using different hops in a beer ... more effectively

[simon50]

hello,

does anybody have any advice for correctly using different hop varieties for flavour to make sure the beer comes out somewhat balanced with the hops used?

i was intending on using cascade and amarillo next, because amarillo contains around 2x the AA, should i then be thinking of using cascade to amarillo in a ration of 2/1 at all intervals or is the AA% not at all relevant to flavour?

is there anything you can use to determine the potential strength of individual hops, if not going by AA, be it cohumulone, caryophyllene or the various other "words" i have not heard of before to give you an indication ?

thankyou!

[barney]

Those "words" generally Contribute individual flavour characteristics. Flowery, Fruity, Spicy etc. Each hop variety will contribute more or less of each particular attribute dependant on the acid make up.

When combining hops you need to try and establish what characteristics you want/need in your beer. Blend a Fruity with a flowery or flowery with spicy etc to get the combination you need. Another one is to combine two or three "grapefruit" hops to really give that fruity citrus hit.

Its not as straight forward as combining hops based on AA%, all that will do is lead to an IBU total.

Although even that may give perfectly acceptable beer.

[simon50]

thanks for the reply,

i thought AA% may be an indication of the hops "strength" generally and the amount of other characteristics (as opposed to "words" (thankyou!)) may be also increased with the high AA (hope that makes sense).

...but i guess it looks like it's another case of accumulating knowledge through personal experience? *sigh* (joke)

i want to make a "golden" ale with cascade and amarillo but i haven't used amarillo before and have no idea what ratio to use, if i just went 1/1 would the cascade get really muted by the amarillo ? or would that be a good place to start ?

thanks!

[barney]

The beer will not be "wrong" or "bad" whatever proportions you mix the hops. 1/1, 1/2 ,2/1. Each ratio would produce slightly different beer, thats all.

If it's any help I have found a couple of pages worth reading, particularly the hop chemistry.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Myrcene.


Search through the following pages paying particular attention to the chemical composition charts on the right.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Amarillo
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Cascade

You are now in possession of the science, of the components and their attributes, that make up hop alpha and beta acid.
And the relevant composition of each hop variety you wish to blend.
The rest is Art/Skill/Craft, call it what you will.

[simon50]

thanks for the reference material, i did read it.

i think i'm going to just wing it, or maybe use the cascades earlier on and the amarillo later so i can "get more hops in"

this despite the "cascades containing a higher relative percentage of Cohumulone and maybe not being the best choice for a "smoother" bitterness" (hehe (i told you i read it)).

...or just use the amarillo by itself.

(no art/skill/craft involved whatsoever)

thanks for all your help

[barney]

Cascade is not that rough, its piney but not harsh like some other American hops. I just used 300g for bittering in a 150 IBU pale and its OK, Not bad at all.