learning hops

[el beero]

for you experienced brewers...how did you get to know all of the different hop varieties? There are so many, and they apparently have quite different flavors. Was there a reference that you were working from? Did you just take the same recipe and try it different ways so you could taste the difference? Just a curiosity.

[BigE]

There's a good on-line reference here, in one spot John talks about the different kinds of hops and their usage:

Hot to Brew ~ by John Palmer - Hops (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-3.html)

I'm also experimenting in brews (Mr. Beer is perfect for this!) to see if I can pickup the differences?

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Hop Varieties and How to Use Them
DISCLAIMER: Hop substitutes should generally be thought of as "last resort" options. Some of them work better than others, and of course, the individual brewer must decide which substitutes are best. No attempt was made here to label "good" and "not-so-good" substitutes, because the opinions vary wildly.
Aroma Hops
The following hops are generally considered aroma hops although in recent years they have started to gain a following in the homebrew community for bittering as well:
Name: CASCADE
Grown: US
Profile: strong spicy, floral, citrus (especially grapefruit) aroma
Typical use: bittering, finishing, dry hopping for American style ales
Example: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Anchor Liberty Ale & Old Foghorn
AA Range: 4.5 - 8%
Substitute: Centennial

Name: CHALLENGER
Grown: UK (Northern Brewer heritage)
Profile: spicy aroma, fruity flavor
Typical use: dual purpose, aroma and bittering, blends well with other hops
Example: ???
AA Range: 6.5 - 8.5%
Substitute: ???

Name: CRYSTAL (CFJ-HALLERTAU)
Grown: US
Profile: mild, pleasant, slightly spicy
Typical use: aroma/finishing/flavoring
Example: ???
AA Range: 2 - 5%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Mount Hood,
Liberty.

Name: EAST KENT GOLDINGS
Grown: UK
Profile: spicy/floral, earthy, rounded, very mild aroma;
spicy (candy-like?) flavor
Typical use: bittering, finishing, dry hopping for British ales
Example: Samuel Smith's Pale Ale, Fuller's ESB
AA Range: 4.5 - 7%
Substitute: BC Goldings, Target

Name: ULTRA (was EXPERIMENTAL 21484)
Grown: US
Profile: fine aroma hop
Typical use: finishing for German style lagers
Example: None
AA Range: 3 - 6%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh

Name: FUGGLES
Grown: UK, US, and other areas
Profile: mild, soft, grassy, floral aroma
Typical use: finishing / dry hopping for all ales, dark lagers
Example: Samuel Smith's Pale Ale, Old Peculier, Thomas Hardy's Ale
AA Range: 3.5 - 5.5%
Substitute: East Kent Goldings, Willamette

Name: HALLERTAUER HERSBRUCKER
Grown: Germany
Profile: pleasant, spicy/mild, noble, earthy aroma
Typical use: finishing for German style lagers
Example: Wheathook Wheaten Ale
AA Range: 2.5 - 5%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Mt. Hood, Liberty, Crystal,
NZ Hallertau Aroma

Name: HALLERTAUER MITTELFRUEH
Grown: Germany
Profile: pleasant, spicy, noble, mild herbal aroma
Typical use: finishing for German style lagers
Example: Sam Adams Boston Lager, Sam Adams Boston Lightship
AA Range: 3 - 5%
Substitute: Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Mt. Hood, Liberty, Crystal,
NZ Hallertau Aroma

Name: LIBERTY
Grown: US
Profile: fine, very mild aroma
Typical use: finishing for German style lagers
Example: Pete's Wicked Lager
AA Range: 2.5 - 5%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Mt. Hood,
Crystal

Name: LUBLIN
Grown: Poland
Profile: Reported to be a substitute for noble varieties, in fact is
said to be Saaz grown in Poland.
Typical use: aroma/finishing
Example: ???
AA Range: 2 - 4%
Substitute: Saaz, Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Tettnang, Mount Hood, Liberty, Crystal.

Name: MT. HOOD
Grown: US
Profile: mild, clean aroma
Typical use: finishing for German style lagers
Example: Anderson Valley High Rollers Wheat Beer, Portland Ale
AA Range: 3.5 - 8%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Liberty,
Tettnang

Name: NZ HALLERTAU AROMA (an organic version also exists)
Grown: New Zealand
Profile: Said to be a replica of German Hallertauer Mittelfrueh
Typical use: fine aroma hopping
Example: Coors, Coors Light
AA Range: 6 - 8%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker, Tettnang,
Crystal

Name: PROGRESS
Grown: UK (Whitbred Goldings heritage)
Profile: similar to Fuggles, but slightly sweeter
Typical use: bittering and aroma for British ales
Example: ???
AA Range: 5.0 - 7.5%
Substitute: Fuggles

Name: SAAZ
Grown: Czechoslovakia
Profile: delicate, mild, floral aroma
Typical use: finishing for Bohemian style lagers
Example: Pilsener Urquell
AA Range: 2 - 5%
Substitute: Tettnang (many would claim there is NO substitute)

Name: SPALT
Grown: Germany/US
Profile: mild, pleasant, slightly spicy
Typical use: aroma/finishing/flavoring, some bittering
Example: Common in Dusseldorf Altbiers
AA Range: 3 - 6%
Substitute: Saaz, Tettnang

Name: STRISSELSPALT
Grown: France -- Alsace area
Profile: medium intensity, pleasant, similar to Hersbrucker
Typical use: aroma/finishing
Example: ???
AA Range: 3 - 5%
Substitute: Hersbrucker, German Spalt

Name: STYRIAN GOLDINGS
Grown: Yugoslavia (seedless Fuggles grown in Yugoslavia),
also grown in US
Profile: similar to Fuggles
Typical use: bittering/finishing/dry hopping for a wide variety of beers,
popular in Europe, especially UK
Example: Ind Coope's Burton Ale, Timothy Taylor's Landlord
AA Range: 4.5 - 7
Substitute: Fuggles, Willamette

Name: TETTNANG
Grown: Germany, US
Profile: fine, spicy aroma
Typical use: finishing for German style beers
Example: Gulpener Pilsener, Sam Adams Octoberfest, Anderson Valley ESB
AA Range: 3 - 6%
Substitute: Saaz, Spalt

Name: WILLAMETTE
Grown: US
Profile: mild, spicy, grassy, floral aroma
Typical use: finishing and dry hopping for American / British ales
Example: Sierra Nevada Porter, Ballard Bitter, Anderson Valley Boont Amber
AA Range: 4 - 7%
Substitute: Fuggles
Bittering Hops
The following hops are generally considered bittering hops, but some aroma applications have been noted (note that the examples given may not enlighten the taster as much as the aroma hops in the previous section):
Name: BREWER'S GOLD
Grown: UK, US
Profile: poor aroma;
sharp bittering hop
Typical use: bittering for ales
Example: Pete's Wicked Ale
AA Range: 8 - 9%
Substitute: Bullion

Name: BULLION
Grown: UK (maybe discontinued), US
Profile: poor aroma;
sharp bittering and blackcurrant flavor when used in the boil
Typical use: bittering hop for British ales, perhaps some finishing
Example: ??? (Guinness Extra Stout and SSWW - not confirmed)
AA Range: 8 - 11%
Substitute: Brewer's Gold, Pacific Gem

Name: CENTENNIAL
Grown: US
Profile: spicy, floral, citrus aroma;
clean bittering hop (Super Cascade?)
Typical use: general purpose bittering, aroma, some dry hopping
Example: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Ale
AA Range: 9 - 11.5%
Substitute: Cascade

Name: CHINOOK
Grown: US
Profile: heavy spicy aroma;
strong versatile bittering hop
Typical use: bittering
Example: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, Sierra Nevada Stout
AA Range: 12 - 14%
Substitute: Galena, Eroica, Nugget, Bullion

Name: CLUSTER
Grown: US, Australia
Profile: poor, sharp aroma;
sharp bittering hop
Typical use: general purpose bittering (Aussie version used as finishing hop)
Example: Winterhook Christmas Ale
AA Range: 5.5 - 8.5%
Substitute: Galena, Cascade, Eroica

Name: EROICA
Grown: US
Profile: clean bittering hop
Typical use: general purpose bittering
Example: Ballard Bitter, Blackhook Porter, Anderson Valley Boont Amber
AA Range: 12 - 14%
Substitute: Northern Brewer, Galena

Name: GALENA
Grown: US
Profile: strong, clean bittering hop
Typical use: general purpose bittering
Example: Catamount Porter, Devil's Mountain Railroad Ale
AA Range: 12 - 14%
Substitute: Northern Brewer, Eroica, Cluster

Name: NORTHERN BREWER
Grown: UK, US, Germany (called Hallertauer NB), and other areas
(growing region affects profile greatly)
Profile: fine, fragrant aroma;
dry, clean bittering hop
Typical use: bittering and finishing for a wide variety of beers
Example: Old Peculier(bittering), Anchor Liberty(bittering),
Anchor Steam(bittering, flavoring, aroma)
AA Range: 7 - 10%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, Hallertauer Hersbrucker

Name: NUGGET
Grown: US
Profile: heavy, spicy, herbal aroma;
strong bittering hop
Typical use: strong bittering, some aroma uses
Example: Sierra Nevada Porter & Bigfoot Ale, Anderson Valley ESB
AA Range: 12 - 14%
Substitute: Chinook

Name: PERLE
Grown: Germany, US
Profile: pleasant aroma;
slightly spicy, almost minty bittering hop
Typical use: general purpose bittering for all lagers except pilsener
Example: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Summerfest, and Pale Bock
AA Range: 7 - 9.5%
Substitute: Hallertauer Mittelfrueh, NZ Hallertau Aroma

Name: PRIDE OF RINGWOOD
Grown: Australia
Profile: citric aroma;
clean bittering hop
Typical use: general purpose bittering
Example: Foster's Lager, Victoria Bitter, Coopers Sparkling Ale
AA Range: 9 - 11%
Substitute: ???

[corkybstewart]

I think a lot of these categories are pretty arbitrary. I've always used Fuggles as a bittering hop, and lately I've done a couple of all Fuggles brews that are pretty damn good.
If you like the hops in a particular beer, visit the brewery website and see if they list the hops used. They obviously won't give you much info like hops schedules but it'll get you started associating certain flavors/aromas with beers you like. For instance Sierra Nevada uses Cascade.

[Mad Scientist]

As you brew your kits, pay attention to the hops that yuo are using, and where you are using them. When you read the respective hop descriptions, you'll understand what they are describing very specifically. you can then apply that under standing to other hop descriptions, and decide which ones you want to use for your own recipes, then the experimentation begins.....

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
then the experimentation begins..... without an end in sight

[dparsons]

Daniels, in "Designing Great Beers," gives a more detailed treatment of hops. He goes into different chemicals/components of the hop contribution to beer and the relative levels found in different hops.

[vw addict]

When you put the hops into the boil you get a great idea of what they are doing. Smell them, I had someone even suggest making hop tea to taste the different flavors.

[Mad Scientist]

Next time you brew, try like half a pellet....preferably chinook...hehe....

[dparsons]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
Next time you brew, try like half a pellet....preferably chinook...hehe....

Real good advice there ... :eek: