Whole Cone Hops - Substitutions?

[system]

Looking to make a nice German Pils…Bitburger, Hofbrau Original, Spaten, etc.
But my first choice (Hallertau) is not available in whole cones.

I do have Saaz. Is there a good substitute for the Noble variety, that is available in whole cone form?

Checked a few suppliers online. It’s easy to get pellets in nearly any variety. And there are many varieties of whole cone hops available also, including Saaz, Kent Goldings.

But not the traditional German hop. Or maybe just use Saaz in the German Pils?

[BrewBama (Dwain)]

This may help you decide: Hop Substitutions - American Homebrewers Association

[dmtaylor (Dave Taylor)]

Northern Brewer and Willamette hops are solid choices for this style.

Hops - Whole Leaf | MoreBeer

[system]

Thank You!

[hopfenundmalz]

I will just add my own gripe that whole cone hops are harder to find these days.

[system]

@hopfenundmalz

I will just add my own gripe that whole cone hops are harder to find these days.

Agree. While there are whole hops available, it is hard to find genuine Noble hops, other than Saaz in whole cone version.
As stated in another thread, we used hop plugs exclusively for years, with great results.

Checked some of the online hop hops, plus those on Ebay. Either whole cones not available, or out of stock for months.

[MNWayne]

I know I always will want some Saaz and Hallertau at some point during the year, so I always jump on Hop Heaven’s pre-season order.  Ted’s products are always amazingly fresh and he has an impressive selection of whole cone imports.

[denny]

I have often used Mt. Hood as a Hallertau sub.  Works great.

[ynotbrusum]

I gave up looking for whole cone German noble hops and go with pellets in my German lagers (Magnum bittering and Hallertauer types for late addition hops).  I use SS mesh canisters for the boil.  I would prefer whole cone, though, if it were readily available…

[system]

Would Mandarina Bavaria hops work for a nice, smooth German Pils? I found them in whole cone.

[denny]

I decided maybe 10 years aho that I could get far better quality hops as pellets than as whole hops.  It about killed me since I was a whole hop snob from the PNW.  But I couldn’t deny reality.

[hopfenundmalz]

Would Mandarina Bavaria hops work for a nice, smooth German Pils? I found them in whole cone.

If you want an orange taste.

At Schnitzelbaumer in Traunstein Bavaria My wife got a Mandarina Bavaria Pils in her Sampler. I had to ask real nice to get a sip. I liked it too, even though it wasn’t traditional.

[hopfenundmalz]

@denny

I have often used Mt. Hood as a Hallertau sub.  Works great.

I have heard that a blend of Mt. Hood and Liberty can be real close. I forget the ratio, and have not tried doing that.

[chinaski]

@denny

I decided maybe 10 years aho that I could get far better quality hops as pellets than as whole hops.  It about killed me since I was a whole hop snob from the PNW.  But I couldn’t deny reality.

Homegrown Mt Hood and Liberty- I know they are fresh and they are packed well by me.  Whole cone hop snob from Vermont!

[Robertestein05_gmail.com (Robert)]

I just gave pellets a go for a few batches again.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Done.  I now have a good, fresh supply of whole cone Mt Hood from Puterbaugh Farms (Hops Direct) in the freezer, could be all I need this year. (I’m a lager brewer.)  I also can’t speak highly enough about the whole cone PNW Saaz I’ve had from Ted Hausotter (Hop Heaven.)  Either of these is appropriate to European style lagers.  The Mt Hood may resemble Hersbrucker a bit more than Mittelfrüh, and the US Saaz more Tettnang than Czech Saaz, but it doesn’t bother me.  I just want the best quality ingredients possible.  Specific variety and point of origin is secondary, so long as I’m in the right neighborhood.

[system]

I just gave pellets a go for a few batches again.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Done.  I now have a good, fresh supply of whole cone Mt Hood from Puterbaugh Farms (Hops Direct) in the freezer, could be all I need this year. (I’m a lager brewer.)  I also can’t speak highly enough about the whole cone PNW Saaz I’ve had from Ted Hausotter (Hop Heaven.)  Either of these is appropriate to European style lagers.  The Mt Hood may resemble Hersbrucker a bit more than Mittelfrüh, and the US Saaz more Tettnang than Czech Saaz, but it doesn’t bother me.  I just want the best quality ingredients possible.  Specific variety and point of origin is secondary, so long as I’m in the right neighborhood.

We have some nice Saaz whole leaf hops. Just bought the rabbit-food variety (pellets) in some German Noble Hops, Hallertau. After we do our German Pils, the decision will be made on using rabbit food in the future. I know some of the German breweries employ pellets.
Not that we are “hop snobs”, but our experience in years past dictates that better results are obtained with the whole leaf variety.

Just ordered 5 lbs of Mt. Hood / Willamette. Whole leaf.

[goose]

Another source for whole cone hops is Fresh Hops.  I get my Amarillo cones from them for my IPA’s

[denny]

I just gave pellets a go for a few batches again.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Done.  I now have a good, fresh supply of whole cone Mt Hood from Puterbaugh Farms (Hops Direct) in the freezer, could be all I need this year. (I’m a lager brewer.)  I also can’t speak highly enough about the whole cone PNW Saaz I’ve had from Ted Hausotter (Hop Heaven.)  Either of these is appropriate to European style lagers.  The Mt Hood may resemble Hersbrucker a bit more than Mittelfrüh, and the US Saaz more Tettnang than Czech Saaz, but it doesn’t bother me.  I just want the best quality ingredients possible.  Specific variety and point of origin is secondary, so long as I’m in the right neighborhood.

What was it you didn’t like about pellets?

[Robertestein05_gmail.com (Robert)]

@denny

I just gave pellets a go for a few batches again.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Done.  I now have a good, fresh supply of whole cone Mt Hood from Puterbaugh Farms (Hops Direct) in the freezer, could be all I need this year. (I’m a lager brewer.)  I also can’t speak highly enough about the whole cone PNW Saaz I’ve had from Ted Hausotter (Hop Heaven.)  Either of these is appropriate to European style lagers.  The Mt Hood may resemble Hersbrucker a bit more than Mittelfrüh, and the US Saaz more Tettnang than Czech Saaz, but it doesn’t bother me.  I just want the best quality ingredients possible.  Specific variety and point of origin is secondary, so long as I’m in the right neighborhood.

What was it you didn’t like about pellets?

I had a whole thread on that once!  There’s nothing I like about pellets.

[system]

@denny

I just gave pellets a go for a few batches again.  Nope.  Not gonna do it.  Done.  I now have a good, fresh supply of whole cone Mt Hood from Puterbaugh Farms (Hops Direct) in the freezer, could be all I need this year. (I’m a lager brewer.)  I also can’t speak highly enough about the whole cone PNW Saaz I’ve had from Ted Hausotter (Hop Heaven.)  Either of these is appropriate to European style lagers.  The Mt Hood may resemble Hersbrucker a bit more than Mittelfrüh, and the US Saaz more Tettnang than Czech Saaz, but it doesn’t bother me.  I just want the best quality ingredients possible.  Specific variety and point of origin is secondary, so long as I’m in the right neighborhood.

What was it you didn’t like about pellets?

I had a whole thread on that once!  There’s nothing I like about pellets.

You and I are in the same camp. Just finished up a 12 hour brew day (triple decoc), Czech Pils. Whole leaf Saaz hops. The initial results look very promising. And those hops made a beautiful filter bed! The wort runoff was bright and clear into the fermenter.