Hops: 60, 30 Or Flavour/aroma Only.

[Bilph]

I've been doing a bit of tasting of some of my British style beers over this week and I'm reshaping my thoughts about British hops, and probably hops generally.
First, I've noticed - not surprisingly - a huge difference in beers bittered with Fuggles/Goldings etc versus British bitterers like Target, even with the same hops for flavour and aroma. I've always bit a bit of a Target fan, but right now I can't imagine Target getting anywhere near anything other than Stouts and IPA's ever again.

Without getting into a rave about every different hop configuration I've used, I'm interested to hear opinions about your "Golden Rules" for hops.

I'd never bothered boiling any British hops for more than 30mins and very rarely use any pure bittering hops other than Target and occasionally POR, though obviously not in Brit beers. I think Target are about to become a 60 minute hop.

So...
What hops are you particular favourites? How long do you boil particular hops? Any strict do's and don'ts for hops?
Feel free to offer opinions on any hops at all, any style, any AA%, any rules at all.

TIA & Cheers.
:beer:

 

[JasonY]

Well I certainly haven't tried anywhere all the combinations of boil times and hops but have so far used Target & Challenger for 60min bittering additions and I quite like them. Usually start throwing fuggles or goldings in from 15mins for flavour and aroma depending on how hoppy you want your beer

 

[GMK]

I agree with Jason Y

But lately - i have been using Northdown as teh bittering hop and fuggles/goldings for flavour aroma and dry hopping with goldings when required.

For APA i like chinook bittering, then aamarillo and finish off with some cascade.

Works Well.

 

[tangent]

Are you growing any in the Barossa GMK?

 

[Gough]

FWIW in my Brit styles I love the Target + EKG combination, and usually use the Target as a 60 minute/bittering addition only, and the EKG as 15 minute and flameout additions. I've recently brewed a Bitter mixing EKG and Northdown as the 15 minute/flameout additions and it is tasting really nice. No 'hard and fast rules' of any kind though. That's what is so great about formulating your own recipes...

My $0.02...

Shawn.