Dealing with AA Variation in hops

ChicoBrewer

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I'm going to be brewing my Bo Pils this weekend and I sourced saaz at the LHBS. All she had was US saaz. The AA on this YCHH US SAAZ is 8.5 which is quite a bit higher than Czech saaz which comes in at 3.5 in the recipe editor.

Knowing that I don't want a lot of bitter but do want flavor from these hops should I move the schedule down toward the end and adjust the bittering hops to target IBU?
 
You can get away with a fair bit of bitterness in the pilsner category but yep that's what id do is move the Sazz into 10 minutes or so to go.
 
I wouldn't use US Saaz hops if you want real Pils flavor, only imported. Since you already have them just split them out so that you use enough at 60 to get the same amount of IBUs that the original hop schedule with the lower AA hops gives and then use enough later in the boil to add some flavor. Be wary of adding too much too late because some of the noble hops, including Saaz can lend a grassy flavor. My preference is not after about 15 or 20 minutes.
 
I'm with JA on this one. I don't care too much for US grown Noble hops, they come across as rough, unrefined. Noble hops grown in the US have a higher AA than the hops grown in Germany, I'm not sure why. I have brew decent beers with US Noble hops, but I prefer noble hops from Germany.

But in a pinch, I would use US nobles, sometimes they turn out good, other times a little rough.
 
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I'm adding my vote. Use the German imported. To convert is simple proportions. Divide ýour actual by the recipe AA, then multiply by the amount in the recipe.
 
If you must use American hops, Sterling is a good choice.
 
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Yeah^^^^
I like Sterling but I find it a little strong on the fruity qualities for a traditional German style. It makes a great Pilsner-style Blonde Ale or American wheat beer and really works nicely with Crystal in a Belgian-style IPA.
 
I'll be more patient next time and order the right hops.. This one is going to be frankenpils.
 
Original recipe hops aa% multiplied by the weight of hops divided by new hops aa% gives you the weight of the new hops you need for the same ibu.
 
Thank you. I adjusted for IBU. Just can't adjust for flavor :(
 
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Thank you. I adjusted for IBU. Just can't adjust for flavor :(
Flavor will be fine...just maybe not as spot-on as one would like for style. I predict you'll have a very fine beer. ;)
 
Wort is yummy that's for sure.
 
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Thought that I would tag onto this thread with my AA variation question/dilemma.
Bought a pound of Citra @ 12.5AA, still have 7oz of 12.5AA Citra
Bought a pound of Simcoe @ 13.4AA, still have 20z of 12.4 AA Simcoe
Seems like a lot of messing around to try and somehow account for this, and both are typically used for flavor and aroma additions.
Will I notice a difference in a 10 gallon recipe with the following hop schedule?
hop sched.JPG
 
I doubt it. That number was measured when it was packaged so it's probably already not truly accurate anyway. The AA numbers are largely guestimates for our purposes.
 
Perfect, thanks
 
Probably repeating the obvious, but AA numbers are most useful for IBU calculations. IBU calculations are most useful for getting a consistent bitterness for light lagers and mildly hopped golden beers with little to no late additions. If your moving outside of these AA/IBUs are just a rough signpost to guide your way.

So as you are definitely outside of these and you're talking about small differences I'd be surprised if you could tell the difference in anything other than a triangle test (and probably not even then).
 

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