Are hops getting spendy over there (in Australia) to? Or hard to find?

No I don't think they are. When the brewstore puts together some ingredients to imitate a certain brand/style of beer they allways include the hops you'll want. Last week they even sent me a coupon to collect some FREE hops, I think its a new New Zealand variety that they're trying to get people excited about. In Australia and New Zealand we have our own varieties of really bitter hops, like "Green Bullet" and "Pride of Ringwood." They have about twice as much Alpha acid as USA varieties, about 10% or 12% instead of the 5% that Cascade and Willamette have. But English types, especially Fuggles, seem pretty popular too.

Two brews ago I was using some Pride of Ringwood and it came in a teabag, I think because its so bitter you don't have to boil it up, just soak it in really hot water. Actually do you even have teabags? or are they an Australian invention? We did invent Cask Wine, though that doesn't necessarily speak to our credit, hahahaha. Anyway, the hops were in a tiny paper sack (teabag) so that the hoppyness soaks out into the water but none of the actual plant matter gets out, but I was anxious to have it soak out quicker so I was pokeing it with a teaspoon, and then the teabag burst and the water turned into hop mulch. I had to strain it out through I coffee plunger, and now my coffee tastes like hops.

...now my coffee tastes like hops.

Breakfast of Champions!

I know that for quite some time New Zealand hop varieties such as Pride of Ringwood were the only hops available that were organically grown. Apparently the various fungi and other pests that plague hops elsewhere had not made it to New Zealand yet. I'm not sure if that is necessarily the case now though.

- Scott

I picked up the complimentary free hops from the Brewstore today. They are another New Zealand variety "Nelson Sauvin", and they are going to be bitter. 14% alpha acid! I don't think Fungi would want to grow on them even if it could. Apparently they taste a bit fruity too, like a Sauvignon Blanc wine, they have been recomended for India Pale Ales and Nut Ales. So it might be a while before I use them, as I'm keen on Red Lagers and Ales at the moment.

If you want to get the full bitterness from the hops you need to boil for 60 minutes. We do use hop bags. But they are not paper. You will only be getting some flavor & aroma by steeping them.

That's what I suspected. I want to make my next beer quite hoppy and bitter, so I think I'll boil them (maybe not for quite that long though.)