[Wort-H.O.G.]

I really do think it's such a unique hop, it's a love it or hate it thing.

yes this thread reminds me that hops are like spices when it comes to peoples perceptions, likes, dislikes.

I hate cilantro...others love it!

[beersk]

Hate Mosaic and Simcoe.  I have many cats.  I know what cat pee smells like.  I don't need it in my beer.

Love Sorachi Ace.  My Sorachi Ace IPA tastes fantastic.  BJCP judges do not agree with this sentiment.  Scored low 20s in two competitions in the standard IPA category, with all sorts of make-believe descriptors including "diacetyl" and "phenolic".  Sorry, jerks (not you, them), there's no diacetyl or phenols in this beer; you just don't like Sorachi Ace and you don't know why if it's not specified as a Specialty IPA, so then you make crap up so you can score it down.  Nice.

Well, Dave, this is why entering competitions is pointless, in my opinion. It's not a pissing contest and we do this to make good beer. Competitions are there for people to get their egos stroked. Sure they can provide good feedback to beginners, but otherwise, as an experienced brewer with a developed palate, you're going to get crap like that from time to time (or all the time).

Paul, nice Consuela reference. She's one of the funnier characters on that show.

[dmtaylor]

Well, Dave, this is why entering competitions is pointless, in my opinion. It's not a pissing contest and we do this to make good beer. Competitions are there for people to get their egos stroked. Sure they can provide good feedback to beginners, but otherwise, as an experienced brewer with a developed palate, you're going to get crap like that from time to time (or all the time).

After entering three competitions recently, with for one example my smoked apple ale scoring anywhere from 24 on the low end to 45 and 2nd Best of Show on the high end... I am coming to the same conclusion.  This crapshoot of having to enter at least 3 competitions for every beer in order to get 1 or 2 good quality scoresheets back is no longer worth the ~$100 in entry fees and shipping.  I've become a better judge and critic of my own beer than 90% of these posers that I am paying to judge my beer for me.  I might not enter many competitions anymore.  Still, I do crave the occasional stroking of ego.  But only if it's cheap, or where I stand a good chance to win $500 or whatever (Arktoberfest, anyone?).

[udubdawg]

Mostly doing the same Dave. Other than NHC, and maybe a couple MWHBOTY comps, maybe if I've got something great and see someone offering a sweet BOS prize, maybe I send it in.
Medals are nice but I prefer beer and money.

Anyway, back to the hop hatin'

[fmader]

The easy answer for me here is Summit. Same reasons for everybody else. But I'm going against the grain (except for Dave (but I love simcoe)). I hate Mosaic! I try to like it. I always buy commercial beers with it to see if I pick up the great flavors that everybody describes to me. I get the onion/garlic flavor from Mosaic. Same thing when I've used it in homebrews. It's awful. It smells fruity but tastes like butt.

[klickitat jim]

Can I hug you, Jim?  Are you offering me a hug?  Please? 

Concider yourself hugged.

Comps... what can you say? I do NHC and Bend. Here's why, for fun and to support those organizations. As to the outcome, basically if I don't win then those judges are morons. If I win they are geniuses.

Kidding aside, the best reason to enter in a comp is to support the club or organization that is benefiting from your entry fees.

[reverseapachemaster]

Cluster is probably my least favorite. It's definitely blackberries and catpiss to me. I also find it fairly harsh.

Simcoe is not far behind. It's often catpiss on a cheap pine air freshener. I'm not a huge fan of citra to begin with but I find it's completely ruined in those simcoe/citra combinations.

Not too big of a fan of centennial either. It's got a fake floral taste to me like somebody dosed the beer with Glade. I do like it wet hopped though.

[Iliff Ave]

I am surprised to see that some share my dislike for mosaic. I kind of thought it was the new universally accepted IPA hop. I do like simcoe and citra though. It seems that the dislike that I have for mosaic is similar to the dislike others have for those although I have never got cat pee out of any hop.

[fmader]

I have never got cat pee out of any hop.

It is amazing how many people know what cat pee tastes like.

[Iliff Ave]

I have never got cat pee out of any hop.

It is amazing how many people know what cat pee tastes like.

Haha. Having 2 cats, I just know what it smells like. I suppose I could start doing some side by sides with simcoe beers.

[erockrph]

Not too big of a fan of centennial either. It's got a fake floral taste to me like somebody dosed the beer with Glade. I do like it wet hopped though.

I don't use much Centennial, since everyone and their brother already makes a Centennial IPA (or at least did when I started brewing), but I used in a recent IPA and I was amazed by how much dank and resin I got at that kind of hopping rate. The resin was much stronger than any citrus or floral I got out of it.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have never got cat pee out of any hop.

It is amazing how many people know what cat pee tastes like.

I smell the cat pee in some beers, but it has to be strong. The compound is  4MMP, you may be blind to it if you have never smelled it. Genetics, just like cilantro is like soap to some.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

I have never got cat pee out of any hop.

It is amazing how many people know what cat pee tastes like.

The easy answer for me here is Summit. Same reasons for everybody else. But I'm going against the grain (except for Dave (but I love simcoe)). I hate Mosaic! I try to like it. I always buy commercial beers with it to see if I pick up the great flavors that everybody describes to me. I get the onion/garlic flavor from Mosaic. Same thing when I've used it in homebrews. It's awful. It smells fruity but tastes like butt.

some people say they think something tastes like butt....

long time no see Frank!

[hopfenundmalz]

Centennial is high in cis-rose oxide, which is that floral aroma. The Brewers love it, the growers, well not so much as it is low yield and finicky to grow.

[denny]

I see several posts about onion flavors. Isn't onion a sign of mistreated hop or hops that were left on the bine too long?

Yeah, from what we learned ah Hop and Brew School, it's a sign of a hop harvested later than optimal.