3% AA Liberty hops for bittering

[Big10Seaner]

I have a proven recipe for a wheat beer and have liberty hops in it, for bittering and all. The last batch I made was 3.7% AA and worked fine. My hops I just got from Hops Direct are 3% AA so I'll have to use a little more. I've heard that for reasons other than cost this isn't advisable to do. Any opinions on this? This beer is one of my staples and I'm getting ready to brew it this week again.

 

[944play]

I brewed a hefeweizen a couple weeks ago with 1oz 3.3% Crystal, .5 @60, .5 @10 targeting about 9 IBU. The beer is flippin FANTASTIC. For a wheat beer, low-alpha hops are just fine IMO.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

I see no problem. What you might do is boil the bittering hops in about a gallon of water for an extra 15 minutes and then when you are supposed to add the pellets and the one gallon hop tea instead.

3 x 1.23 = 3.69 (close enough to your original 3.7) 60 minutes x 1.23 = 73.8 minutes.

Not an exact science but it will come very close to the 3.7 you are used to.

Forrest
Austin Homebrew Supply

 

[david_42]

As Forrest says, you can pre-boil or you could just use a little more. Pre-boiling would decrease the chances of getting more hop flavor than what you are used to, but in a 60 minute boil it would be a small difference. You could reduce the flavor add slightly to compensate, but Liberty is rather mild.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

You could go with a 90 minute boil. It ups the utilization a little, about 10% or so.

 

[Big10Seaner]

Thanks for the replies, I think I'm sticking with a 60 min boil so I'll just use more hops. I've thought about changing the bittering hop on this one but the finished product is way too good to start messing with.

 

[perogi]

I have a proven recipe for a wheat beer and have liberty hops in it

Are you interested in sharing it? I have a pound of liberty hops that need a liquid home

 

[Calichusetts]

Liberty is so good...and strong. I did a barleywine with equal split of liberty, cascade and centennial. The liberty dominates everything. Its still young though.