Jerry Gnagy Leads Us Through the World of Tettnang Hops

We wanted to bring you insights into Tettnang hops, so we reached out to Jerry Gnagy, the Brewmaster for Against the Grain, concerning his expertise and experience with the elusive Tettnang.

BM: When was the first time you ever used Tettnang in brewing?

JG: I used Tettnang off and on when homebrewing many moons ago.  I was really best at lighter German styles, like Pilsners and Helles.  Tettnang was one hop I could usually always get and was traditional to the beers I liked to make.

BM: What made you use Tettnang over any other strain?

JG: Strangely enough, I used Tettnang off and on for different beers, but I really was forced into finding different ways to use it because I way over contracted one year on Tettnang and I found myself scrambling to use it while it was still fresh.  But in the process I learned to love it because I became a lot more familiar with it.

BM: What makes this particular hop unique?

JG: I think good German Tettnang is a lot more floral and pleasantly perfumey than any of the Hallertau varieties and has a clean spiciness like Saaz, but not as much.  So, to me it is nicely placed in between those two.  Also, no U.S. Tettnang that I’ve gotten really has the floral aspect of good German Tettnang

BM: What surprises have you gotten out of using Tettnang?

JG: I have found that coupled with Simcoe, it gives a light fruity flavor and aroma that apart from each other you don’t get.

BM: What are some of the unique characteristics you enjoy most about Tettnang?

JG: I it’s simplicity and elegance.  There aren’t many hops that come close to the same floral character of Tettnang when used in a beer, like Pilsner, that allows it shine through.

BM: What are some out of the box brews you would like to use Tettnang for?

JG: We have been experimenting with dry-hopping some beers with Tettnang, and we have made a Tettnang IPA.  But really with hops like Tett, balance is the name of the game.

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