Just received 1# of 2013 Amarillo and a 1# of Hallertau Mittlefruh for some pilsners.
I am doing a Helles right away but was thinking about my next batch of Innkeeper bitter.
Usual OP:
Wyeast 1469
7# Golden promise
0.25# Caramunich II
1# Sugar to boil.
Average SG: 1.045
1 oz Fuggle @60
1 oz EKG @ 30
1 oz Styrian Goldings @ 0
Sometimes dry hopped with Styrian Goldings.
Average IBU: 25
Maybe go:
0.25 oz Merkur or more Mittlefruh around 60 minutes.
1.00 oz Mittlefruh @ 20 and 10 minutes.
EDIT* Use 1-3 oz Mittlefruh to dry hop??? YEs/No? I don’t know if these add more aromatics or grassy notes to late stage hopping.
Average IBU: 25?
I say Merkur for bittering as I have great success with it lately for good neutral 15% bittering with a bit of citrus aroma still.
But mainly what are thoughts regarding the grainbill/ Mittlefruh working or clashing in general here.
I have only used it for Pils and dunkels.
Mittlefruh is one of my favorite hops; I use it a lot. Absolutely nothing wrong with using it for bittering, it will give a very clean bitterness similar to magnum, or perhaps even cleaner. But with the low AA typical for this hop, you’ll need to use a fair bit. I’ve never used it for dry hopping, and I’ve been leery of experimenting with unproven dry hop varieties since the bad experience I had a few years ago dry hopping with Saaz (don’t do it). If you end up trying it, post your results for the rest of us to know.
For your innkeeper, making any change away from using the Fuggles or EKG type hops for flavor and aroma will entirely change the character of the beer. The Mittlefruh will give floral notes just as the EKG will, but much more delicate and restrained. While the Fuggles and Styrian Goldens (which are essentially the same hop, along with Williamette) will contribute more earthy tones. I’m guessing you will want to keep some of that earthiness in the late additions for this beer.
I think Mittlefruh would work as a dry hop with your grain bill.
The idea of using Merkur for bittering sounds good. Then add an oz. of Mitt. for dry hop.
I would keep the dry hop at an ounce just to make sure I like what I’m getting from it.
You can always use more in the future.
There are a lot of real good hops of higher AA% than mittlefruh to bitter with. I think you’d be better served using it nearer the end. I have a CDA recipe (haven’t brewed it yet) that uses mittlefruh as a dry hop.
Will it work, yeah. Will it taste like an English biter…
Hmmm, I don’t think it will taste like a English bitter either.
Why my methodology is sound here is because I get a pseudo pils feeling from this beer as is.
So instead use the base as mentioned (1469+grist). Plus add some German hops so crisp and clean like a pils, but a slightly bigger body grist than pils and leave IBU at 25 closer to a bitter than pils.
So its ready sooner and it has most outward appearances of both lighter beers in one? Plus I now have extra Mittlefruh that will languish if all I need it for is a few traditional german beers throughout the year.
Again my question is relating to how Merkur and/ or Mittlefruh will interact with golden promise base and the yeast. Will the hops be trounced by the richer flavored yeast and base malts? Will the flavor/ aroma of the hops clash or be harmonious? I will probably brew something in these lines just to see. But I was looking for feedback from others that have actually tried these hops with something other than Pils etc…
Can’t say I’ve done exactly the same thing, but I have made a lager using a fairly standard APA grain bill and hop schedule, but using Mittelfruh and Tettanger instead of C-hops. It came out quite well. Like a mildly bittered German Pils with more body.
