# Bittering With Hallertau Aroma Or Multiple Bittering Hops?



## a_quintal (23/7/12)

Have B Saaz (7.5%), Hallertau Mittlefrueh (5.2%), Czech Saaz (2.9%) and Hallertau Aroma (7.6%).

Going to put down a DUsseldorf Alt and wanted to use up some of my hops. Only the Hallertau Aroma is in sufficient quantity to get the bitterness for this batch up to the correct level. Any issues using this type of Hallertau for bittering? Wasn't sure if it might not be clean enough. 

Other option is maybe combining the Mittlefrueh with the Aroma or another of the hop varieties. Am unsure entirely of any disadvantages these varieties might have when used together in the same addition. Any opinions?

Cheers Guys.


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## raven19 (23/7/12)

Ideally if you are aiming for the guidelines/a traditional Alt, you would be using Spalter hops in an Alt. But noble hops as a substiture are acceptable. A single 60 or 90 minute bittering addition should be just fine.

Your yeast in the beer?

The Alt thread in 'flavour of the week' has some good discussion:
Alt Thread


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

raven19 said:


> Ideally if you are aiming for the guidelines/a traditional Alt, you would be using Spalter hops in an Alt. But noble hops as a substiture are acceptable. A single 60 or 90 minute bittering addition should be just fine.
> 
> Your yeast in the beer?
> 
> ...




Im using Thames Valley 1272. Ideally I would use Spalter, but combining my left over hops and this yeast I have laying around the Altbier is probably the best style for me to brew for. Otherwise i'd probably do a Rye ESB or something.


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## dicko (23/7/12)

Thames Valley Ale Yeast = wy 1272 wy1275

I've used this yeast in an Alt and imo is a beauty it works very well.

Cheers


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## WeaselEstateBrewery (23/7/12)

Hallertau Aroma is quite different to German breeds - it's grown in NZ I believe, plus it has significantly higher AAs. I checked this out myself as I bought heaps of it - am yet to try it for bittering but it's on the cards.

Have used it for Aroma in lagers and it's great.


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

dicko said:


> Thames Valley Ale Yeast = wy 1272 wy1275
> 
> I've used this yeast in an Alt and imo is a beauty it works very well.
> 
> Cheers



Sorry my bad. Yes, 1275.


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

WeaselEstateBrewery said:


> Hallertau Aroma is quite different to German breeds - it's grown in NZ I believe, plus it has significantly higher AAs. I checked this out myself as I bought heaps of it - am yet to try it for bittering but it's on the cards.
> 
> Have used it for Aroma in lagers and it's great.




Yeah well I know it maybe has some more lemony notes. I've used Hallertau Mittlefrau before any been happy with it. I was just wondering if anyone had bittered with it and got an unusual character.


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## Nick JD (23/7/12)

I reckon NZ Hallertau is significantly better than it's German origin. I use it for all additions on a Euro Lager and it's supurb - very florally and pleasant, no grass. It goes really well with the sweet breadiness of Pilsner malt.


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## manticle (23/7/12)

a_quintal said:


> Yeah well I know it maybe has some more lemony notes. I've used Hallertau Mittlefrau before any been happy with it. I was just wondering if anyone had bittered with it and got an unusual character.




All German noble hops of my experience work as bittering, flavour and aroma hops. I have not had success dry hopping with any of them (only tried saaz and tettnanger).


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## Mike L'Itorus (23/7/12)

Didn't realise saaz was German....Is this 1938 again, and no-one told me? ... h34r:


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

My base malt is Pilsener so from what everyone has said i'll give it a go and see how it turns out.

Just have to patiently wait for my fermentation fridges to free up.

Thanks Guys.


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## Nick JD (23/7/12)

Mike L said:


> ...for Zatec.  Pronounced zjah-tets.


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## drsmurto (23/7/12)

Your base malt is pilsner and you are using an english ale yeast?

At what point does this magically turn into a dusseldorf altbier? :huh:


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## Mike L'Itorus (23/7/12)

Nick JD said:


> ...for Zatec.  Pronounced zjah-tets.



I say again...is this 1938?
atec is in the Czech Republic...formaly Czechoslovakia...granted, since the thirty years war, it has been heavily Germanised, but still, it's not _actually _german.....


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## Mike L'Itorus (23/7/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Your base malt is pilsner and you are using an english ale yeast?
> 
> At what point does this magically turn into a dusseldorf altbier? :huh:



1st of January, 1973. That's when England joined the EEC.


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Your base malt is pilsner and you are using an english ale yeast?
> 
> At what point does this magically turn into a dusseldorf altbier? :huh:




I'm not at home now but I think in Designing Great Beers and Brewing Classic Styles they talk about a base malt of 2 Row Pale Malt or German. Like I said before I chose to try a Dusseldorf Altbier because I wanted to use up the hops & yeast I had laying around. I was going off the wyeast website that said Thames Valley could be used in a Dusseldorf Altbier, and so I thought i'd try that as otherwise my German/Czech hops would not be suited for an ESB etc.

I like Pilsener but is Pale better then for a base malt?

I know it would be preferable to have a straight Alt yeast but im just trying to make do with what I have. Any suggestion to change is more than welcome though.


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## Nick JD (23/7/12)

Mike L said:


> actually [/i]german.....



It's name is.


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## Mike L'Itorus (23/7/12)

Nick JD said:


> It's name is.


Are you Greek? I presume that Nick is short for Nicholas, and that is derived from the Greek....and that's your name. Ipso facto, you must be greek.

Possibly this explains why you like it greek style. h34r:


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## manticle (23/7/12)

Mike L said:


> Ja.
> 
> Sorry - the *euro* nobles as opposed to the badly named NZ derivatives.
> 
> ...


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## Jay Cee (23/7/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Your base malt is pilsner and you are using an english ale yeast?
> 
> At what point does this magically turn into a dusseldorf altbier? :huh:



With the addition of NZ hops :lol: 

Call it a fusion style.


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## dicko (23/7/12)

DrSmurto said:


> Your base malt is pilsner and you are using an english ale yeast?
> 
> At what point does this magically turn into a dusseldorf altbier? :huh:




From the Wyeast web site;

http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=138

Yes, I had similar thoughts some time ago but because I don't have the luxury of just going to the shop to get a yeast I decided to give it a go in my Alt recipe.

As recommended by wyeast it works well with the malt profile coming through while not stifling the hops and it is a high attenuator.

As with a lot in homebrewing there is many unusual variables.  

Cheers


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## a_quintal (23/7/12)

dicko said:


> From the Wyeast web site;
> 
> http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=138
> 
> ...



Thanks Dicko

Really helpful I wasnt expecting someone who had used this yeast for an alt, like Doc said because it's English, to throw in some advice. What did you use for a base if you remember?

I was looking at 15-20% Munich, 1-2% carafaspecial III and the rest weyermann pilsener.

Thanks,
Alex


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