[qm3k]

Hi all,

Just got a shipment of ingredients for my Hefeweizen this week. I have brewed this recipe many times and have always had great success. I also always got an ounce of German Hallertau hops coming in at between 3.5-5% AA. This time, imagine my surprise when I opened up the box and pulled out a package of German Hallertau with a whopping 14.1% AA. Anyone else run into this? I can get the correct IBU in the beer by using a scant .22 oz, but this seems way out of profile for this hop type.

Thoughts?

[morticaixavier]

crazy high. I don't think I've ever heard of hallertaur with that high AA%.

[Pinski]

Yeah, that just seems excessive. Can you double check with your supplier?

[dannyjed]

I don't think that could be right at all. There has to be some sort of mistake on the packaging.

[theDarkSide]

I'd check with the supply store and make sure they didn't mislabel them (i.e. 4.1% vs 14.1%).  Maybe they got their Magnum and Hallertau labeling backwards.

[HoosierBrew]

I've heard of some newer Hallertau offshoots that are higher in AA, but not that high. Standard Hallertau would be closer to 4.1% than 14.1%.

[erockrph]

Was it Hallertau Taurus, by any chance? Different hop with high AA. Herkules is also sometimes called Hallertau Herkules. Same thing - different hop with high AA%.

[qm3k]

Okay, issue resolved!

I contacted Northern Brewer and they confirmed that their bulk supply of German Hallertau are listed at 4.7%. The number on the package is indeed a data-entry error.

Cheers!

[Thirsty_Monk]

There is also Helertau Magnum. That would be about 14%.

[hopfenundmalz]

Does it have that refined floral Mittlefruh aroma?

[musseldoc]

I know my brewing software refers to Magnum as German Hallertau Magnum, and is in the range you described. 

[dmtaylor]

My homegrown Hallertau has been as low as 3% and as high as 7% in different years.  However the average has been closer to 4-5%.  So, somewhat higher alpha is possible but rare.  I don't expect to ever see higher than 7% in a commercial vacuum pack.  Mine were fresh off the bine (and dried).