If you're not sure how to measure the bitterness of your home grown hops, try this technique that I discovered in April of 2014.
"...Take one ounce of your hops.
Boil two cups of water for 15 minutes with 1 scant Tbsp of sugar (utilization).
Add your hops and boil for 10 minutes.
Strain the hops and take your tea to dilute
1/4 of a cup of water to 1/4 cup of tea= one %.
So dump the first mixture retaining 1/4 cup and then add 1/4 cup water
Continue with dilute 1/4 cup of your tea until the bitterness is not distinguishable by taste.
Now if you have diluted 6 times and only have the slightest barely there bitterness -- you think about 6.1 or 6.3 %
It is a rough estimate: 5% to 6% for example, but it means you can brew with some idea of AA and you get to taste the hop tea too to get a flavor profile."
Copied from http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/testing-hg-hop-bitterness-134065/
"...Take one ounce of your hops.
Boil two cups of water for 15 minutes with 1 scant Tbsp of sugar (utilization).
Add your hops and boil for 10 minutes.
Strain the hops and take your tea to dilute
1/4 of a cup of water to 1/4 cup of tea= one %.
So dump the first mixture retaining 1/4 cup and then add 1/4 cup water
Continue with dilute 1/4 cup of your tea until the bitterness is not distinguishable by taste.
Now if you have diluted 6 times and only have the slightest barely there bitterness -- you think about 6.1 or 6.3 %
It is a rough estimate: 5% to 6% for example, but it means you can brew with some idea of AA and you get to taste the hop tea too to get a flavor profile."
Copied from http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/testing-hg-hop-bitterness-134065/
