challenger & fuggles? Ale help!

[taeanbrewer]

I have 60g of challenger and 100g of Fuggles and I have grains suitable to brew up an ESB and Northern Brown ale.

I have used fuggles which I liked in a porter and challenger in a sweet stout. How would they go in an esb and brown ale. Bit worried I might ruin it since both ales require A balance between hope and Malt. I feel stuck and worried what I should do. Suggestions?

 

[mosto]

I'm not a massive fan of either Fuggles or Challenger as flavour additions, but find them both great bittering hops in English style beers. Do you have any EKG or Styrians? Dr Smurtos Landlord uses Fuggles for bittering and those two for flavour/aroma. I'm currently drinking a version that has Challenger for bittering instead of Fuggles, with the rest as per his recipe. One of the better beers I've brewed. If you're restricted to those two varieties, I'd go Challenger early and Fuggles late, but that's purely personal opinion.

 

[Blind Dog]

Love Challenger, early and late and even in a dry hop. Sweet citrus (orange marmalade rather than grapefruit) and a subtle earthy spice. It's one of my must have hops. IMO, they work well in anything English.

Don't like fuggles and don't use them anymore. Too earthy for my taste.

 

[manticle]

Challenger is all purpose for me, fuggles I prefer early.
Fuggles is deep - earthy, woody, mushroomy, even tobacco whereas challenger is marmalade citrus.

 

[AndrewQLD]

I agree with Manticle, I love Challenger late in the boil, it also has some wonderful Blackcurrant notes.

 

[SimoB]

I love both hops - I like the earthyness from Fuggles, I've used challenger only a small amount of time but have rated it highly every time.

I think it would be a decent compo.

 

[cooperplace]

just chuck 'em in, brew it, drink it, it''ll be fine. I've used challenger and fuggles, like both of them

 

[yankinoz]

I'll go with the Challenger fans. Early and late, I've used it in English bitters, but also APAs and blonde ales along with smaller amounts of Cascade. I've not used mass quantities, say, in an IPA, and I haven't dry hopped with it.

An example of an excellent English bitter made with all Challenger is Coniston Bluebird (but not the "American" version made with all Mt Hood). Dan M might have it?

Fuggles should complement Challenger. I've used Challenger along with Fuggles daughters Willamette or Styrian Goldings. Nice.

 

[TheWiggman]

I'm currently [literally] drinking my first ESB which had 17g EKG at flameout and 13g Fuggles in the cube. Distinctly different and by no means a bad beer. Very earthy, malty, and full of flavour.
Personally I have no issues with Fuggles late. Maybe others are better, but doesn't make for a bad beer in my case. Love the aroma.