how much hops

[dps51]

right sorry but got just one more thing to ask
right got my grain done when to add the hops for flavor and aroma
just need to know how do you work out the amount hops to use at each stage
many thanks once again for the help I have had

 

[johnnyboy1965]

All depends on what type/style beer you want to brew?

 

[johnnyboy1965]

You seem to have your grain worked out and not your hopping schedule?

 

[dps51]

English strong bitter type

 

[johnnyboy1965]

What is your grain bill ?

 

[Leon103]

Use brewing software.

 

[DoctorMick]

Use brewing software.

That's it in a nutshell. Good software will allow you to select the style and show you the parameters of that style for things like colour and bitterness. From there you can add hops to hit those parameters. Another good idea when starting out is to google a clone for a commercial example you like and use that as a starting point.

 

[chuffer]

Its all well and good using software but I would first recommend doing some reading into the subject of hops, utilisation, AA and Ibu. I read john palmer's how to brew (its free online) then copied other recipes, tweaking slightly to experiment, you'll notice in the other recipes what the amounts that tend to be added and when, then you will feel confident in putting together you're own recipe from scratch using the software once you know what sort of flavours and bitterness you intend to aim for

 

[chuffer]

One more thing, if you're a fan of British bitter styles then I'd recommend buying graham wheelers brewing British real ale. It has a massive recipe list at the back where you can pick one of your faves and attempt to clone/modify it

 

[Fore]

If the question is, what bitterness level will I end up with with my planned schedule, then you need software. I downloaded free software called BrewMate. You enter the brew length (23l), the grain bill, and the hop bill, including hop timing. You must edit the hop Alpha % to match that shown on the hop packs you bought, and tell it if the hops are leaf or pellet. The software then tells you the expected bitterness level and the colour. Often recipes quote the target bitterness (EBU or IBU), and it is very rare that just following the recipe hop weight will get you the same EBU. This is because hop Alpha % varies from one batch to the next, and certainly one year to the next. So to get close to the recipe intended EBU, you must use the software, adjusting the hop weights to hit the stated EBU target, and not just follow the recipe hop weight. Good recipes should also give you the timings for hop additions. Free recipes can be found everywhere on line.

Expect an EBU centre-range of about 28 (smooth ale) to 43 (Guiness). When I make up my own recipe, I aim for about 33 EBU, but that's personal preference.