Thoughts on these hops

[Clibit]

Thanks for those excellent hop tasting notes Seymour, if you have more, please post them! A sticky thread for them would be brilliant.

[seymour]

You're welcome Clibit. Which varieties do you want my big-mouth opinions on? Set 'em up and I'll knock 'em down!

[Clibit]

Knock em all down!

More the merrier. The site would benefit from a good hop tasting note list thingy. I'm sure others would like it too. That feasible?

[seymour]

Yikes, man! I agree that would be cool, and something I'd love to write-out all in one place eventually, but I definitely don't have the time at this point. I'm personally familiar with probably more than 100 hop varieties. In the meantime, I'll gladly reply to specific questions like this O.P. Are there some you're especially curious about, considering buying, unsure how best to showcase, etc?

[Clibit]

Ah sorry, thought you had them written down in some kinda database! What about...

Mosaic
Nugget
Admiral
WGV
Summer
Pacific jade
Pacific gem
Pacifica

[Wonkydonkey]

Can I add,,,,,,,,

Dr rudi.
Summit

Thanks I hope you .......would.

I can think off more, but I'm sure there will be a big line behind me

[seymour]

[youtube][/youtube]

Ah sorry, thought you had them written down in some kinda database!

Yeah, I wish, currently my notes are spread out in several formats. But now you've got me on a mission to compile all my hops tasting notes in one place. This thread is a good motivation to just do it. That earlier list I replied to while in the waiting room of my kids' orthodontist appointment. It was that or else watch the second half of Madagascar 3, guh.


Mosaic - A really unique and tasty hop when used correctly, an almost unpalatable hop when used incorrectly. They're very high-alpha, so the temptation is to use a small quantity for lots of bitterness in the main kettle addition. But that would be a mistake in my opinion, because they produce a harsh, unpleasant bitterness. Very coarse and weedy, not in a good way. However, when saved until late in the boil, or at flame-out, or in a whirlpool, or dry-hopped...they're fantastic. Floral, berry fruit, burnt orange, grapefruit, black currant, black pepper, herbal tea, very earthy and resiny, so so juicy. Extreme in every way. You could think of Mosaic as your nuclear option when crafting an extreme New World IPA, but you'd never use it in a classic style for competition, for instance. There's really no such thing as a Mosaic substitute, but I think Equinox/HBC366 gets close, and I actually might like that one better.

Nugget - A popular US super-alpha variety. Strong but pleasant bitterness, well-rounded flavours. Juicy fruit, tart citrus, some pine resin, flowers, spice. Very bold but a nice combination of Old World and New World traits. Best in hops-forward APAs and A-IPAs, but as such, a good base with which to blend-in other crazier hops to amplify your favourite traits.

Admiral - Hey guys, finally a England-native super-alpha to get excited about! Not too bitter, surprisingly fruity: juicy apricots, mangos, golden raisins, tangerines, pears. Smooth, no coarse weediness whatsoever. None of the harshness of Target, for instance. A very pleasant hop, possessing traits you'd normally associate with funky New World varieties.

WGV - In the olden days, this English hop was considered kinda funky like those imported from the damn colonies. I would categorize it as the midpoint between classic English hops (Goldings & Fuggles) and a bolder one like Cluster. It's pretty boring by today's standards though. "Luke-warm water gets spit out of your mouth"...that kinda thing. If you're going for recognizably English plus some funky stuff, you could use WGV, but I'd rather blend Goldings with Cascade, or Fuggles with Simcoe, for instance.

Summer - I haven't been very impressed with these. They're not bad, just nothing special or unique. Like Cascade but less grapefruit and black currant. Like Challenger but less earth and orange marmalade. A little like Northern Brewer but less cedar and mint. See what I mean? Just kinda blah, but fine. A local brewery uses all Summer hops in a nice malty red ale, one of their most popular flagship brands, but it's not a very hoppy brew. The brewer admits he uses them because they're cheaper than Cascade. I'd use them for generic bittering additions for the IBU heavy-lifting, then finish with more interesting aroma hops late in the boil. Some people rave about 'em though, so, I'd love to be proven wrong.

Pacific Jade - Another good New Zealand variety. Extremely bitter but not as harsh as most super-alpha varieties. Good mix of citrus and spice, works great at all stages of the brew. Blend with classic English aroma hops for a twisted Mild Ale, or blend with something like Galaxy for a kick-you-in-the-face IPA.

Pacific Gem - So far, I’ve enjoyed Pacific Gem everytime I’ve encountered it. A distinctive New Zealand variety, it shares some familiarities with its Cluster and Fuggle parents, but with a stronger, sharper bitterness and those cool down-under fruity, melon-y, Chamomile herbal tea-like notes. Good stuff, but definitely dominant. You can mellow it out by blending with noble German varieties, but I think it's best spotlighted in an experimental hoppy brew. For instance, it goes well in a saison with a hoppy twist.

Pacifica/Pacific Hallertau - I think I've only tasted this one in brew which were a blend of multiple hops, so I can't tell you exactly. But my impression is that Pacifica produces mostly familiar floral and earthy notes like the noble Hallertau from which it was bred, but with a little extra New Zealander fruit punch notes. I can tell you I've never disliked a beer brewed with Pacifica, but that's about it. I've seen it blended with Pride of Ringwood to smooth out the overall impression.

Can I add,,,,,,,,

Thanks I hope you .......would.

I can think off more, but I'm sure there will be a big line behind me

Sure thing:

Dr Rudi - Sorry, but dunno. I haven't brewed with these, nor tasted a beer containing them (that I know of.)

Summit - I love 'em, but it took me awhile to get there. This is an interesting cultivar, from an agronomic perspective. You guys in England have embraced the shift toward dwarf varieties much more than our US hops growers. Summit is a half-hearted attempt to get more US growers to accept dwarf plants, but it's not even a true genetic dwarf, it simply doesn't grow quite as tall as traditional varieties. Whatever. Who cares, how does it taste? Well, it's a super-alpha which means crazy, crazy bitter. A little bit goes a very long way in the boil. But all that resin makes for a pretty interesting dry hop too: citrusy, resiny, tropical fruity, with a very sharp bite like Columbus or Chinook, which is immediately noticeable but not a flaw if that's what you're going for. Sturdy, shall I say meaty? Blends well with other bold varieties such as Simcoe or Galaxy. It seems to me brewers have been finding lots more novel uses for Summit in the last couple years. Try 'em yourself and let us know what you think!

[Clibit]

Brilliant! Thanks Seymour. You've got a gift, I struggle to describe flavours in beer. I think your descriptions of the hops above that I've used are really good though.

Apollo, I would say the ganja dankness is pretty strong and is what they are all about.

Motueka I really like. They are an in between hop, a Saaz plus. Good for blonde/ summer ales if you want more than a noble hop but less than a Citra/cascade kind of thing. They lift the fruitiness in a more subtle but pleasant way.

Centennial, I am a big fan. For me they are Brewers gold with refinement and with American strength. They are rounded and full and work in a variety of beers, pale and dark. A great all purpose hop, my Cluster perhaps. I've used Cluster recently in a brown ale and I really like them. Will be using them more.

Fuggles - I am interested in the idea of blending it with Simcoe. Any other non-English hops it would blend well with, that you could recommend?

I've added Archer to my shopping list, and I've been meaning to try Nugget for ages. I have Crystal, WGV and Summer not yet used, and some Mosaic in the post winging its way towards me as we type. I've used a fair few hop varieties myself now, and tasted quite a lot more in single hop commercial ales. But there are so many these days! I had an Equinox IPA in the pub last week, it was very very nice, my first taste of that hop.

[seymour]

Brilliant! Thanks Seymour. You've got a gift, I struggle to describe flavours in beer. I think your descriptions of the hops above that I've used are really good though...

Thanks, mate, you're very kind.

Apollo, I would say the ganja dankness is pretty strong and is what they are all about.

Motueka I really like. They are an in between hop, a Saaz plus. Good for blonde/ summer ales if you want more than a noble hop but less than a Citra/cascade kind of thing. They lift the fruitiness in a more subtle but pleasant way.

Centennial, I am a big fan. For me they are Brewers gold with refinement and with American strength. They are rounded and full and work in a variety of beers, pale and dark. A great all purpose hop, my Cluster perhaps. I've used Cluster recently in a brown ale and I really like them. Will be using them more...

I agree with all points. Centennial is fantastic, you're right. It's usually thought of as a bold IPA hop, but it's surprisingly versatile, adding an interesting edge even to mellow summer golden ales or malty Scottish ales, for instance.

Fuggles - I am interested in the idea of blending it with Simcoe. Any other non-English hops it would blend well with, that you could recommend?...

Hmmm, well, it's not non-English, but I think Flyer blends well with Fuggles, putting an all-English brew on the same level as many renowned hops-forward New World hits. I know some of our members are sick of Fuggles, but I really enjoy their classic woodsy, earthy, sorta composty and peaty essence. If you think of that as a baseline, you could supplement with any new-fangled, one-trick IPA hop you like: Citra for a lemongrass, Thai-food kinda thing. Mosaic to amplify the fruity and resiny notes. Sterling to increase the floral notes. Crystal to increase the sweet-citrus notes. Sorachi Ace to bring-in some interesting hints of lemon zest and spicy basil. Chinook to blow everyone's minds. Calypso to pair with pear. Meridian to introduce blueberry, melon, and mint. The possiblities are endless...

I've added Archer to my shopping list, and I've been meaning to try Nugget for ages. I have Crystal, WGV and Summer not yet used, and some Mosaic in the post winging its way towards me as we type. I've used a fair few hop varieties myself now, and tasted quite a lot more in single hop commercial ales. But there are so many these days! I had an Equinox IPA in the pub last week, it was very very nice, my first taste of that hop.

Good, I look forward to hearing what you think of all those. Don't just take my word for it!

Cheers,
-Seymour

[Clibit]

Thanks Seymour. Meridian sound interesting, don't see them for sale over here, I don't think. Never tried Calypso either. Too many hops, too little time!

[Monkeybrew]

Too many hops, too little time!

Ain't that the truth

[WalesAles]

Thanks for those excellent hop tasting notes Seymour, if you have more, please post them! A sticky thread for them would be brilliant.

Clibit,
Try this for a sticky

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=65236

WA

[Clibit]

Cheers Wales!