# Hops suggestions?



## Beertastic (11/10/13)

Hi guys!

I'm new to brewing & currently using extracts/kits. I want to experiment with some hops for my next two brews but I'm not sure which to go with. If you could suggest some that would be awseome, there seem to be soo many and I want to try and avoid spoiling a brew with bad hops choice!

1 . Light/Pale beer - I want to keep the malts low so I can really hop the bejeezus out of it and get a strong hops character. Looking for hops with great tast/aroma. I am looking to do some hop boiling and dry hopping.

2. Dark/Black beer - I want this to be rich and I intend on adding more malt extract than usual so am looking for a good bittering hop to try and balance any sweetness I might end up with.


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## HBHB (11/10/13)

Single Hops for light pale beer - starters might be:

Motueka
Nelson Sauvin
Cascade
Topaz (Under utilized hops IMHO)
Amarillo

*Dark/Black Beer*

If English, consider:
Fuggles
East kent Goldings
Target

If American, consider:
Cascade
Centennial
Columbus/Tomahawk
Perle
Magnum


These are just starters. There's a whole world of flavours to explore and discover.

Martin


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## Yob (11/10/13)

Beertastic said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> 1 . Light/Pale beer - I want to keep the malts low so I can really hop the bejeezus out of it and get a strong hops character. Looking for hops with great tast/aroma. I am looking to do some hop boiling and dry hopping.


Id go for a bit of Cascade (or Centennial) and citra in the boil, and dry hop Citra :icon_drool2:

Option 2: Id go for a bit of Cascade (or Centennial) and Mosaic in the boil, and dry hop Mosaic :icon_drool2:

As per what HBHB said... there really is a world of choice out there

:beerbang:


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## Forever Wort (11/10/13)

Good luck with it Beertastic. I have been doing similar things to you. I have only tried Pride of Ringwood and Hallertau so far.

Learning all the different hop flavourings is my central mission for extract brewing. I plan to move to all-grain when I have mastered most of the hop flavour profiles and can clearly differentiate between them. 

(And when I have a bigger house).
(And more money).
(And time).


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## sp0rk (11/10/13)

Forever Wort said:


> I plan to move to all-grain when I have mastered most of the hop flavour profiles and can clearly differentiate between them.


Switch to all grain asap and do Single Malt and Single Hop beers
you'll get a better handle on them this way

Also, good luck, there are a good 80 or so commonly used hop varieties these days...


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## fletcher (11/10/13)

sp0rk said:


> Switch to all grain asap and do Single Malt and Single Hop beers
> you'll get a better handle on them this way
> 
> Also, good luck, there are a good 80 or so commonly used hop varieties these days...


i was of that mind too, but the more i make single hop beers, the more i prefer malt combo beers. they're not _bad_ but the ones i've made just seem to lack roundness (for want of a better word), or are one-dimensional. that could also be my brewing but a good hop combo to me (even with 2 hops) is as yummy as vegemite and cheese or pb and j.

i do believe it helps discern the different flavours though, but i quickly got bored of making smash beers.

i reckon now a 95% pale malt,5% crystal and 2 hop combo option works a treat and adds a roundness to a beer.


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## Beertastic (13/10/13)

Thanks for the suggestions, it's going to make my hop shopping a lot easier  Hopefully I'll end up with some good brews


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