help me choose hops

Ingredients
1

I need to order some hops for my English ales and Irish stout, and I’m trying to decide between:

Sonnet™ Golding c.v. Leaf 2011 NEW CROP Size: 1 Lb.  6.6%    $ 18.60

East Kent Golding Leaf Hops NEW 2011 CROP Size: 1 Lb. 4.6%  $ 14.65

First Gold UK Leaf Hops NEW 2011 CROP SIZE: 1 LB 5.1%        $ 12.15

Fuggle UK Leaf Hops NEW 2011 CROP Size: 1 Lb. 4.3%              $ 14.35

Clearly the First Gold gives the most bang for the buck for bittering, which is all I use it for in my stout, so I might get a pound of that.  I liked the Sonnet golding, but I’m not liking the price this year.  I think I’d pick the EKG over the Fuggles, but I’m open to being convinced.  I’ll probably get a pound each of two varieties, so what do you guys think?

2

EKG and Fuggles.

3

Come on euge, you got to give me some reasons.  Those are the easy choices, but I haven’t used First Gold.

4

EKG, because I said so.

Hmm, then between 1st Gold and Fuggles.  I just don’t know the other one and its expensive.

5

going on about the difference between 14 and 18 bucks?

Personally I would not even worry about the cost difference.
It is a whole pound of hops.  How many gallons can you make with that?

…for the price of a burger.

Sonnet.  because something with ™ behind the name has to be better :wink:

6

To me Fuggles is more earthy and herbal which suits itself well with darker ales and EKG is a bit more grassy which suits to lighter english styles. I’m afraid I’m not much help with the others. For English pale ales and IPAs I prefer a blend of Challenger and EKG.

7

First Gold can give some apricot flavor and aroma.  Don’t know the Sonnet hop, never used it.

I have a pound of the EKG ready to go, and some Willamette which is close to Fuggles.  Of the ones listed, I would order EKG and Fuggles to do classic recipes.

There are also some Progress, Challenger, Northdown, and Target pellets in the freezer.  Doing some of the English styles again.

8

LOL I used them a great deal about 4 years ago! A nice citrus quality to the EKG. I’ve bittered with Fuggles before followed by EKG. Was a very nice bitter though I usually have both of these as flavor and aroma hops.

I guess the First Gold would be a good purchase for it’s dual-usage.

9

I would go with a pound of each if you could afford it, but if it comes down to money then I would have to give them a good sniff before I could make up my mind. For me it comes down to the aroma for most hops and unfortunately you probably won’t be able to sample them.  :-\ Will they send samples?

Anyway…I usually keep EKG’S and Fuggles on hand most of the time. I’m also getting ready to place an order to HD.

10

Gary Glass and I have formed a Fuggles Haters Club…:wink:

11

Can I join? I think they’re only good for naming a puppy.

12

You’re in!

13

I don’t know why, but I do not like Fuggles either.  I tried them in several brews that I had made before with other hops and came away with an unfavorable impression.  There seemed to be a flavor that I did not agree with.  C’est la Vie.

14

Gary and I agreed that what a lot of people perceive as “earthy” we find more “dirty” or “woody”.  Join the club, Martin!

15

Cheesey and musty to me, but I can understand what you mean by “dirty”.  Send me a membership card.

16

Man, there seem to be a LOT more of us than I had imagined!

And to all the Fuggle lovers, I’m not saying that there’s anything bad" about it.  Just personal taste…

17

Oh you guys are nuts. Though I also like Chinook which some think smell like cat-piss. ;D

18

Fuggles did make nice Brownies though.

19

They especially work well with pumkin and ringwood yeast.  ;D

20

This maybe why I prefer them in darker english style ales, where their contribution is much more subtle. Never cared for them in pales. I think they work well with dark beers though. Something about the “woodiness” or “dirtiness” goes with roasted malt.

And, FWIW, if “dirty” and “woody” are not synonymous with “earthy” I don’t know what would be.  :wink: