best all around hop for beers that aren't hop forward.

[yellowthere]

So it's that time again for me and I'm ordering my yearly hops. Last year I ordered hops that are great for IPAs and APAs, but I was constantly frustrated when I would make a beer that is not hop forward and couldn't really use any of those.

My question is this what hops do you guys feel cover the widest range of non-hoppy beer styles?
EKG seems to be the JZ's favorite based on how often it was used in BCS.

Thanks.

[Beer Baron]

I have made the same mistake - I love high-alpha American hops, but can only cram so much Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe into IPA's before it gets tiresome... EKG and other English hops and hops of English descent (like Willamette) are good to have around if you want floral and not so much of a citrus flavor/aroma, as well as hops from (or bred from) Continental Europe like the noble hops for some nice spice flavor/aromas.

[Stinkfist]

maybe something like a Hallertau or williamette? or you could get a high alpha hop that will just add the bitterness if you are not looking for much hop flavor or aroma in those beers...like a magnum or Columbus

[HopRunner]

My favorite all around hop is Crystal.

From Brew Monkey - http://www.brew-monkey.com/brewschool/hop.php?id=10

General Trade Perception Very popular in the craft-brewing industry. Viewed as the most pungent of the new triploid Hallertau family of hops.
Possible Substitutions Mt. Hood, Hersbruck, French Strisselspalt, Liberty, Hallertau
Typical Beer Styles Pilsner, Lager, Kvlsch, ESB, Alt, Belgian-Style Ales
Additional Information Primarily grown in Oregon. Acreage is increasing. Released in the 1990's.
Typical Hop Use Aroma

[SnowGoon99]

Willamette or Galena. I've put Galena in almost all my non-hop forward beers and you can barely taste it.

[Bugeater]

For bittering I generally use Magnum, nice neutral bittering hop. For flavor in non hop forward beers I go with Northern Brewer, saaz, hallertauer or any of the English hops.

Wayne

[thatguy314]

I think it's a question of whether you're looking for flavor or bitterness. I like using low alpha noble-style hops. I like hallertau-style hops in light malty beers a lot. Mount Hood is a hop I've become recently aquainted with and really like. I think EKG is the most versatile hop. It goes well in pretty much everything other than west-coast style beers. I think it works really well in light to amber style beers, as the hop character really blends in with the maltiness.

My rule of thumb is that I just use a lot of these low-alpha hops in malty beers. In blonde beers (kolsch, helles, blonde ale), it'll come through in the flavor if you use a couple ounces of these nice low-cohumulone low alpha hops at 60-45 min without being too strong. For the amber to brown beers, adding about a half oz around 15 minutes gives a subtle flavor and aroma without diminishing the malt. Of course if you're using saaz, use more than for the other hops.

[yellowthere]

Thanks guys for your thoughts. I appreciate it.

I think I'm going to order some EKG and some noble hops too, maybe Northern Brewer.... plus some high AA west coast IPA hops too.