops and Summer.

John, Brum, let me get this right. Lower than normal AA means more flavour as a dry hop? I haven't heard of this before.

I haven't either but it might be right because iirc as Alpha acids degrade (oxidise) they turn into beta acids which is what gives the flavour/aroma to beer