Essential Hops

[rough60]

I'm about to stock up on hops and was wondering what people always have in their freezer, and what styles of beer they use them for.
cheers.

 

[big d]

Hi rough 60
After a move down south im starting over again so i would suggest a good selection of noble hops plus a few usa hops like cascade /amarillo and some English hops like EKG and maybe some NZ hops.Damn the list goes on and on the more i think of hops.
Have fun

Cheers
Big D

 

[bugwan]

I'm with big d. I always have a couple of bags of Cascade and Amarillo for IPA/APAs and Goldings/Fuggles for English bitters. There's usually something with a substantial AA% like Horizon, Target or Simcoe as well.

At the moment, I have a reasonable amount of Hallertau for those wheat/wit/aromatic German lagers...

 

[barneyhanway]

I always have some goldings for session ales and something vibrant for pale ales's. Used to be cascade but at the moment its NZ D Saaz

 

[bconnery]

At my last homebrew club meeting one of the brewers jokingly said "if isn't POR or Goldings then it isn't a real hop"

That aside it would depend very largely on if you have a preferred style, or style I guess, and of course everyone has their favourite hop for a style.

Something noble, a good bittering for backup purposes and something english would be a good start.

Me I just spend far too long perusing Ross's collection at craftbrewer when trying to decide on what I'm brewing next

 

[Screwtop]

As basic as I could make it: Northern Brewer, Hallertauer, Saaz, Cascade

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Willamette. I've used it in many of my brews as either itself or a reasonable replacement for similar-ish varieties. It works very well for me, but I seem to have a real APA thing going on at the moment.

 

[DJR]

Simcoe, Amarillo for APA's, NZ B Saaz for pilsners, APAs and general use, Challenger & EKG for English styles, Magnum for bittering

The list goes on in my fridge, but those hops are the essential ones i reckon, that i would always have around.

 

[rough60]

Thanks for the suggestions all, I think I'll go with EK Goldings, Amarillo, B Saaz, Northern Brewer.
Cheers.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Saaz for my saaz pale ale
EKG for anything british
POR...cause its a good bittering hop for anything else

 

[kook]

Amarillo, Hallertauer, Saaz and Styrian Goldings are always kept in supply.

 

[tangent]

i've developed a real thing for tettenang lately

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

i've developed a real thing for tettenang lately

Alleluia Brother!

Tetts are a brilliant hop and I use them in most of my lager beers.

Other hops for me, Centennial, Challenger, Fuggles, Target, Cascade, Pacific Gem.

C&B
TDA

 

[tangent]

i've recently used them is a belgian wit and german wheats as well as lagers
i went 1/2s in a dirty big bag of tetts plugs from Ross

 

[warrenlw63]

Target pellets are my unquestionable hop of choice for bittering.

Styrian Golding plugs I could inhale all day. I may even have a problem.

Warren -

 

[user 384]

Pick a good all-round hops with characteristics that fit a broad group of styles and sub-styles eg Cascade or Amarillo for American ales. Mys suggestions are:

• Cascade for American style ales
• EKG and Fuggle for British ales
• Hallertau for German ales and lagers (except for Alt)

Use these hops for the base for a particular style and then mix some of your other base hops to give complexity. For example Cascade predominantly used in an APA to give the distinctive citrus like quality mixed with Hallertau to give a more rounded and complex flavour profile.

You can do the same with British ales. Predominatly use EKG and Fuggle, but add some Hallertau or Cascade for some more complexity.

Then buy small quantities as needed for specialty beers like Spalt for an Alt or Saaz for a BoPils.

Cheers
MAH

 

[KoNG]

I've always got a good allround bittering hop
at this point 'northdown'

then i always have cascade/amarillo (apa)
and
Slov styrian plugs (bitters)

 

[PostModern]

I've taken a shine to Pride Plus for bittering. Nice clean neutral bitterness. I always have Hallertau in the freezer, along with either Fuggles or Willamette.

 

[crozdog]

For bittering I keep B SAAZ & Northern Brewer
For Flava & aroma I keep SAAZ, Hallertauer, Cascade & Amarillo (amongst others ;-) )

 

[haro]

I pretty much have Pride Plus for bittering(no matter what brew 10g at 60min) and then normally use a combination of hallertau, cascade, amarillo and saaz for partial bittering, flavor and aroma.