Sterling

As the temperature around here has dropped below 100, I have seen lots of cones from the 1st year Sterlings and a few from the 3rd year Ultra. The latter I had given up on. After several unsuccessful years fighting Mother Nature, I think I will have something to harvest. My initial thought was to use these as aroma hops for my fall Belgians, BUT I now feel compelled to showcase these varieties more. My thoughts are a bohemian pils or Vienna lager. What are your thoughts?

I grew some sterlings a few years ago that made a real good czech pils. I bittered with magnum then did flavor and aroma additions with the sterlings.

I made an APA with Sterling at 60, 20 & 5 minute additions. It was very good; probably not to style, but good.

The winner of the 2004 Upper Mississippi Mashout was a bitter of OG 1.040 that used Sterling hops. I tasted it in 2005, it was delicious. No recipe was entered, however.

http://www.mashout.org/content/results/2004Results.pdf

[quote=“worthog”]The winner of the 2004 Upper Mississippi Mashout was a bitter of OG 1.040 that used Sterling hops. I tasted it in 2005, it was delicious. No recipe was entered, however.

http://www.mashout.org/content/results/2004Results.pdf[/quote]

If you click on the name Sterling Bitter it scrolls down to the recipe and other brewing info.

[quote=“Rookie L A”]
If you click on the name Sterling Bitter it scrolls down to the recipe and other brewing info.[/quote]
Yes. Do what he said.

I’ve brewed a hybrid pilsner ale with all homegrown Sterlings for the last 2 years. I changed up the recipe this year and it came out really balanced. It has really improved after a month lagering in the keg - too bad there’s only about 1 gallon left! Here’s an excerpt from my brewing log. I would brew this one again exactly as-is. Part of me wants to throw another oz in there at flameout though! Love me some Sterling.

Sterling Pilsener Ale
Batch size: 5 gal
Expected OG: 1.058
Actual OG: 1.051 Actual FG: 1.008
5.6% abv

Ingredients:
• 10 lb Pilsner Malt
• 0.5 lb Carapils
• 5 oz acidulated malt
• Hops:
o 1 oz Sterling, FWH
o 0.5 oz Sterling, 60 min
o 1.5 oz Sterling, 15 min
• Yeast: 1 pack US-05

Procedure:
Changing up the hops schedule as I brew this for the 2nd time. I’m adding a FWH addition of 1 oz for a smooth bitterness, and cutting back the 60 min hops from 1.5 oz to only 0.5 oz. So I’ve essentially moved 1 oz of hops from 60 min to FWH. We’ll see what happens. The last batch was delicious, but I’m shooting for a more balanced beer.

OG of 1.050 would be ideal, right in the middle of the range for this style.

Water treatment: No treatment for mash or sparge water.

Chilled to 55, fermented at 55. Very slow start to fermentation.

I’ve had a rebound growth pattern after the temps dropped below 100 and now will have two “harvests”. It’s probably not more than 4 oz but it’s good for a first year vine. First group likely will be ready this week and I have a Trippel planned for Sunday. Should I harvest Wed and dry or just pluck and boil on Sunday. I’ll use some store-bought Halletauer to bitter but will need a 20 min addition. If I wet-hop, what’s the conversion? 4 times seems to stick out in my mind.