Magnum hops are simply awesome! Magnum hops are close to being one of my favorite bittering hops. With Alpha Acid content ranging from 12%-14% magnums can pack a decent wallop of bittering units in any kind of home brew. But that's not the best part about magnum hops. They have a co-humulone rate of 24%-28%. What exactly does this mean you may ask? Well, the co-humulone rate is what contributes either a "harsh" bitterness or a "clean" bitterness to a beer. Since magnum hops have a relatively low co-humulone percentage then they contribute a nice clean bitterness to home brew.
What is clean and what is harsh bitterness? Well, everyone's palate is going to differ so I'm going based off of my palate. Let's say we're drinking a pale ale, clean bitterness will allow the hop flavor shine through when it touches your tongue, then you'll be able to taste the yummy balancing malt and it will finish with a nice dryish clean bitterness. And that's what I'm talking about. As for harsh bitterness, that's best explained as that initial blast of bitterness you get when you first take a sip of a hoppy beer. Personally, I don't care for that kind of bitterness. I enjoy the clean finishing bitterness that provides.
And because magnum hops are such a clean bittering hop you can use them in virtually any kind of beer . . . german lagers, ESBs, pale ales, IPA's, saisons . . .anything.
If you haven't had a chance to try out magnum hops as a bittering hop then I would recommend using them. As for using Magnums as a flavoring hop . . . I wouldn't recommend that. They really don't have any distinct flavoring attribute and are primarily used for bittering beer.
Bittering and Co Humulone rates provided by Hop Union
3 comments:
could you give me some advice about Nugget? i just ordered some to start my hop garden, i wanted to grow hops with a high alpha, and female hops plants are not easy to find, i just ordered from Nichols Garden Nursery. Planning to begin brewing this year.
ah jeez, just found all of your rhizomes (for less!), but i want to know more about the different strains and what brews they are used for... since i only ordered 4 to start, and i am partial to ipas and stouts...
Nuggets are good high alpha acid hops for bittering. As for a flavoring hop they will provide more of an earthy, herbal flavor. It's not what I enjoy with IPAs but it will work. If I were you I would go with 1 or two bittering hops and two or three flavoring hops. Maybe fuggle, mt hood and cascade or centennial since you prefer stouts and ipas.
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