Matching Hops Within Style

     Blonde Ale

There are many factors involved in home brewing beer such as the amount and type of malt, hops, water, temperature, fermentation temperatures and of course yeast.  When combined properly, the true characteristics and flavor will be displayed in that special brew.

Previously we worked on recipes for a SMASH (Single Malt Single Hop) beer to identify the flavor profile using one hop variety in the kettle.  Hop listings specify which ones are better suited for lagers while others would work best in ales.  Often tradition dictates their use as seen in old world versions and presently in Craft Beer production.

Since hops add bitterness, flavor and aroma in varying degrees it would seem reasonable to choose the proper ones.  These attributes are derived from compounds found in the hop cone Alpha and Beta acid oils.  Strength and quantity can vary.

Bitterness is achieved by controlled boiling to manipulate the three major contributors Cohumulone ( “unpleasant” )  Myrcene ( floral and citrus and pine Oh My ) and Humulene ( herbal or spicy am I ) levels that add to flavor and aroma.  For individual hops check out recent posts published by the distributor and growers.  Two other hop oils, caryophyllene and farnesene are also present in smaller percentages and could have an influence.

Pride and bragging rights have been formed as expert brewers combined hops of different strains to manage bitterness and style profiles. Huge collaborations produced so many unique blends that offer inspiration to anyone that seeks to brew.

Developing a system that successfully combines carefully chosen hops forming a fine balanced Blonde Ale always comes from experimenting and recording the recipes.  Mix and match hops or do a solo.

So many new hops are becoming available that have experimental numbers and names that need to be checked out.

Choosing hop combinations for any style of beer involves going to the chart and matching percentages value. Since Cohumulone is perceived by many brewers to impart an “unpleasant” bitterness to beer selecting and matching  ones with low levels would work well in a blonde ale.  Keep in mind that the use of high Cohumulone level hops  could bump up your Blonde to the likes of a  Pale Ale or IPA.

Pair up hops that match Cohumulone levels to avoid clashing aspects ruining an otherwise well made beer.

Blonde Ale Hops – values shown as median and generally accepted

Variety                Usage         Avg. %  Cohumulone   Myrcene    Humulene

Cascade               Dual Purpose                36                        53               13

First Gold             Dual Purpose                33                        28               22

Liberty                 Aroma                           27                        30               37

Magnum             Bittering                        26                        33               37

Northdown         Dual Purpose                28                        26               45

Nugget                Dual Purpose                27                        56               17

Santiam               Aroma                           23                        32               25

Sterling                Dual Purpose                25                        46               21

Strisselspalt         Aroma                           23                        26               21

Tettnanger (US)  Dual Purpose                23                        22               21

Ultra                    Aroma                           30                        30               34

Willamette          Aroma                           33                        50               25

Saaz  Cz             Aroma                         26                        23              43

The beer below scored a 37 in a BJCP Sanctioned Competition taking 2nd Place

Recipe:

       Blonde Ale              5 Gallon

10 #   2-Row malt

4 oz.  Caramel malt 30 °L

.5 oz.  German Magnum hops pellets            11.9 % AA

1 oz.  Czech Saaz pellets                               3.0 % AA

Mash    4 G. water at 164 °F in tun add grains to 155°F 60 min.

2 G. water 170 °F stir set 5 min.

Sparge   4 G. 170 °F water

Boil     60 min.

Hops  First addition          .5 oz.      Magnum                  @ 15 min.

Second                   1 oz.      Saaz                         @   end

O.G.  1.050               4 SRM           20  IBU’s         .4  BU:GU

Yeast   WLP008 East Coast Ale

Fermentation   65- 68 °F

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Secondary____________________________________________

Fridge _________________________________________________

Keg_______________________________________FG 1.008 

Notes  ______________________________________________________­­­­­­

____________________________________________________________

5.5 % ABV

­­­­­­­ 79 % Efficiency  29 ppg

Apparent Attenuation   83 %

New to Reddit so Hello and thank you for the welcome to  r/Homebrewing

Site looks great and seems easy to navigate.

Very interesting ideas from

Very interesting people

I’m looking forward to participate in appreciation to all those out there that share this common interest with so much vigor creating a drive to always supersede our next batch of beer.

CaptMike NJ

In the olden days all ate plants that were bland, tasty, sweet and/or bitter
Grazing, gathering or dispatching whatever just to survive
Salt was at a premium and used for the palate and health
Societies relied on what was around, so that’s what you were stuck with
Natural nutrition kept people alive naturally
The taste of foods usually included bitterness, so people were used to it
Consuming bitters created balanced bodies because it stimulates the digestive fluids to flow, thus aiding in digestion
Currently our diets are tuned to the addition of lots of sweets, carbs and salt
Overloaded quickly
Almost to an OD
Switch back people and try to avoid a sugary attack
Counter those urges and seek out highly hopped bitter beers
Get back to the bitter taste, and possibly save your life
That being said, there is a growing trend that feels a really flavorful hoppy bitter beer might be the best this age has to offer in terms of how fit we stay.

Summer is still in full swing and that means brewing a beer that loves the warm weather. Belgium ales and Saisons come to mind as the temperature rises.
Brewing these ales are a specialty and quite a treat to the palate that has been used to running on Blonde, Pales, Amber and Stout. Why not try to go wild and turn out a fantastic beer that everyone will enjoy?
At Wildcat Homebrew we will duplicate the same recipe as last year in our effort to maintain a collection of Quads that can be sampled and compared as they age in our cellar. It will be very interesting to see how each batch matures. Our goal is to save at least one bottle to the five year mark and celebrate the unique character that evolves to tickle the senses.
There’s still time left in the season, so go for it and create that masterpiece homebrew. This recipe produces a dark strong ale that is complex and rich in flavors, yet remains smooth and fruity. Distinctive and engaging this beer will devise a vision into a sumptuous experience that can linger on for years.

Belgium Quad/ Plums
All-grain bumped 5 Gal. yield 11% ABV
9 # Belgium Pale malt
8.5 # German Munich malt
.5 # Special B
.25 # Chocolate malt 350L
1 # Bavarian Wheat DME
1 # Adjunct – Belgian Candi Syrup (Dark)
1.6 # Plums (Purple)
• Bittering Hops Styrian Golding pellets
• Finishing Hops Saaz pellets
• Adjust schedule to get 22 IBU’s
Additives 1 TBS. pH stabilizer – .5 tsp. CaCl to mash using hard water
1 tsp. Irish Moss – 1 tsp. yeast nutrient to boil
Mash 6 Gal. water at 168° F in tun add grains
75 min. rest to 153° F
2 Gal. boiling water mash – out at 167° F 5 min.
Sparge continuous 3 Gal. 168° F water collect ~ 7.5 Gal.
Boil 90 min. total last 20 min. add DME
Hops three additions and one @ end of boil
O.G. 1.090 22.5 Plato SRM N/A ~ 22 IBU’s
Rest 30 min. – chill to fermenter – oxygenate well then Pitch yeast
15 sec. O2 in 1 hour
Yeast 4 XL 1762 Belgium Abbey II or appropriate yeast starter

Maintain 72°F during ferment

Fermentation Activity should be evident in about 4 hours with full ferment in 12 hours ___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Belgium candi sugar and plums – When primary dies down in 3 days use 2 Qts. water dissolving candi syrup – bring to boil – add macerated fresh pitted plums – return to boil – shut off – rest 20 min. – cool in ice water bath – add to primary fermenter via funnel/tubing to avoid splashing

Calculations for additional sugar ( Approximate ):
1.6 lb. Plums ~ 72 g. or 1.032/5G= .0064
1 lb. Dark candi sugar 1.032/5G= .0064
.0128 + O.G 1.090     Adjusted O.G. 1.103
Rack to Secondary in 7 to 10 days S.G. 1.0___   around 1.022

Temp ____ °F
Put in fridge “ crash your Quad “ for about 10 weeks to age then keg or
Bottlle Use 4.5 oz. corn sugar/WL530 Abbey Ale yeast in bottling bucket- could use carbonation drops 1 for 375 ml 2 for a 750 ml

Yields 12 750 ml. and 28 375 ml. cage and cork bottles – label
Notes ________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

Brew by Capt Mike – Scott

Beer appreciation can be described as an empathy that exists
between the ever growing numbers of craft brew enthusiasts.  Picture
this as a sudsy world of serendipity where we hold an apparent
aptitude for making accidental fortunate discoveries with strangers
all in the pursuit of a satisfying goblet or pint.

With that in mind, daily excursions and even planned vacations
become centered around the hub of unbeknownst locales offering
what we hope will be the finest nectar of the gods accompanied
by the quaint ambiance we seek to satiate the mind and palate.

The chase is on as people head out all over the place.  We go
upstate, downstate, across the state, to the tri-state, by the river,
over the river, to town, through the woods, everywhere all in a
challenge to be rewarded with the best experience of imbibing
and colloquy.

We search as we stroll through the forest of tap handles,
sometimes with more than 40 species containing a few previously
unknown.  The salient ones catch our early attention, but are they
worthy?  Decision time is near and sometimes the person sitting
next to you has a tip on the best pour.  Say Hi and a random
conversation will follow about where we live, what beers are
there or what’s great around here.  Inquire as to what they like and
why?  The sense of discovery driven by knowledge and experience
will catapult you on a mission unlike any other.  A respect for
beer and the people that create it will develop.

We have to boldly go where we haven’t gone before.
Somehow through the years our society has lost the desire to
explore.  When I was a child I wanted to be a scientist probably
because in the 1950’s and 60’s we were looking at the sky and
in awe of how people will be visiting space and someday living
there.  It helped create a vision of limitless expanse where each one
of us could grab a bit and mold it into our lives.  Things changed.
The wars and economy distracted us and reversed our direction,
suddenly there was no future, just now.  Recently, talk of the end of
the world further eroded any hope that we could instill in our
youth a sense that there is more to life.

Felicity is within our reach.

Approach every day like you are building a bridge over a huge
frontier.  Piece by piece the project gets done.  And when
it’s complete we have more of the universe to navigate through by
using our new route.

Time is precious and short and that’s why a little inspiration
can go a long way.  Get out there and explore the vast array of
breweries and the different styles they offer.

Better yet, get some people together and try some
homebrewing so when you find a style you like you could make
your own.  Think of it as “the sky’s the limit.”

It’s been said “Beer can change the world, I’m not sure how but it will.”