# Any reason to use loads of low alpha hops?



## SJW (19/6/14)

I have 500g of Tettnag @ 2.1% a/a and I am not sure what to do with it. I want to use it up in a hurry so it does not go off. At such a low alpha its going to be piss poor for bittering so what would be the best way to use it up and get the best out of it?
I was thinking 200g in a whirlpool addition?


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## manticle (19/6/14)

Noble hops give great smooth bittering. I'd be making an altbier or some kind of Vienna lager. Love Tett.

Use for bittering and flavour. 200g in whirlpool would be way over the top though.


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## Weizguy (19/6/14)

IMO, it will also add a lot of hop flavour, that could be overpowering.

I recall that I once used a large amount of Strisselspalt to bitter a weizenbock and the hop flavour took months to fade and balance.


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## SJW (19/6/14)

Thanks Les, I was thinking that the available level of flavour was proportionate to the a/a levels


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## neonmeate (3/7/14)

try 1055 OG worth of dingemanns pilsener, bit of aromatic, throw 200g in as a 60' addition, 100g 15', pitch some wlp 510 and dregs from some orval, add the last 200g as dryhop, wait 6 months, bottle, mature in bottle 6 months, and then write pm to neonmeate to ask him for his address so you can send him the whole batch


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## verysupple (3/7/14)

SJW said:


> Thanks Les, I was thinking that the available level of flavour was proportionate to the a/a levels


It's more about the amount of certain oils. There may be some _very_ loose correlation between AA and some oils, but in general you wouldn't bank on it. If you're interested, here's a link that has data on a lot of hop varieties (presumably averages over time?). If you click on a hop and go down to "*** Hops Oil Composition" you can click on the various oils for more info on them.


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## SJW (3/7/14)

verysupple said:


> It's more about the amount of certain oils. There may be some _very_ loose correlation between AA and some oils, but in general you wouldn't bank on it. If you're interested, here's a link that has data on a lot of hop varieties (presumably averages over time?). If you click on a hop and go down to "*** Hops Oil Composition" you can click on the various oils for more info on them.


Thanks bro. I was interested in Tettnang as I got 500g in a recent bulk buy but it was only 2.1% a/a.
Anyway, this it what your linky said. Very interesting, although I have no idea what it means.
_Myrcene, humulene, and caryophyllene oils are all within the moderate range. While farnesene oil is highly elevated, ranging up to 34% which is some of the highest of any variety. Yes! The result is a highly regarded aroma, of the noble character, that is spicy yet floral._


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## verysupple (3/7/14)

Yeah, that site has loads of info which can make it hard to find/interpret what you want to know. I don't know what a lot of it means either, but what I do know is that in very simple terms more of those listed oils means more flavour and aroma. The ratios of different oils obvisouly gives different characters, but in general, more means more.


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## vykuza (3/7/14)

I like Tett, and bittering with lots of low alpha noble hops. It contributes to a really nice, lasting head. I'd make a hefeweizen with 60 or 90 minute Tett bittering, or a strong lager with a 60 minute bittering and 20g in the whirlpool to age until next year.

Having loads of low alpha hops is not a bad position to be in!


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## booargy (3/7/14)

tony suggested 1 45min addition in a pilsner smooth with slight hop flavour is good.


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## Jkpentreath (3/7/14)

I've been wanting to do Tonys kolsch , it has 45 mins and 15 mins tett . Sounds fn gold.


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## The Judge (3/7/14)

Steep it in water and add it to a salad dressing


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## indica86 (3/7/14)

Nick R said:


> It contributes to a really nice, lasting head.


Hops do? Is there something I can read about this?


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## manticle (3/7/14)

Hop oils contribute to head retention yes. Hop particles form nucleation points for co2 as well (the latter can be good or bad).


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## Online Brewing Supplies (3/7/14)

Bittering is fine but late in the boil will add a shed load of grassy-ness which is not drinkable.
Nev


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## manticle (3/7/14)

Just tett or 200g of tett? I use tett late often without grass.


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## dent (3/7/14)

Aside from "noble" and "smooth bittering" character, just because your hops are a low AA% doesn't mean that proportionally, the rest of the hop character is similarly subdued. 

I find it inconvenient that many of the super aromatic american hops are such a high AA%, which means it is easy to screw up and add too much bitterness when attempting to increase flavour and aroma. The 2.2%AA tettnang is the other direction.

I have made many Czech pilseners with a buttload of 3%AA Saaz hops - this beer is completely different to the same lager made with the equivalent in Magnum at 13%AA.

Also interesting is the effect of the hop materials on tannins etc - it is a essential component of this recipe for instance.


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## Online Brewing Supplies (3/7/14)

manticle said:


> Just tett or 200g of tett? I use tett late often without grass.


shed loads of any low alpha will be grassy, used properly will be fine.


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## Ducatiboy stu (4/7/14)

I have made a few Saaz pale ales with proper czech Saaz @ 3.3%AA, bittered to about 35IBU with only the last 3-4 IBU at flav and aroma. Never went beyond a 1min addition as it got a bit grassy after that. 5min was about the best with a 20min flav addition.

Was very nice.....but used about $100 worth of hops :lol:


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## manticle (4/7/14)

Online Brewing Supplies said:


> shed loads of any low alpha will be grassy, used properly will be fine.


Cool. I agree - just wasn't clear on what you meant. My experience dry hopping with tett and saaz (early days) were both unpleasant. For me, the subtle distinction of nobles would be destroyed by aggressive late hopping.


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## neonmeate (5/7/14)

i disagree with all of you. i love excess of low alpha hops. try some de ranke xx bitter or fresh poperings hommelbier some time. depends on what sort of beer youre making though - dryhopping a stout with tettnang is horrible. dryhopping a funky belgian that's going to age a while - yes. i find excessive late hopping with high aa hops (especially new world ones) much more objectionable than "grassy" noble hops. but thats just my palate...


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## SJW (6/7/14)

Either way, I brewed a ........ Who cares what it was, it's now a 1.057 OG of Pilsner malt. I used 75g of 2.1 Tettnang at 60min, and....... 200g in the whirlpool. The hydro sample burnt my tounge. I'm only just getting feeling back now. I just pitched a few packs of dry yeast I had in the fridge, so I am looking forward to how this turns out


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## dent (6/7/14)

Sounds great, let us know how it goes.


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