Hops For The Hopback

[Doc]

My hopback has had a few solid workouts, but I need to use it more.
Typically I've used it for APA's with Cascade flowers.
I've also done a Kolsch with Hersbrucker which was great too.

The question is what have you used in your hopback that was awesome, and what was bad ?
I'm doing another Imperial Pilsner soon and I'm thinking of using Hallertau or Saaz in it, but I have reservations of using Saaz for no real logical reason. Also planing another English Bitter with Fuggles in the hopback.

Doc

 

[T.D.]

Its interesting that you asked this question Doc, because I've always kind of wanted to buy/build a hopback but have never bothered because I have always been disappointed in the hop flowers that Australia has access to. Like you, I would predominantly use a hopback for APAs - to get that fresh "burst" of hop flavour. But having tried NZ cascade flowers and US cascade pellets, in my opinion the two are like chalk and cheese. I find the US cascade to be so much more fruity in flavour, but beyond that they just seem to have more punch. I found the NZ flowers to be lacking in grunt (for instance I used 50g at flameout and could hardly detect any aroma, while other beers with the same quatity of US cascade at flameout have been a totally different story). I'm not sure if this is something that others have found also??? Its nothing against NZ hops by the way - I tried a bitter that was made with NZ Styrian Goldings flowers and it was (I kid you not) one of the best bitters I have ever tasted.

Anyway, I don't want to push this topic astray or anything! So to (sort of) answer your question, I don't use a hopback, probably partly because of my experiences with the flowers we can get in Australia. I would be more than happy to be proven wrong though! I have a stainless basket sitting in the garage that would be perfect to hold flowers in the kettle, and wouldn't mind putting it into action one day!

 

[Batz]

I bought this a few months back from an asian food store.
The idea is there but it needs some type of wire on top as the hops from just boiling out,much bigger than it looks,thats a 90lt kettle.

I have a craftbrewer hopsock waiting for me to collect from Tidalpetes on Tuesday,I am sure it going to be an improvement.

Batz

 

[Jye]

This is a little off topic h34r: but also along the same lines

Same question as Doc but with a Randall. I will be trying cascade in a few weeks and am really looking forward to it

 

[Batz]

This is a little off topic h34r: but also along the same lines

Same question as Doc but with a Randall. I will be trying cascade in a few weeks and am really looking forward to it

Hell !!
Two many HB's tonight :blink:
I read that as hopsock...well it had hop in it ! :huh:

Batz...gotta love the hinterlands

 

[jayse]

I have used mine about five times and everytime was APA's with cascade plugs so I guess I have to answer cascade simply as thats all I have used. When I finally get a new pump I'll get the thing back into action and hopefully beable to add something more constructive. I will say one of my best APA's was one that I used the hop back with, its been a couple years since and really to hard to say right now if it was the hop back that made it or not.

Alcohol fueled brewtality.
Jayse

 

[Stoodoo]

I have used mine about five times and everytime was APA's with cascade plugs so I guess I have to answer cascade simply as thats all I have used. When I finally get a new pump I'll get the thing back into action and hopefully beable to add something more constructive. I will say one of my best APA's was one that I used the hop back with, its been a couple years since and really to hard to say right now if it was the hop back that made it or not.

Alcohol fueled brewtality.
Jayse

Can I ask, what the F@#k is that in the photo??? Am I too drunk too see it or does it really look like a semi floating rock in that jar of water?

Cheers

 

[jayse]

thats a S/S pot scrubby for a filter on the outlet stoodoo, simply held in place of the outlet with a rubber band so the hops don't block up the works. Pick is taken with water in it so you can see proberly, in action it will be full of hop flowers and wort.


Boozed broozed and broken boned
Jayse

 

[Doc]

Hey TD,

I've used plugs in mine as well. Get them out at the start of the boil to let them defrost, then cut in half and break up a bit and into the hopback. The hot wort will do the rest. Using plugs increases the variaties avail for use in the hop back.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Ross]

I found the NZ flowers to be lacking in grunt (for instance I used 50g at flameout and could hardly detect any aroma, while other beers with the same quatity of US cascade at flameout have been a totally different story). I'm not sure if this is something that others have found also??? Its nothing against NZ hops by the way - I tried a bitter that was made with NZ Styrian Goldings flowers and it was (I kid you not) one of the best bitters I have ever tasted.

T.D.
Takes a lot to compete with fresh american Cascade pellets - you get far more punch than from the NZ flowers, which appear much more subtle to me as well, though haven't actually tried them in a brew yet myself. There again the US cascade plugs are more subtle than the pellets also.
Put when you go to NZ flowers like Hallertau, Nelson sauvin, Styrian Goldings etc it's a different story. The Nelson Sauvin are highly aromatic & have become one of my real favourites for giving your beer a unique finish...

cheers Ross

 

[T.D.]

There again the US cascade plugs are more subtle than the pellets also.

I totally agree. An APA I made entirely with US cascade plugs also lacked the punch of the pellets. Perhaps its a perishability issue - its common knowledge that pellets retain their freshness much longer than flowers.

Put when you go to NZ flowers like Hallertau, Nelson sauvin, Styrian Goldings etc it's a different story. The Nelson Sauvin are highly aromatic & have become one of my real favourites for giving your beer a unique finish...

cheers Ross

Yeah, as I said, this bitter that was brewed with NZ Styrian Goldings was unbelievable. The hop flavour was perfect for the style (in my opinion anyway!). I will definitely be trying this variety myself at some stage in the future.

p.s. I should probably mention that the famous Styrian Bitter was brewed by KoNG from this forum...