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Date: 20 Jun 2006 08:35:33
From: Jim Stansell
Subject: Homegrown Hops AA% Question
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I know there's no simple (i.e., non-laboratory) way to test the AA% of
homegrown hops, but I started thinking (which is always dangerous).
Let's say you're growing cascades, which according to the HopUnion
data book can range between 4.5% to 7.0%. So, after they have been
harvested and dried, you can guess that they're somewhere in that
range.
Now, buy an ounce of cascades of known AA%, create two identical sugar
solutions (maybe even using table sugar instead of DME), and boil
equal quantities of the control hop and the homegrown hop in the
solutions for 60 minutes. After the samples have cooled, would you be
able to discern whether the homegrown hop produced more or fewer IBUs
simply by tasting? If so, you would at least know whether the AA% of
the homegrown hop was greater than or less than the control hop.
As a further refinement, you could boil several solutions with varying
amounts of the control hop to produce a range of solutions with known
(or at least approximated) IBUs along with a solution containing the
homegrown hop. If you can discern that the IBUs from the homegrown hop
are, for example, less than solution D but more than solution C, you
can solve backwards for the AA% of the homegrown hop.
Of course, this is all predicated on the assumption that your taste
perceptions are accurate enough to discern relatively small IBU
ranges. I read somewhere that the average person can't really tell the
difference between, say, 25 and 28 IBUs, and that bitterness
difference only become noticeable when the IBU difference is five or
more. I'm not reporting this as fact, but just tossing it out for
consideration.
Finally, I'm guessing that most people that use homegrown hops use
them primarily for flavor and aroma so that the contribution to
overall bitterness is less critical. If so, then knowing the AA% is
less important, and this has all been a waste of time!
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Date: 20 Jun 2006 14:02:27
From: John 'Shaggy' Kolesar
Subject: Re: Homegrown Hops AA% Question
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On Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:35:33 -0400, <jim.stansell@comcast.net > wrote:
> Of course, this is all predicated on the assumption that your taste
> perceptions are accurate enough to discern relatively small IBU
> ranges. I read somewhere that the average person can't really tell the
> difference between, say, 25 and 28 IBUs, and that bitterness
> difference only become noticeable when the IBU difference is five or
> more. I'm not reporting this as fact, but just tossing it out for
> consideration.
Ignoring for the moment that this method sounds like a lot of work, you're
correct in that I don't think most people can differentiate IBUs to that
level. If that's the case, then it raises the question... do you really need
to know the exact AA% of your hops in the first place? IMO, one good method
might be to brew a standard recipe that you are familiar with using your
homegrown hops. If it comes out more bitter than you are used to then back
off the amount of hops for all of your recipes slightly. If it comes out
less bitter than you are used to, then do the opposite. Repeat until it
tastes right. You basically just figure out how much to use based on trial
and error. As a guess, this is probably how most people do it.
I don't think you're ever going to know the exact amount of IBUs that you get
from using your homegrown hops. On the other hand, nobody really knows the
exact amount of IBUs they get from store bought hops either, there are just
too many variables. Homebrew IBU calculations are always just an estimate,
unless you send your beer off to a lab for analysis. The main difference
is that with store bought hops you at least know the ballpark you are in,
whereas homegrown hops are a complete unknown.
> Finally, I'm guessing that most people that use homegrown hops use
> them primarily for flavor and aroma so that the contribution to
> overall bitterness is less critical. If so, then knowing the AA% is
> less important, and this has all been a waste of time!
Personally, that's what I would do. I'd use homegrown hops for flavor/aroma
additions and leave the bitterness to the store bought hops.
John.
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Date: 20 Jun 2006 12:45:50
From: Joel
Subject: Re: Homegrown Hops AA% Question
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Jim Stansell <jim.stansell@comcast.net > wrote:
>Finally, I'm guessing that most people that use homegrown hops use
>them primarily for flavor and aroma so that the contribution to
>overall bitterness is less critical. If so, then knowing the AA% is
>less important, and this has all been a waste of time!
Probably a good guess. Another option is that we use
them in beer where IBU considerations aren't of utmost
importance, e.g., anything that's not meant for competition.
--
Joel Plutchak
I'm looking California, but feeling Minnesota.
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Date: 20 Jun 2006 19:15:15
From: David M. Taylor
Subject: Re: Homegrown Hops AA% Question
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If you're interested in estimating hop bitterness, see the following
website, I think you'll be intrigued. The hop bitterness part is at the
very end.
http://pw1.netcom.com/~dluzanp/backyard.htm
I haven't tried this technique yet, but I plan to try it later this year
(this year will be my first real harvest). I intend to brew an APA or Sam
Adams clone using only my own homegrown hops (Hallertau) for bittering,
flavor and aroma, to see how it turns out. I can't wait to try it.
--
Dave
"Just a drink, a little drink, and I'll be feeling GOOooOOooOOooD!" --
Genesis, 1973-ish
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