Favorite Hops

Similar list to yours...

1) Nelson
2) Citra
3) Amarillo
4) Simcoe
5) Galaxy

 

1) Centennial
2) Cascade
3) EKG
4) Amarillo
5) Willamette

 

I could make a case for Citra in just about any beer.

 

1) Centennial
2) UK Progress
3) Citra
4) Cascade
5) Amarillo

 

1) Amarillo
2) Centennial
3) Citra
4) Willamette (for my porters)
5) Columbus

The first 3 are the combo I use in my best beers (In my opinion of course). I just bought some Nelson Sauvin which I will experiment with at some point soon, possibly in some kind of blonde ale. I have a Galaxy IPA on tap now which is good but I don't think I used it to its full potential yet, maybe next time.

 

Saaz for Czech lagers.
Hallertau Mittelfrueh for German.
EKG for British Ales.
Cluster for my old school CAP.
Mosaic is my new favorite.

Do not like Nelson - it doesn't work for me.

 

I just bought 8 oz Mosaic based purely on your recommendation and some superficial research. So thanks.

 

For what style of beer?

 

All beers could use a large dose of Amarillo. Just put an "I" or "Indian" in front of its name, Indian Pilsner, Indian Gueze...

And for the OP I don't have a list of 5 but I quite like Amarillo, Citra & Centennial.

 

My list is basically the same as hopfenunmaltz:

Saaz for Czech lagers.
Hallertau Mittelfrueh for German.
EKG for British Ales.
Cluster for my old school CAP.
For my IPAs: Centennial, Citra, Simcoe, Amarillo

Just as is the case for hopfenunmaltz I am not a big fan of Nelson Sauvin but I did enjoy Anchor Humming Ale. Maybe judicious use of Nelson Sauvin results in a tasty beer (for my palate)?

Some hops I will consider for future beers:

“Galaxy is one of the most exciting new hop cultivars developed to date. When used as a late addition for flavor or aroma it contributes a distinctive clean citrus and passionfruit character which is more striking and intense the later the addition.”

“Mosaic™ (HBC 369) is an aroma hop variety developed by Hop Breeding Company, LLC that was released in 2012. It offers a unique and complex blend of floral, tropical, fruity, and earthy characteristics that translate very favorably into several styles of beer. Mosaic™ is the daughter of Simcoe® (YCR 14) and a Nugget derived male.~Hop Growers of America, Guide 2012”

Cheers!

Edit: Another hop to consider for a future batch:

“Rakau hops are suitable for use both as bittering and aroma. Developed as a true dual purpose variety typically with alpha acid above 10 % delivers soft bitterness through low levels of Cohumulone less than 25 % of alpha acids. Can be used for multiple additions with late hop character delivering tropical fruit aromas of passionfruit and peach. Quite high levels of oil with an H/C ratio typical of classical aroma varieties.

This variety has a lot of typical New Zealand fruity character so would be best suited to new world styles of ale and lager such as Pales and "big" IPA's.”

 

Mosaic is hard to find. Freshops has it.

 

Would you expect that Mosaic will become more widely available in 2013 (e.g., Northern Brewer, Midwest, etc.)?

 

1 - Nelson
2 - Centennial
3 - Amarillo
4 - Citra
5 - Simcoe

 

Depends.. IPA... All of the above.. Amarillo, Citra, Simcoe, Chinook, Centennial and Cascade are all good as hell.

In the darker stuff, I like EKG, Willamette, even Northern Brewer, even Fuggles.

 

Don't know. More acres vs. larger contracts from the brewers?

 

“larger contracts from the brewers”. Are commercial breweries using Mosaic? Do you have any examples of commercial (packaged) beers with Mosaic that I could try?

Cheers!

 

Just tapped an IPA with some Rakau...problem is I also used Citra, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, and Columbus (2:2:2:1:1...very delicious, but I don't really know why other than this is the first brew using Rakau.

Would have liked to make a single-hopped Rakau, but didn't : (

 

I have had some pub only beers at Bells with Mosaic. Don't know if they have the amount of hops to make in volume and package. You can see that they tried a few. 2012-6 was on tap last week in the back room, and it was Mosaic. Really liked it.
http://bellsbeer.com/blog/73-Bell__...tyles_of_beer_exclusive_to_the_Eccentric_Cafe

Bells and RR got them to try last year for brerwery trials as X-369. I also think 2 or 3 other breweries had them for trials. Widmer? Deschutes? Can't remember the other ones.

Edit - Widmer did make a beer with X-369.