Hi I am about to buy some Hops to make a Hop tea to tweak my Coopers IPA.
I am unsure which Hop to buy but I have seen the words Alpha Acid and then expressed as a %.
What does the higher or lower % of Alpha Acid do to a brew.
Is it a question of the higher the Alpha Acid the more Bitter the hop or is it the other way around.
Thanks FB
Alpha Acid
-
GrowlingDogBeer
- Even further under the Table
- Posts: 2671
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 5:20 pm
- Location: Wickford, Essex
- Contact:
Re: Alpha Acid
The higher the Alpha Acid the more potential bitterness there is in the ghop which you can extract when boiling it.
In order to extract the bitterness you need a long boil really, so if you are making a hop tea with a very short boil, i.e. 5 minutes then you needn't worry too much about the AA% at all. I would buy the hops that say great for aroma etc..
In order to extract the bitterness you need a long boil really, so if you are making a hop tea with a very short boil, i.e. 5 minutes then you needn't worry too much about the AA% at all. I would buy the hops that say great for aroma etc..
-
fatbelly
Re: Alpha Acid
Thanks Steve that's most helpful, I have never make a tea before how much Hops should I use and how long should I boil for?
Once again thanks.
Once again thanks.
-
GrowlingDogBeer
- Even further under the Table
- Posts: 2671
- Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 5:20 pm
- Location: Wickford, Essex
- Contact:
Re: Alpha Acid
Can't answer that one I'm afraid, I've never made one either 
-
alfie09
Re: Alpha Acid
what i use to do is empty the tin of malt into the fermenter as usual. in your case coopers ipa. then use a kettle of boiling water and fill the metal tin up and add the hops in there and leave for 30 minutes. then pour it thorugh a sieve into the fermenter and carry on as normal. that should do. use to work for me mate