Hops in kits

[johnnyk]

Hi,

I am going to make some cheap lager kits such as Geordie or Youngs just to try them. Is there any hops that can be recommended to add flavour to them?

Cheers,

[chopperswookie]

i've used Saaz. it gives it a very continental taste. styrian goldings are also excellent, if a bit bitter.

[johnnyk]

i've used Saaz. it gives it a very continental taste. styrian goldings are also excellent, if a bit bitter.

thanks i'll order some and try them out.

cheers,

[brianboru]

'I have a coopers kit made up with 1.2 kg of lme. I want ot dry hop it with progress, how much would be recommended I was thinking of 20 g. I didnt add any other hops when making and this will be my first dry hopping

[Barm]

@johnnyk - Saaz are my favourite - can't go far wrong with them. Have also used Hallertau; Tettnanger are good too.

@brianboru - interesting idea: AFAIK dry hopping isn't usual for lagers; perhaps partly because they're most often bottled - I assume you're planning on kegging? But hold on though: just having an idle flick through "Clonebrews" - they've got a recipe for Pilsner Urquell that's dry hopped with Saaz (14g in 19L). I'd maybe caution that Progress might be a bit "aley" for a lager; it's a popular substitute for Fuggles in bitters/ales. Progress is also likely to be considerably more powerful than Saaz - so may be worth trimming the amount back.

[boingy]

I can recommend Hallertaur. That's what I put in cheap lager kits but Saaz will work equally as well.
20 grams is probably a decent amount to try but it depends on your taste.
A stainless steel tea ball is useful for adding the hops. You can get them for a couple of quid off ebay.

e.g.:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1pcs-7cm-Stainles ... 286.c0.m14


I also tend to add some "hop tea" when making up the kit. If you choose to do this then be careful on quantity or you can end up over-hopping. If you do overdo the hops then time is a great healer, assuming you have the patience.

[brianboru]

Its actually the coopers bitter im doing so thats good news to me....that progress is aley...15 - 20 g so is loads ?

[johnnyk]

thanks for the replies, i've ordered some saaz so will see how i get on with that......

the steel tea ball looks a great idea also......

cheers,

[D_C]

It seems the thing to do to add hops to cheap kits but I was going to add some Saaz to a Muntons Gold Continental Pilsner, which I paid through the nose for. Any one tried the Muntons pilsner? It was dead expensive where i got it from so I don't want to tinker and ruin it but equally don't want to make it and wish it was more hoppy (which is the reason i like pils).

[Yeastman]

Could i just ask what is ment by dry hopping?

[legion]

Dry Hopping is adding hops into the fementer after the ferment has slowed or they can be added into a keg or secondary fermentation vessel. The hops should be put into a hop bag to keep the hops out of your pints of beer.

[Yeastman]

Is this the best way to get the hoppy flavour and aroma.

[legion]

It would seem to be the simplest way if your adapting a kit.

[Barm]

Simple it is; but as I mentioned before - it's an unusual technique for lagers. Dry hopping started way back when the original IPAs were being shipped out to India; a handful of hop cones thrown into a keg helped to keep the beer fresh on it's long voyage.
Dry hopping is also very inefficient in terms of the utilisation of the hops; a commercial brewer told me recently that a lot of people have stopped doing it (except perhaps for their 'premium' brews) because of the extra expense due to hop price increases.
Perhaps better to boil say 1/2oz for about 10mins, then add another 1/2oz and boil for another 1 min; then strain the liquor through a muslin into your freshly-made wort and sparge through with boiling water.