Beer Forum

Im looking at the Pliny Clone recipe in the BYO Clone recipe issue. It looks like Midwest Supplies is out of Simcoe, and Norhtern Brewer doesnt even list them. If my local shop is out, can I substitute this? Do I just need to use a Hop with similiar AA profile (12%)? One last question, if they list a hops addition as "Mash hops" and Im an extract brewer, do I just add this at the beginning of my boil. The other additions are listed according to the time they are added, this one threw me off. Thanks.

Freshops.com has them. I would substitute summit or citra hops if necesary. They have similar flavor characteristics. I would leave out the mash hops in an extract batch or you could steep them in 150 F water for an hour then strain the liquid into your boil kettle. Good Luck!

Thanks. So mashing the hops affects the alpha acids differently than the boil? I will definitely try that as I want to get as close as possible.

If you have any specialty grains to steep throw the hops in with them. Steeping the hops alone in water may not give you the same effect but should closer than leaving them out all together. People debate the contribution of mash hops though I guess you can't argue with Pliney. If you can, do the specialty grain/hop steep.

crashlann wrote:Im looking at the Pliny Clone recipe in the BYO Clone recipe issue. It looks like Midwest Supplies is out of Simcoe, and Norhtern Brewer doesnt even list them. If my local shop is out, can I substitute this? Do I just need to use a Hop with similiar AA profile (12%)? One last question, if they list a hops addition as "Mash hops" and Im an extract brewer, do I just add this at the beginning of my boil. The other additions are listed according to the time they are added, this one threw me off. Thanks.

Try the Beverage People in Santa Rosa. They had some a week ago. They say there is no substitute for Simcoe. That wouldn't stop me from brewing. If I were out of Simcoe on brew day, I might try one or more of these- Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo.

I am sure Niko brew coudl helpy ou outw with simcoe

Niko mentioned something about simcoe and amarillo both being hard to get in the near future. Apparently, they're a victim of success- lots of craft brewers are buying lots of simcoe and amarillo, so there is a lot less supply available for homebrewers. For example, nikobrew.com doesn't even have any simcoe pellets. I ended up getting two pounds of each from freshops. Figure I'll just vacpac them and use them for the rest of the year. The amount I saved over buying by the ounce from my LHBS more than covered the cost of the foodsaver thingy (my LHBS charges $2.80 an ounce for most hops, and my spot checks indicate that the "ounce" bags they sell tend to weigh about 0.92 ounces).

Oh also, if there's a hop addition listed as "mash hops", I'm pretty sure that means first wort hopped (and not actually in the mash). If you're doing a specialty grain infusion, stick the hops in for that. If not, move those hops to a 20 minute addition (FWH actually bitters like a 20-min, or so I'm told (and experience myself)).