low alpha noble hops

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

So I have finally started using noble hops as I have been brewing more to style. I purchased some Tettnang that were 2.1% AA and some Hersbrucker that were 1.6% AA. Do noble hops normally have this low of an AA%? I assumed that most were in the 3-5% range. It’s kind of hard to justify using 1.6% hops for bittering…

[hopfenundmalz]

@goschman

So I have finally started using noble hops as I have been brewing more to style. I purchased some Tettnang that were 2.1% AA and some Hersbrucker that were 1.6% AA. Do noble hops normally have this low of an AA%? I assumed that most were in the 3-5% range. It’s kind of hard to justify using 1.6% hops for bittering…

That is low for both. It was not a great year for hops in Germany, I think those numbers show that.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@hopfenundmalz

@goschman

So I have finally started using noble hops as I have been brewing more to style. I purchased some Tettnang that were 2.1% AA and some Hersbrucker that were 1.6% AA. Do noble hops normally have this low of an AA%? I assumed that most were in the 3-5% range. It’s kind of hard to justify using 1.6% hops for bittering…

That is low for both. It was not a great year for hops in Germany, I think those numbers show that.

Thanks. That is good to know. I think the Tettnang were 2013 and the Hersbrucker were 2014. For bittering, I think I will just use them in combination with something like perle, northern brewer, or magnum.

[beersk]

@goschman

@hopfenundmalz

@goschman

So I have finally started using noble hops as I have been brewing more to style. I purchased some Tettnang that were 2.1% AA and some Hersbrucker that were 1.6% AA. Do noble hops normally have this low of an AA%? I assumed that most were in the 3-5% range. It’s kind of hard to justify using 1.6% hops for bittering…

That is low for both. It was not a great year for hops in Germany, I think those numbers show that.

Thanks. That is good to know. I think the Tettnang were 2013 and the Hersbrucker were 2014. For bittering, I think I will just use them in combination with something like perle, northern brewer, or magnum.

Oh yes, definitely use a higher alpha hop for bittering. I’ve been using Magnum. Less vegetal matter in the wort. I got some Mittelfruh from last year that were 2.7% AA…was wondering what was up with that. 2014’s noble hops haven’t even come out in pellets yet - at least most of them haven’t. Kinda waiting for that…

EDIT: Farmhouse has Tettnanger listed at 5% AA. They don’t have Mittelfruh or Spalter yet. Hersbrucker is 2% AA.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

I’ve got some 2014 Spalt on the way from Yakima Valley…we’ll see where they end up.

I seem to like the character of bittering with these hops but not to the effect of having to use too much. For my kolsch I ended up using like 1.5 oz of Tettnang with the remainder Northern Brewer to get to the IBU figure I was looking for. I liked the result but can’t image using more.