Fuggles & Ek Goldings

[hughman666]

Hi all,

I've got some Fuggles and EKG but have never used either in a brew to date. All pales that I have done have followed the APA/IPA style utilising Amarillo, Cascade and Chinook.

Now I've done a lot of research over the last few days looking for decent hop profiles in an English Pale Ale using these hops but they seem to be fairly closely guarded. I've checked the AHB RecipeDB but this can be hit and miss from time to time <_<

Can anybody suggest which one you would use and when eg bittering/flavour/aroma.

Even better, feel free to share your English Pale Ale hop profiles, even if they use additional hops outside of these two. I have seen some recipes using restrained amounts of Cascade for example.

Thoughts?

 

[oldbugman]

I normally use some target to bitter.. and fuggles to flavour my IPAs and EKG for bitters.

Or both... ohh challenger is nice too.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Bitter with Fuggles, EKG for everything else....

 

[SteveSA]

I've found they work well together in IPAs on a one to one basis for either bittering or for a flavour (15min) addition, around 25g-40g each depending on how high the IBUs are going. Currently, I've moved away from using them as a bittering hop as I'm using a higher alpha hop, Target. For aroma I tend to stick with just EKG on their own. I just prefer the aroma of EKG over Fuggles.

However you use them just remember don't be shy - an IPA should have an abundance of hop flavour and aroma but try to keep some malt balance too.

2c
Steve

 

[NickB]

I think flavour wise, Fuggles is either love or hate. Personally, I very much prefer EKG to Fuggles for flavour and aroma. But, as is everything posted here, mine is but one opinion!!!

Happy brewing

Cheers

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I'm in the EKG camp too

Cheers

 

[SJW]

Bitter with Fuggles, EKG for everything else....

Second that!

 

[newguy]

Fuggles have a pretty strong vegetal aroma. I don't really like it that much in bitters or pale ales, but I've found that Fuggles in a porter are great. I prefer EKG for aroma, but Challenger and Target are very nice too. One other nice English hop is Bramling Cross.

 

[drsmurto]

Bitter with Fuggles, EKG for everything else....

Second that!

3rd. And if you can get some styrian goldings for aroma youll be in heaven...

 

[tangent]

I go by the rule of Fuggles for dark beers and bucket loads of EKG for flavour and (loads of) aroma in pale ales.

I think every time I make a pale ale, i wished that I'd added more EKG at flameout.

 

[JSB]

all in agreeance say "I"

4ths
Cheers
JSB

 

[warra48]

My next brew will be an English Pale Ale. 90% Maris Otter, some Crystal and a touch of wheat. Hops will be all EKG.

 

[T.D.]

Geez poor old fuggles are getting a bit of a flogging here! :lol:

I like both varieties but they are quite different. EKG are great for a bit more of a "lifted" aroma. But I have also gotten some sharp-ish, almost metalic flavours if used in high volumes. I find fuggles are very smooth and subtle in comparison. A lot of people say not to use them in bitters, and to use them only in IPAs and dark ales, but I have made some very tasty bitters with fuggles. Horses for courses I guess, just depends what kinds of flavours/aromas you're after.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I find EKG works very well with higher sulphate waters.Fuggles on a softer profile water is as good.Really its a matter of trial and adjustment to your water profile.You will know when it doesnt work.Styrian goldings is my preference for my brews.Not that I brew a lot of Ales.
GB

 

[pbrosnan]

It depends how bitter you want to go but I would go for Target as the bittering hop and then either EKG or Fuggle later in the boil.

cheers

Patrick

 

[hughman666]

ok well i just pitched the yeast on this one:

3kg joe white trad ale
2kg marris otter pale
120g joe white crystal

mashed @ 67c for 70 mins

20g fuggles @ 60
15g ekg @ 30
15g ekg @ 15
15g ekg @ 7

wyeast 1272 (american ale II)

good thing is that i'm now hitting 72% efficiency, as opposed to high-60's. main difference was stirring and then steeping the mashout water and sparge water additions for 15 mins each before recirculation.

let's see how we go