Bittering Hops
The use of hops is for bittering. Bittering hops additions are boiled for 45-90 minutes to isomerize the alpha acids; the most common interval being one hour. Because of this, high alpha bittering hops varieties can be used to provide the bulk of the bitterness without hurting the taste of the beer. If you consider the cost of bittering a beer in terms of the amount of alpha acid per unit weight of hop used, it is more economical to use a 30g of a high alpha hop rather than 60g of a low alpha hop. You can save your more expensive aroma hops for flavoring and finishing.
| VARIETY | ALPHA ACID% | ORIGIN | ALTERNATIVE | RECOMMENDED USE |
| Admiral | 14-16 | UK | Target Pilgrim Magnum | English Ale |
| Apollo | 15-19 | USA | Magnum Columbus | American Ales |
| Bravo | 12-14 | USA | Nugget | American IPA, Pale Ale |
| Brewers’ Gold | 6-9 | Germany | Pioneer Northdown Northern Brewer | Ale, Heavier German Style Lagers, Lambic |
| Bullion | 6-9 | UK | ColumbusNorthern Brewer Brewer’s Gold | IPA, ESB, Stout |
| Chelan | 12- 14.5 | USA | Galena | |
| Columbus (Tomahawk) | 13-18 | USA | Nugget Simcoe Chinook | US IPA, US Pale Ale, Stout, Barley Wine, Lager(Bittering) |
| Comet | 9.5-12.5 | USA | Chinook Galena Nugget | American ales |
| Eroica | 11-14 | USA | Northern Brewer Bullion Galena | Bitters, Porter |
| Extra Styrian Dana | 10-15 | Slovenia | >Magnum | 1sthopping |
| Galena | 10-14 | USA | Nugget Target | Most English-style and AmericanAles |
| Green Bullet | 10-13 | NewZealand | Centennial | Lager, Bitter, Irish-Style Dry Stout |
| Horizon | 10-17 | USA | Magnum | All Ales and Lagers |
| Magnum | 4-5.5 | Germany Slovenia |
PilgrimTarget ExtraStyrian Dana |
Lagers, Pilsner types, Stout, Ales. Typically basebitterness in Lager beers |
| Marynka | 8-12 | Poland | Northern Brewer | |
| Millenium | 15.5 | USA | Nugget Columbus | Ales, Stout, Barley Wine |
| Newport | 13.5-17 | USA | Galena Nugget Fuggle Magnum |
Ales, Stout, Barley Wine |
| Northern Brewer | 7-11 | Germany | Northern Down Challenger | ESB, Bitter, English Pale Ale, Porter, Lager,Lambic, Munich Helles |
| Northdown | 6-10 | UK | Northern Brewer Challenger | All Ales, Porter |
| Nugget | 10-14 | USA | Galena Target Magnum | Ales, Stout, Barley Wine |
| Olympic | 10-13 | USA | Chinook | Traditional German beers |
| Pacific Gem | 11-15 | New Zealand | luster | Wide range of beer styles, English Bitter and Stout |
| Phoenix | 10-12 | UK | Challenger | English Ales |
| Pilgrim | 10-12 | UK | TargetAdmiral | All English-style beers |
| Pioneer | 9-12 | UK | Brewers GoldEast Kent Goldings | English Ale Styles |
| Pride of Ringwood | 7-10.5 | Australia | Galena Cluster | Australian Lagers |
| Southern Cross | 12-14 | New Zealand | Northern BrewerChinook | Light Lagers |
| Summit | 17.5-19.5 | USA | ColumbusSimcoe | American IPA, Imperial IPA |
| Target | 8-13 | UK | Pilgrim Admiral Magnum | All Ales and Lagers |
| Tillicum | 12-14.5 | USA | Galena Chelan |
|
| Warrior | 14.5-16.5 | USA | >Nugget Columbus Magnum | Pale Ale, IPA |