Nelson Sauvin hops

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toylander

Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by toylander » Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:33 pm

One of my favourite brews I do is a single hop using Nelson Sauvin.
I've brewed this about a dozen times and love the flavour of passion fruit you get with these hops. The trouble is that the last few times I've brewed it I'm not getting the passion fruit flavour, it just tastes like a pale ale.
I put it down to the batch of hops I bought which was pellets. The last brew I did was with a new batch of hops which was not pellets and again it just tastes like a pale ale. I haven't changed the recipe or the method. The abv is consistent.
Is it possible my taste buds are no longer picking up these flavours? Is there changes in hop characteristics from year to year?

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alexlark
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by alexlark » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:06 pm

I've been thinking the same lately. Just before Christmas I brewed a double IPA and that hit the spot. These days even a Punk IPA isn't really doing it for me.

Bazz
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by Bazz » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:16 pm

I'm convinced my taste buds become immune to the taste of hops in hoppy things like APA's, i ust switch over to an English bitter for a while to help them recover!

A few weeks a go i was finishing off some bottles from Christmas, 2 bottles of Jackhammer and a bottle of Punk IPA, i drank the Jackhammers first then the Punk, i literally couldn't taste the Punk at all, and that is not known for being bland.

WalesAles
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by WalesAles » Tue Mar 28, 2017 7:37 pm

Toy, Bazz, Alex,
You are all Doomed! #-o
https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/ ... threshold/

Hoppy Days.

WA

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alexlark
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by alexlark » Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:15 pm

Good article WA. I've definitely got a hop dependence!! Lol

As for bitterness I've even been looking up CO2 extract!

Apart from spending more on hops those beers need a good ABV backbone, 1 pint of DIPA of an evening and I'm sleeping.

beersoulman

Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by beersoulman » Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:33 pm

Just try a glass of San Miguel then go back to it . You'll taste the hops!


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brewbrew
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by brewbrew » Mon Apr 03, 2017 7:43 pm

I have experienced the same variation myself - I think a big factor is simply the batch-to-batch quality differences that you get in small batch hops. I have had some dry hops with full aroma in the dry state that made good beer - then I have had more moderate aroma hops (that still smell good - just not as intense) that make mediocre/OK beer. I have noticed the variations more in Nelson Sauvin and Amarillo than others. Interestingly they are both in short supply and expensive - do we always get 100% of what we pay for??

Frothy

Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by Frothy » Fri May 05, 2017 1:23 am

Interesting point.
Our experiences of tastes and aromas are totally subjective, for example if we are in a bad mood or depressed a meal will taste bland and you will hardly notice the aroma - even if its the same meal you usually really enjoy. (Im not suggesting thats the case for you.)
Also your taste buds can simply get tired. I work with lots of different flavoured products and I notice that my palate becomes tired after a long days work and everything tastes unimpressive, coming back to the same products the next day and they are usually much brighter tasting and more stimulating than I remember at the end of the previous day. For similar reasons its not a good idea to taste after strong tastes like coffee or cigarettes.

Good palate cleansers are water, melon or crackers if you want to re-set the deck between beers.

If this is your favourite beer I bet there is something not so great with the hops to be honest.

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orlando
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Re: Nelson Sauvin hops

Post by orlando » Fri May 05, 2017 8:18 am

Frothy wrote:Interesting point.
Our experiences of tastes and aromas are totally subjective, for example if we are in a bad mood or depressed a meal will taste bland and you will hardly notice the aroma - even if its the same meal you usually really enjoy. (Im not suggesting thats the case for you.)
A point made in the TV programme "The truth about stress" last night, notable for telling me nothing I didn't already know, very weak and disappointing.
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