# Adjusting your hop schedule for Nottingham?



## woodwormm (19/7/13)

I've exclusively been using Nottingham for over a year now, and I love it's fast action, clear drop and neutral flavour profile,

However, I've been reading quite a few things here and there bagging it a little for stripping hop flavour. 

I'm planning to do something very hoppy for an upcoming boys event and just wondering if anyone bothers adjusting their hops in relation to the yeast? particularly Nottingham?


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## lukiferj (20/7/13)

Nope. I would use a different yeast.


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## PeteQ (20/7/13)

If you like dry yeast why not give BRY-97 a crack? Slow starter but flocs out beautifully and apparently no stripping of flavours.

Or just late hop the crap out of it and use your good old faithful notto and post results?

Cheers


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## _HOME_BREW_WALLACE_ (20/7/13)

PeteQ said:


> If you like dry yeast why not give BRY-97 a crack? Slow starter but flocs out beautifully and apparently no stripping of flavours.
> 
> Or just late hop the crap out of it and use your good old faithful notto and post results?
> 
> Cheers


The OP states he likes Notto for its fast action and ability to drop out after the deed is done. I too will be interested to find out this aswell as i also am a fan of Notto.


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## Liam_snorkel (20/7/13)

Read the bry-97 threads. It's fast clean and drops clear like notto. Doesn't have a slow start when repitching some slurry in my experience.


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## Maxt (20/7/13)

I use notto almost exclusively for ales and have never noticed a difference in hop levels as opposed to us05 beers made using same recipe. I make plenty of big beers (aipa) but I also use a lot of Galaxy so have never had a hop problem.
The only way to tell would be to do a side by side batch. This is the beauty of brewing though, it's personal. The great brewers know how to to tweak their own systems/recipes to get what they want. If you feel you are losing hop flavour/aroma, I would look at your chilling regime, hop freshness and introduction of oxygen during kegging/bottling.


Edit, sorry just re-read your post, it seems you are only concerned what might happen. Have you noticed a lack of hops yourself in your own beers?


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## woodwormm (20/7/13)

can't say that i've noticed it myself, but I may be 'too close to tell' ie having used only notto for a year I have no side by side comparisons, just wondering if i'm missing something by sticking with notto. i tend to use a lot of Galaxy too, so perhaps Galaxy is tough enough to survive notto. 


i'll carry on and max out late hops for a fresh hit...


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## Lecterfan (20/7/13)

I think you are spot on the money there - if it's the only yeast you've used for ages and you are happy with the beers then no need to change...if you want a beer with more hop character than your usual notto ales then add more hops, easy!

I have tasted side by side split batch of Tony's bright ale with Notto compared to us05 (it might have been wy1272), and the hop flavour was _very_ muted compared to the American ale. Now of course this was only one experience so not enough to make a general rule, but it is my experience. I think you'd find if you swapped yeasts then you would have more hop character BUT who cares? If you love notto (I'm becoming a big fan of it also) and want more hop character then add more hops haha. Certainly dry hopping after primary fermentation has wound down would add a lot, as ity seems to be the fast and furious ferment qualities of notto that 'does the damage'.

Good brewing! Hope it turns out well... :icon_cheers:


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## philmud (20/7/13)

I brewed the "parched as bro" pale ale (used cascade and galaxy instead of just galaxy) and brewed with Notto - it stripped the **** out of the late hop flavour - I'll give the BRY a shot next time, or double the late hops (and up the IBUs by a good 10%)


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## slash22000 (20/7/13)

Yeah but do you know it was the Nottingham that stripped the late hops? Could it have been anything else?

I've never used Nottingham in a hoppy beer, so I don't know, but I'm wary of claims like "Nottingham strips hop flavour" if nobody has ever done a side-by-side.


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## jyo (20/7/13)

slash22000 said:


> I've never used Nottingham in a hoppy beer, so I don't know, but I'm wary of claims like "Nottingham strips hop flavour" if nobody has ever done a side-by-side.


I went through a Notto phase (I was young, and experimenting :unsure: ). In a double batch of the same APA, the beer with US05 was definitely more hoppy (Both bitter and aroma) than it's Nottingham counterpart. The latter was very 'muted'.

It's a good yeast, but I grew bored with it. I still turn to Nottingham for lightly hopped blonde ales where the hops are less important.


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## Maxt (20/7/13)

How do you know it stripped hop flavour? The only way would have been to split the batch with another yeast. I am very suspect on this claim about Notto....we need a few controlled experiments.


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## philmud (20/7/13)

slash22000 said:


> Yeah but do you know it was the Nottingham that stripped the late hops? Could it have been anything else?
> 
> I've never used Nottingham in a hoppy beer, so I don't know, but I'm wary of claims like "Nottingham strips hop flavour" if nobody has ever done a side-by-side.






Maxt said:


> How do you know it stripped hop flavour? The only way would have been to split the batch with another yeast. I am very suspect on this claim about Notto....we need a few controlled experiments.


True, so let's say my experience was similar to that reported by many others, and my beer had dramatically less hop character than I intended/anticipated. I believe it was the choice of yeast because it is a commonly described experience where this yeast is the common denominator.

I'm definitely not an expert though, this was only my 3rd AG beer - what other factors are known to reduce hop flavour? I'll tell you if any sound likely? Going into the fermenter, and the first half of the way through fermentation the hydrometer samples had lots of hop flavour.

Lectrefan mentions above that he tasted a side by side comparison of a beer made with Notto, and beer from the same batch made with an American yeast strain, and that the hop flavour was very muted in the Notto. The Danstar website also mentions that the highly flocculent nature of the yeast may reduce hop bitterness - it seems reasonable that hop flavour may be affected in the same way.

I don't think I'll bother using it again for hoppy styles of beer, but if the OP likes how fast and flocculent it is, then they should keep using it obviously.


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## jyo (20/7/13)

Maxt said:


> How do you know it stripped hop flavour? The only way would have been to split the batch with another yeast. I am very suspect on this claim about Notto....we need a few controlled experiments.


Sorry if it wasn't clear, mate. It was a double batch of APA. Two cubes, one fermented with US05 and the other with Nottingham.

It definitely muted the hops.


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## bum (20/7/13)

I suspect the key word in his accusatory post is "controlled".


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## Maxt (21/7/13)

Sorry jyo, I didn't read your post carefully to see you did try this. but it Would still be a useful experiment. Same batch, fermented at exactly same temp using different yeast ...and most importantly, judged by in a blind test by a number of people who are skilled at judging (or at the least are articulate in describing their taste experience).,


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## WitWonder (7/3/15)

Having just used nottingham for the first time in an APA/AIPA, I can concur it has totally stripped the beer of hop flavour. Unfortunately it was the only yeast available at the LHBS when I went. Pros: Fast ferment, dropped crystal clear with finings. Cons: Very muted hop character. For the record, I brew APAs and IPAs on a regular basis - well, almost exclusively for the last 12 months, it is my house beer. Would not use again in this style. For dry yeast I'd go back to mangrove jacks west coast, thinking I may go back to 1272 and give it a whirl again as it's been a while.


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## bigmunchez (7/3/15)

Hmm, a timely thread resurrection. I have a 40L LCPA clone which I have split between Notty and safale 05 - Its just about ready to dry hop. Tasted today and the notty is certainly 'cleaner' and less bitter. They started at 1.048, notty is down to 1.010, safale 05 is at 1.007. Will be interested to taste how the dry hopping comes thru.


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