Bittering hops

[DrewCarey82]

Hey guys.

Just about to begin my BIAB journey, just asking any reason why I can't use something like Ella as a bittering hop for my 60 minute addition than hops to suit style?

IE for a porter 20g of say Ella than normal additions of Fuggles?

Cheers.

 

[Leyther]

Should be fine just adjust the qty based on the AA to ensure you get the correct IBU. I have a shitload of fortnight, it's supposed to be more of a aroma hop but I've never been overly impressed with it, it's about 12% AA which is similar to my usual bittering hop Magnum so I just interchange with slight adjustment to qty. A 60m boil will boil off most of the aroma

 

[MHB]

Subtitling Bittering hops is pretty common, there is even a little equation that most brewers remember
Mass*Alpha (original) = Mass*Alpha (replacement). As we want the new mass, it rearranges to
Mass*Alpha (original)/Alpha (replacement) = Mass(replacement)
Say your recipe called for 50g of Fuggle at 5% and you wanted to use Ella at 11.5%
(50*5)/11.5 = 21.7g of Ella

Just be aware that not all hops will give the same flavour even after an hour or more of boiling, there are 3 Alpha Acids, and low bitterness hops and high bitterness varieties tend to have different ratios, same applies to the several hundred other taste and aroma fractions in hops.
Its a good idea to choose substitutes with some ancestor in common, like Nugget and Target for Golding, Willamette for Fuggle, Magnum for Cascade... These days there are so many new hops coming onto the market and sometimes little information on there ancestry that it is getting harder.

So Sub away, just be aware that you may well taste some differences.
Mark

 

[dibbz]

You sacrifice the nice floral taste you would have if you used a clean bittering hop if you do, but we all do it sometimes.

 

[awfulknauful]

I sub Nugget for Target and have read of some brewers using Nugget for both bittering and taste, not tried it myself but.