General Category > Ingredients

NZ hop varieties?

(1/7) > >>

nateo:
Nelson Sauvin is the only NZ hop I've used, but I loved it. Are there other NZ hops I should try? I've been reading the descriptions of the varieties, but they're all kinda vague, so I'm looking for some first-hand experience.

erockrph:
I have some single-hopped Pale Ales bottle conditioning right now that include Nelson, Rakau and Motueka. They're carbing up now, so I'll post my tasting notes in another week or two.

Here are my notes I took on the aroma of the hops themselves:

Rakau (11.4% - from Rebel): grassy, tropical fruit, spice

Motueka (7.2% -from Rebel): herbal/citrus (noble-like with a citrus kick)

Nelson Sauvin (12.1% - from AHS): American/West Coast hop aroma; fruit/citrus with a distinct "white wine" note


I really liked the Motueka, and had a note that I wanted to brew a Pils with it. The descriptors I read said it has a lime or lemon-lime aroma, but I couldn't get that just off the hops - it was just a nondescript "citrus" to me. Maybe more of that character will show up in the finished beer.

I remember being a bit disappointed in the Rakau. I think I was expecting a bombastic Citra/Galaxy aroma when I cracked into the package, but the hops themselves weren't as aromatic as I hoped. I'll reserve judgement until I taste the final product though.

The NZ hop I want to try the most is Riwaka, but I haven't seen it available this year.

nateo:
I've never used Citra or Galaxy before either. A few years ago I was really into hoppy beers, but I've been doing "continental" styles almost exclusively for the last couple years. I guess I got bored with the "typical" PNW hops, like the Cs, Simcoe, et al.

erockrph:
Of the ones I've tried, I think Motueka holds the most promise in continental styles. I'm just not sure how the herbal/spicy vs citrus balance comes out in the finished beer. The Pils I was planning with it will probably be more of an APA/Pils hybrid - Pils malt with a touch of Munich and either fermented with 2112/2124 or Chico in the low 60's.

There are a few NZ hops that look promising for noble-style hops, but I still have a lot of US hybrids that I haven't gotten to yet. I'll probably stick to the fruity stuff unless I see a great sale on something like Pacifica or Southern Cross.

nateo:
Sorry, I left that thought unfinished (busy at work today). I got kinda bored of hop-forward beers, but the Nelson got me interested in making those kinds of beers again. I've been making hop-forward beers again with the Nelson (like APAs and IPAs), so I'm looking for hops with the most "punch" of fruity flavors/aromas, like the Nelson.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page