With so many different hops available these days, it's impossible for each homebrewer to brew all of them single-handedly. Jim's Beer Kit is a great place to read what worked for other homebrewers, but it's especially handy when commercial brewers do this "dirty-work" for us. I taste every single-hop beer I can find, and post ratings to Ratebeer, which serves as a handy online resource whenever I need to remember my impressions of a certain hop. It occured to me these thoughts might benefit other nerdy homebrewers on this forum too.
Disclaimer: these are my own subjective opinionated conclusions, based on just one sample, at one specific moment in time. I am frequently surprised by how much another brewer's results differ, even using the same single hop variety. Your mileage may vary, and I certainly don't think my taste buds are superior to anyone else's.
From my Ratebeer rating of Schlafly Pi Golden Mean
Aroma: 6 out of 10, Appearance: 4 out of 5, Taste: 7 out of 10 , Palate: 3 out of 5, Overall: 14 out of 20
Total Score: 3.4 out of 5
Tasted on tap at Pi on Pi Day. Here’s another clever math pun and cleverly repurposed next iteration of Schlafly’s single hop trials. It poured a very light golden colour with slight chill haze, a thick, persistent white head with lace. Aromas were light, too, mere hints of husky grains, grass, weeds, very vegetal like garden tomato plants on a hot summer day. I didn’t pickup traditional citrus and pine resin at all. Interesting, I wonder if it’ll settle-down with age? Definitely not your typical refined English hop, nowhere near as smooth as Fuggles, Goldings, Northern Brewer, Challenger, etc. Flavor was akin to Schlafly’s other 100% Optic brews: slight malt sweetness, white bread, rounded and a bit mushy, not as crisp and biscuity as they claim. It’s a brave recipe though, they have to say everything they wanna say with two moves, nowhere to hide. Light-medium body, average carbonation, long-lasting mild hoppiness. I’d say Northdown hops present an unobtrusive bitterness, weak but unique flavors and aromas. Overall a nice, easy-drinking English golden ale. Good not great, but a perfectly fine pizza beer which was the whole point.