Thoughts on these hops

[marcarm]

I'm placing an order with the local brewery next week, going to get 100g of each of these hops but not really used them before. They will mainly be used in pale ales, or APAs, I like a nice light beer that is really hoppy. Not sure how/if I will blend them or maybe just make some SMaSHs with them.

To purchase:
Apollo
Archer
Hallertau
Phoenix
Cluster
Boadicea
Motueka

Already have:
Crystal
Kazbek (about 70g)
Centennial (about 50g)
Citra (about 40g)

I'd love to make a APA with a really punchy citrus hop aroma, so would probably use the Citra and Crystal in large quantities to dry hop, maybe using the Centennial as the bittering addition.

I was also looking at hop bursting, maybe with the Hallertau where I add all my hop additions in the last 20-30 minutes.

I did use to get other varieties from there such as Challenger and Chinook, but it seems as though they are not selling them anymore, which is disappointing as they are really cheap from there.

[timbo41]

Archer is great in a pale, kazbek very saaz like,the phoenix and boadicea I found very english in that they are a bit earthy and musty used late. That brewery do have some great prices, ! Must get another order in soon!!

[marcarm]

Cheap on grain as well as I don't have to pay a delivery charge which normally bumps the price right up. Interesting how you know which brewery I'm talking about :suspicious:

My LHBS is very expensive for grains and hops, but cheap for equipment.

[timbo41]

The types of hops available....your location...colchester homebrew I've used often because. Often deliver down that area...and of course I might be fishing wink wink!! Incidentally I think the hallertauer from there is a NZ import not traditional hallertauer ( german)?

[marcarm]

I go to Wibblers brewery if that was the one you were thinking of, who I believe have a member on here but I forget the username.

Highly recommended, always get good service when I collect my orders as well as loads of yeast

[timbo41]

Yeah Wibblers nice firm, good prices. Their brewer Phil is on jbk but see more of wibblers on the facebook site. Always helpful. Of course you've also got Colchester Brewery on the Halstead road near ChappelN but I'm not familiar with them
Keep meaning to get yeast when I order hops. Apparently its derived from the Ridleys strain. Kyle T on here would probably know
Delivering down that way today I think, so if you see a Warburtons lorry give it a wave...might be me in me stallone beret!! NOT!

[GrowlingDogBeer]

The yeast is a derivative of the Ridleys strain, how close it is seems a closely guarded secret. My understanding is Crouch Vale got their yeast from Ridleys many years ago and Wibblers use the Crouch Vale yeast. The fact that Ridleys is now owned by Greed King means that the yeast is not officially the Ridleys yeast.

[marcarm]

Yeah Wibblers nice firm, good prices. Their brewer Phil is on jbk but see more of wibblers on the facebook site. Always helpful. Of course you've also got Colchester Brewery on the Halstead road near ChappelN but I'm not familiar with them
Keep meaning to get yeast when I order hops. Apparently its derived from the Ridleys strain. Kyle T on here would probably know
Delivering down that way today I think, so if you see a Warburtons lorry give it a wave...might be me in me stallone beret!! NOT!

Do Colchester brewery sell to home brewers? Not much info on their site.

[timbo41]

I don't know unfortunately, used to passthat way all the time but my usual route has changed, so not so often now, and never got a chance to stop in and be nosey. Regards Growling's comments, I'm curious as to whether. Thewibblers yeast would be similar to Essex Ale yeast?

[BeerBloke]

I'm lead to believe our yeast (ex-Ridleys) is similar if not the same as Essex Ale yeast. Albeit much cheaper if you come and collect it!

[seymour]

Here are some of my tasting notes, in case you're interested:

Apollo - Strong bitterness but otherwise nondescript. Only the very faintest fruit, black pepper, freshly cut grass, dank ganja. Not flawed, just pretty neutral.

Archer - Magnificent. Recognizably English, orange citrus similar to Challenger and Goldings. Earthy and woodsy like Fuggles. Smells very "green", like a hot greenhouse, intense tea essence, alfalfa shots, mossy, a little mustardy...in a good way. Pairs beautifully with rye and English crystal malt. This one ticks every box for me.

Hallertau - 100% classic beer-flavoured-beer. Noble, flowery, subtle black pepper spice. Best for German, Belgian and other continental styles, but you can sneak 'em into any recipe whatsoever. Ron Pattinson shared some cool Ushers Scottish ale recipes calling for these.

Phoenix - Good not great, in my humble opinion. Aroma is nice but extremely mellow, faint orange peel, honey, even when you dry-hop you can't tell. Thankfully, the flavours are fuller: grass, orange, lemon, melon, black pepper, earthy, too soapy. I’ve read Phoenix is a high-alpha, dual-purpose English hop bred to replace Challenger. I find it decent, but not very similar to Challenger, one of my favourites which I find much more flavourful and nuanced. Pheonix isn’t nearly as aggressive as American hops either, no surprise, though some people say it is. Perhaps a Phoenix-Challenger or Phoenix-Cascade blend would be awesome.

Cluster - Recognizeably American, but the noblest, if that makes sense. Pleasant citrus-rind bitterness, black currant, subtly spicy, flowery, hint of tart green apple skin, tangy, very nice. Not skunky/musky as so many people insist. Probably my all-time favourite all-purpose hop.

Boadicea - Good all-purpose bittering choice for malt-forward beers. I like it a lot in Adnams brews, for instance. Ticks most of the boxes, and supports dark, roasty grainbills well.

Motueka - Just another predictable New Zealand hop, in my opinion. Citrus and tropical fruit, but nothing too special. Best blended with other kick-you-in-the-face hops for big IPAs.

Crystal - Another of my personal favourites. Recognizeably American, but not grapefruity. It possesses a cool tangerine sweet citrus essence I haven't tasted anywhere else. Great all-around high-alpha choice.

Kazbek - dunno yet.

Centennial - Very good. Recognizeably American, often described as a super-Cascades. I can see that, similar grapefruitiness, but more grassy and peppery. Stands up better than most to a strong caramelly malt backbone.

Citra - Intense, super juicy, fruity. Strong lemongrass, citronella candle, Fruit Loops cereal flavour. This is definitely a love-em-or-hate-em hop cultivar. Needless to say, I love em. Some people pick-up cat piss aromas, I feel so sad for them.

[Monkeybrew]

I'm lead to believe our yeast (ex-Ridleys) is similar if not the same as Essex Ale yeast. Albeit much cheaper if you come and collect it!

Can't believe I spent the day, night and early morning at the brewery, and managed to come home without any yeast

Wasn't exactly thinking straight on the morning after though!

Cheers

MB

[joe1002]

I'm lead to believe our yeast (ex-Ridleys) is similar if not the same as Essex Ale yeast. Albeit much cheaper if you come and collect it!

Can't believe I spent the day, night and early morning at the brewery, and managed to come home without any yeast

Wasn't exactly thinking straight on the morning after though!

Cheers

MB

I came home with a tub, which started escaping in Kyle's car on the way home. I have used the Wibblers yeast on my last 4 or 5 brews the stuff is amazing. It completely fermented one of my beers in 48 hours (caught me by surprise and I missed the top cropping).

[Sadfield]

Cluster - Recognizeably American, but the noblest, if that makes sense. Pleasant citrus-rind bitterness, black currant, subtly spicy, flowery, hint of tart green apple skin, tangy, very nice. Not skunky/musky as so many people insist. Probably my all-time favourite all-purpose hop.

Good, description. I had a couple of bottles of an IPA I recently brewed with predominately Cluster (Ahtanum & Cascade being the other hops), last night. I find it a very unique hop, very sharp and I'd say a little more than subtly spicy. An interesting change from the more popular American hops.

[seymour]

Sadfield, I could be wrong of course (not having tasted your delicious-sounding brew) but I'd bet the excessive spice came from your Ahtanum and maybe yeast phenols. In any case, cheers!