Hop pellet substitutions

[Vossy1]

I'm going to attempt BD's Bitter and Twisted receipe for my 1st AG

The receipe is US and uses hop pellets.

Can you just substitute an equal weight of compressed hops in place of the pellets?

Thanks

[bitter_dave]

Erm, I think Vossy is saying the recipe has hop pellets and he wants to use whole hops.

Vossy, I used whole hops. The recipe is for 5.5 US galons and I aim for 25 litres. I probably worked out the quantities of copper hops (Challenger) by using the IBU info on the Challenger, and increased the late hops slightly to 17g, probably to account for the fact that 25 litres is more than 5.5 US galons.

I'll work out the amount of challenger I must have used later, after I've had me dinner

[Vossy1]

DaaB, I think you mis understood my question, it was probably as vague as usual

I've only got loose hops, but the receipe uses pellet. I want to know if the loose hops can be substituted into the receipe at the same weight as the pellets.

Thanks BD, I'm going to have to look into this receipe a little further so it might get knocked back to second in line.

The challenger I've got have the same AA as the receipe but the Hersbrucker has a AA of 2.1% and the styrian 3.8%, so I'm going to find a way round this.

My head is mashed today unlike my grist. I planned on doing my 1st ag tomorrow but due to technical difficulties I might have to postphone it

I've got DaaB's Hens Tooth receipe (thanks DaaB) which seems straight forward so I might try it first

If you do work out the hops BD I will be eternally indebted... B)

[bitter_dave]

Sorry Vossy, got distracted and forgot to give you the weights.

To work out the weight of fulllboil hops you can use the formula on Jim's site:

Hops (g) = (Bittering Units Required x 25) / (% Alpha Acid x 2)

(the 25 is the volume of beer so alter this to apply to what quantity you brew)

So, you require 23.5 IBUs from the Challenger. If you have Challenger with an Alpha Acid of 7 you then need for 25 litres:

(23.5 x 25) / (7 x 2) = 42 grams.

For the later hops not much bitterness will be extracted, only flavour and aroma so you don't neccessarily want to adjust the quantities by using the IBU level. I just increased the amounts to 17 g (from 14g) to account for the fact that there are 20.82 US galons to 25 litres:

25/20.82=1.2
0.5 oz = 14g therefore 14g x 1.2 = 17.

If the alpha acids of your late hops are much higher than those in the recipe we may have to think of some other way of adjusting them.

I hope this makes sense - let me know if it doesn't Remember you also need to adjust your grain bill too. Jim covers this on his website as well, although I or someone else can explain this if it helps.

[Vossy1]

Thanks BD, an excellent explanation. I'm going to have a look at Jim's site....I may be some time

Just 1 thing QUOTE there are 20.82 US galons to 25 litres:
A US gallon =3.785ltr so 25ltr = 6.6 US gallons?

[bitter_dave]

QUOTE (Vossy1 @ Aug 27 2006, 12:29 PM) Just 1 thing QUOTE there are 20.82 US galons to 25 litres:
A US gallon =3.785ltr so 25ltr = 6.6 US gallons?
Yep

[Jaytee]

QUOTE I've only got loose hops, but the receipe uses pellet. I want to know if the loose hops can be substituted into the receipe at the same weight as the pellets.


Utilisation of whole hops and pellets are different.

I recall reading in one of Charlie Papazians books that if using whole hops in place of pellets you should add an extra amount.

Sorry, I can't remember the percentage, might've been 9, 10 or 18% those numbers spring to mind.

[Vossy1]

Cheers JT

I've got CP's Joy Of Home Brewing in front of me....I'm going to have read it some time

[mysterio]

In 'Clone Brews' they recommend using 10% extra when using whole hops instead of pellet hops (in their recipes).

Papazian's book is great, Vossy. It's the homebrewing book I leaf through the most.

[Jaytee]

OK, the 18% is obviously way too high. Must have bad memory due to, err, umm, err, drinking a fair bit of amber liquid

Go with the extra 10% using whole hops

[Western Brewer]

I was making up an order for the Hop & Grape yesterday and the recipe I plan on using lists hop pellets. So I phoned them and asked if it was a 1:1 conversion and was informed that if using pellets use about 3/4 of the amount of fresh hops.
Does that sound right?

[Andy]

Just checked out Promash and it reckons pellets are 10% "stronger" than whole hops therefore use 90% of whole hop quantities....

I'd check further if I were you B)

[bitter_dave]

... just to add to the confusion Wheeler says in 'Homebrewing':

'Hop pellets vary slightly in their concentration, but in general twenty percent less pellet hops are required when compared to their whole-hop counterparts'.

Why is nothing in hopland straightforward? :blink:

Edit: just occurred to me that Wheeler is not too keen on pellet hops, so he may not be the best authority on using them.

[mysterio]

If it were me, I would forget about pellet hops, buy the whole equivalent, punch it into Beersmith until you get the IBUs mentioned on the recipe. Also increase the flavour hops by appropriate amounts.