Dry Hopping?

Yep, just look at grape growing regions for wine, or even just tomatoes. It was even a plot point in a Seinfeld episode. In the Philly and NYC areas, Jersey tomatoes are highly regarded. In Virginia, it's Hanover tomatoes. You can grow tomatoes damn near anywhere, but in season, folks are willing to pay a premium for some grown in a certain region.

 

Back in the hop shortage (2008 IIRC) breweries were scrambling to get hops. Argentinian Cascade hops were sourced and used by some. The beers didn't have Cascade characteristics.

Stan Hieronymous has written about hop terroir. The soil and climate do affect the outcome.

 

Terroir will impact the qualities of hops but also when it is decided to harvest the hops will have a significant impact. The same variety of hops from the same hop farm will be notably different if it is harvested early vs. later.

I would encourage folks to read an article published by MBAA entitled “First Steps Toward Understanding the Regional Identity of Hops Grown in the Willamette Valley, Oregon”

One snippet from that article:

“Three recent studies show that hop essential oils are sensitive to harvest timing (10,11,17). In each study, hop oil content increased with a delay in harvest.”

For the case of Michigan grown Chinook hops perhaps the crop(s) that is harvested later will present more aromas/flavors of pineapple vs. an early harvest.

Cheers!

 

My rather extreme example of terroir influencing hop characteristics was when a high-school friend and fellow brewer sent me some of his home-grown Hallertaur hops, grown in central Pennsylvania. There was nothing even closely noble about them. I don't recall their characteristics exactly, but they were big, bold, and brash.* I used them as late additions in what turned out to be one of my best American Pale Ales ever.

Cheers!

*If it occurs to me later, I see if I have any tasting notes.

 

You want to start some shit start saying hatch green chiles are the best when you visit pueblo Colorado. Fights on.

 

Honestly, if I do a 4:4:1 blend of anaheim, poblanos and jalapenos, I can't tell the difference when roasted.

Fermented a bunch of Hatch chilis last year for a sauce, hoping for a tangy mild sauce with a bit of a kick, and see if I could figure out what the big to-do was about. Turned out meh and just used it to make enchiladas.

 

Maryland terroir bro.

 

Climate,soil fertility and harvest timing all effect crop production what ever the crop.

 

Nah man, they were sourced from New Mexico.
Hopefully, I'll get the garden going next year and I'll find out what the terroir is actually about.

 

When anything is blended it's hard to pick out the individual components. Hops, chiles, whatever. I can sit down and eat those three chiles individually and could name them by taste. The poblanos would be a guess, but I eat green Chile and jalapenos almost daily. The same goes for beer. I know citra hops a mile away simply from drinking so many beers with them. I would like to try the ones from MI just to compare.

 

I'm guessing this is why mid-level commercial breweries have evolving hop bills for flagship IPAs. Not enough clout to demand specs, but sophisticated enough to roll with the punches.

 

I don't think anyone is growing Citra in MI, as it is a controlled proprietary hop.

The rivalry between Hatch Chile and Pueblo Chile is amusing. I've spent a fair amount of time in NM, and even have had a Green Chile Cheeseburger at Sparky's in Hatch. Haven't had the Colorado Green Chilies, so I can't compare.

Just like there are hop varieties, there are Chile Pepper varieties. Hatch is where they are grown, like saying Yakima or Hallertau.
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-types/sweet-mild-chili-peppers/hatch-chili-peppers/

 

Dont quote me but I think @erway has mentioned that is why he keeps the elevated blend diversified. If one varietal is in shortage it can be compensated for.

Hop head farms had citra advertised. As for Chile hatch and Pueblo fall short of chimayo chile.

 

Hop Head farms sells hops from the Pacific Northwest (as well as Europe). There’s no Citra grown in Michigan. Citra is only grown in WA, OR, and ID.

 

I attended a Mitch Steele presentation at one of the NHC's where he made the same comment as to why they used so many hop varieties for brewing Stone Enjoy By IPA; if one of the hop varieties was unavailable (or unacceptable) the plethora of other hop varieties will 'mask' this absence.

Cheers!

 

@wasatchback best me to it. The guy who owns MI Hop Alliance sells Citra, but doesn't grow it. He has said it is not grown in MI due to the licensing.

Chimayo Chile is so danged good.

 

Totally off topic but somehow not, have you been to the santuario in chimayo? They have hops growing there and I want to pilfer some so bad.

 

I have been there, rubbed some dirt on a sore elbow, missed seeing the hops.

The Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert has a hop yard. I've driven out there, a stunning drive along Rio Chama through the Eastern edge of the Colorado Plateau. We've been told the hops got intermixed, they can't really say what is growing where. That is sad as they had NroMexicanous hops planted.

 

The 9nes at the Santuario grow along the fence line right next to the river. We went in June and the sours immediately caught my eye. I suspect they are a type of neomexicanus as well, but who knows?

 

Will look next time.