HOPS

[fitz]

Alright, I have to ask. What types of Hops do you like to use. It seems to me, that no matter what type of beer that I want to brew(light/dark) I normally go back to the same type of hops every time. I like the mixture of Willamette and Fruggles in many beers, and if I want something different, I use the Hallertaur and Saaz combo. Which is kind of weird since I am a German Irish american and the F/W hops are staples for Irish/English brews and the H/S are staples for German brewing. I am sure its just a coinsidence, or maybe its something grained into my genes.?

[jayhawk]

Goldings and cascade are regulars in my beer. I recently tried Crystal and Cascade together and highly recommend. I would also like to try Crystal and Tettnang together, as well using Crystal as a dry hop. Hallertau & Tettnang go nice together too.

[fitz]

I've tried some of those combinations and they have tasted fine. The only hop I have tried and not liked was Chinook. Between those hops, and a little too much on the dark malt, made my Irish stout something Arthur Guinness would wince over. Of course I drank it. Somethimes mixed it with a pale ale to porter it, but that one was too much. Haven't used it since.

[bredmakr]

I use Chinook as a bittering hop for my IPA and pale ales. Coupled with Cascade for flavor and Aroma you can't go wrong. Maybe you didn't get fresh Chinook hops.

[jayhawk]

I have never tried Chinook, but I think bittering with them would be good. I don't think their high alpha content would have the finesse needed for flavouring a stout.

[Gravity Thrills]

I tried chinook as a fallback once when I couldn't get perle hops to bitter a west coast style PA. 1/2 ounce gave me all the bittering I was looking for and complemented the finishing cascades wonderfully. For at least the last 4 times I have brewed pale ales I have stuck with chinook I like it so much. I have to make a point of forcing myself back to perle for a batch and make an objectove comparison.

Cheers,
Jim