Substituting hops

[rpt]

If I want to brew a recipe but don't have the exact hops needed I'm wondering how easy it is to use a different type of hop without ruining the result. I know the beer won't exactly match the original recipe but as long as it's a good beer of similar style it won't matter.
Firstly, how critical is the type of bittering hop? If I substitute the correct number of IBUs will it matter or do hops boiled for 90 minutes still affect the flavour and not just the bitterness?
Secondly, many hops have very similar names. For example there's Goldings, EKG, WGV and Styrian Goldings. Are these as similar as their names suggest and so could be substituted, even for flavour or aroma?

 

[phettebs]

You can absolutely substitute hops and I frequently do based on what I have on hand. However, knowing which ones to substitute can take some practice. When I first started brewing, I used to brew single hop beers just so I could get to know the different hops I was using. There is no one size fits all answer to your question so I'll just give you my thoughts on it. Other brewers will have completely different experiences and thoughts. In the end, it will be up to you to choose what works for you.

For bittering, you want to stick with roughly the same alpha acid % as the original recipe calls for. Yes, you will want to shoot for the same IBU and the easiest way to do that is with the same aa%. When you start to use higher aa hops you get away from the original intent of the recipe but it really depends on what you are trying to brew. If you are trying to brew a clone beer then deviating wildly on the hops will take you away from that. It doesn't mean the resulting beer will be bad. It just won't be the clone beer you were trying to brew.

The other thing to keep in mind when substituting is to try to keep it in the same family. American C hops are NOT good substitutes for German noble hops or UK hops. The flavor and aroma of C hops are much more in your face and can dominate a beer. Used in lower quantities, they can be interesting in a beer but it really depends on what you are trying to brew.

You can use this as a guideline:
http://www.brew365.com/hop_substitution_chart.php

Not sure if this helped or made things worse. :-)

 

[rpt]

Thanks for a great reply phettebs. That link is great too - the whole site is interesting.

 

[phettebs]

Glad to be of service. Good luck with your brew!

 

[Duxuk]

I like Northern brewer for bittering as it gives a "clean" flavour. The bittering hops do seem to make a difference but it is not nearly so marked as later hopping. I like to put a load in at flameout, thanks to the forum :thumb: , and there, the hop makes a vast difference.
I've been using the American C hops recently..........gorgeous. I'm currently fermenting a brew with EKG. I've used much more to account for the lower AA% and can't wait to find how it compares.