Wild hops?

[adstick]

Hello everybody. I'm pretty new to 'proper' brewing, I've been learning the basics from kits but have recently moved on to 'proper' extract brewing.

My question is - I've been given some fresh wild hops and am keen to try them out. However I have no idea of the quantities to use or the best type of beer to brew to make the most of the hops. I've been practising my brewing skills with an American pale ale clone. If I use the same recipe but replace the bittering and aroma hops with my wild hops (in similar quantities) am I going to get good beer? I'm wondering whether the wild hops will be less 'strong' than the commercial hops asnd therefore a more traditional British beer might work better.

Any advice gratefully appreciated!

Adam

 

[Runwell-Steve]

I've never used Wild Hops so heres my guess.

I assume there isn't an easy way to work out the AA, therefore you are not going to know how much bitterness they will impart to your beer, for that reason I'd be inclined to use them solely as late hops for aroma, and use something that you know the AA of for the bittering. The lielihood is they are going to be closely related to either Fuggles or Goldings so you could guess an AA of about 5%.

I would do a light golden beer, with loads and loads of late Wild Hops.

 

[RobWalker]

Just remember, you can add but you cannot take away. Brewing it not bitter enough can be easily recovered by boiling hops in water - you're buggered if you add too much.

 

[adstick]

Great, thanks for your help. I think I'll brew a similar beer to the one I've been trying, and use my wild hops both late in the boil and dry hopped.

Can't wait!