British hops in lager? Anyone experimented?

[darlacat]

I'm going to try to limit the amount of imported ingredients I use, especially hops - both to support UK producers and for sustainability reasons, as it seems increasingly silly to use ingredients that have been shipped halfway across the world rather than ingredients produced 50 miles up the road from me.

I usually make lagers over the winter period, and normally make either a pilsner or a helles. I'm wondering if anyone has made pale lager styles with British hops rather than continental varieties, and has any advice. At the moment, I'm thinking of making a helles-style lager with Challenger.

There are some commercial breweries doing a similar thing - Utopian are pretty good, and they use Maris Otter with Jester in their pilsner (if I recall correctly).

 

[terrym]

If its any help I brew a light single hop beer with my Prima Donna/First Gold garden hops and the current one I am drinking is quite lager like.

 

[Sadfield]

Not British, but I've used cascade in one. I think the process will always make a lager taste like a lager, given the low hopping rates. Unless one was being ultra critical to competition guidelines. Without looking, I suspect there may be some excellent alternatives amongst the lesser known UK varieties, with the bonus of being cheaper than Saaz

 

[JonBrew]

Not British, but I've used cascade in one. I think the process will always make a lager taste like a lager, given the low hopping rates. Unless one was being ultra critical to competition guidelines. Without looking, I suspect there may be some excellent alternatives amongst the lesser known UK varieties, with the bonus of being cheaper than Saaz

Never tried it but Sovereign looks like it could fit the bill. Low(ish) alpha (4.5-6.5%), characteristics described as herbal, floral, earthy.

 

[Saisonator]

Sounds boring but I think a mixture of Fuggles and EKG could work.

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi @darlacat, I made a Pilsner with all Fuggles last winter and it's very nice. I always give my lagers 6 months in the bottle before drinking them so I'm going to have a ferret around the darker recesses of the garage to see if there's any left.
I'm trying some English hops I hadn't used before: Jester, Olicana, Archer, Mystic and Boadicea and a couple of CF experimentals- I think one of them is called Opus. I've only tried four of them so far, and the bottles are not ready for drinking yet, but I'll be earmarking some of these for lager production this winter.

 

[darlacat]

Hi @darlacat, I made a Pilsner with all Fuggles last winter and it's very nice. I always give my lagers 6 months in the bottle before drinking them so I'm going to have a ferret around the darker recesses of the garage to see if there's any left.
I'm trying some English hops I hadn't used before: Jester, Olicana, Archer, Mystic and Boadicea and a couple of CF experimentals- I think one of them is called Opus. I've only tried four of them so far, and the bottles are not ready for drinking yet, but I'll be earmarking some of these for lager production this winter.

I tried Olicana in a single hop pale ale earlier this year. Was quite impressed by it - tropical flavours were quite prominent early-on, but these then died off as the beer aged leaving it more floral and earthy/English in character. Was quite subtle, however; if I were to use it again I'd be tempted to mix it with something more pungent.

I've also bought some of the newer British hops to try for the first time: Jester, Minstrel, and Godiva. Saving them for pale ales and IPAs - would rather experiment with them that way first, rather than in a lager!

 

[darlacat]

Hi @darlacat, I made a Pilsner with all Fuggles last winter and it's very nice. I always give my lagers 6 months in the bottle before drinking them so I'm going to have a ferret around the darker recesses of the garage to see if there's any left.
I'm trying some English hops I hadn't used before: Jester, Olicana, Archer, Mystic and Boadicea and a couple of CF experimentals- I think one of them is called Opus. I've only tried four of them so far, and the bottles are not ready for drinking yet, but I'll be earmarking some of these for lager production this winter.

Jester might work well in a lager - as I mentioned in my OP, I'm sure that Utopian use it in their pilsner.

 

[An Ankoù]

I've also bought some of the newer British hops to try for the first time: Jester, Minstrel, and Godiva. Saving them for pale ales and IPAs - would rather experiment with them that way first, rather than in a lager!

That's my thinking, too. I'm using Greg Hughes' Single Hop recipe as a basis. One of the reasons I've stopped for the mo is that I'm not sure pale malt with just a bit of carapils is the best way forward since I've reduced the later additions quite a bit to the levels you would expect to find in a decent pale or bitter rather than an APA.

 

[MrRook]

Use whatever hop you want in whatever beer you want.

 

[Honk]

I've done a fuggles lager in the past and was pleased with how it turned out.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I'm sure one of the family brewers is making a lager with Admiral these days.

The likes of Pioneer or WGV could work as well.

 

[NPi]

Not wanting to crash the thread here, but can anyone suggest British hops for an IPA or APA, ideally something assertive and punchy, I am wanting to bring to 60-70IBU and balance with ABV, so not your typical single hop beer.

 

[Hanglow]

Admiral is good
https://www.britishhops.org.uk/varieties/admiral/
I just used some 2019 ones in a stout and thought when I was putting them in it would have been great in an IPA. Lots of lime to the nose when I rubbed them

 

[Davegase]

I've done a fuggles lager in the past and was pleased with how it turned out.

I've just done a helles style lager with mainly fuggles and a little East Kent goldings. Very pleased with the results. (Fermented with Nova lager yeast @12°c).

 

[Rodcx500z]

Yeah i have Brewfather

 

[Davegase]

@Rodcx500z . Do you have? and do you think it's worth paying for the full version ?

 

[gyurmaember]

I use EKG, as my freezer is full with that.

 

[Brew_DD2]

@Rodcx500z . Do you have? and do you think it's worth paying for the full version ?

I have it, and it's absolutely worth it. The developer has put in a tonne of work to make it as good as it is, and gives very active support. It's also dirt cheap.

 

[gyurmaember]

I have it, and it's absolutely worth it. The developer has put in a tonne of work to make it as good as it is, and gives very active support. It's also dirt cheap.

Does it know the measurements like bowl, and handful, by taste etc.?