Hop Heads - Old World vs. New World Hops

This happens a lot in the culinary world too. New World hops are of course...new. The next big thing will come out and people will gravitate to that trend. Plus these new world hops are pretty complex.

 

...Because they taste amazing?

 

Just new flavors and aromas to enjoy. Doesn't mean they're any better or worse than Old World. Just new and exciting.

 

Is the implication that the old-world ones somehow don't?

 

Because they explore new flavors that previously weren't available?

 

Way back when the west coast was the easier source of hops than Europe. So US brewers in the early years found it easier to develop their beers using US hops. The flavors became popular. Then over time more US brewers learned some of their skills in Germany and the UK and began to use European hops as well. But it is still "harder" for US brewers to ensure a steady supply of relatively fresh noble hops than US hops. Noble hops or British hops grown in the US don't have the same flavor profile that they do when grown in Europe.

So bottom line: Convenience for brewers and familiarity for beer drinkers.

 

No...

 

Then why don't hop-heads gravitate as much to the old-world hop varieties? That was the OP's question.

 

Not all those hops are from the U.S., but we could very well be the biggest consumers as IPAs are often the flagship style for many breweries.

Personally, I like trying the new hop varieties, but will always return to solid examples of old favorites. Plus, I get tired of the same variety, especially when it seems like everyone is using it. *cough* Mosaic

 

for me it depends on the type of beer. I love some old world hops in old world beers. I just dont see a beer like orval working with simcoe or centennial, or most other new worlds. with that said i love super hoppy beers and all my favorite beers are new world hopped.

 

I'm responding to the question of "Why do hop heads generally gravitate to new world hops?", which the OP did say, to which my first reply is my response. American hops have all those crazy, aggressive citrus, tropical fruit, and pine flavors, which are understandably loved and craved. It may be very well be a shame that the Old World hops are overshadowed because of this, but the appeal that the New World hops have is undeniable.

 

I guess I'm kind of a neo-classicist? My favorite hops are American, but not the latest/greatest. Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe are probably my top three. I've loved Fuggles for a long time, and recently just came to understand how truly great East Kent Goldings is. Citra's nice, and I like beers brewed with Mosaic, Galaxy, etc., but, and I mean this sincerely: Why are we trying to make beer that tastes more and more like candy?

 

Once I found a hop profile that didn't taste like someone put a pine tree in my glass with some fresh cut grass sprinkled in, I ran with it.

I'm all for citrus forward IPA's. The juicier and fruitier I can get them the better.

I'm Definately a New Age hop head. Bring on the Citra, Mosaic, Kiwi!!

 

New world hops are popular for the same reason that "big" styles like DIPA, Impy Stouts (esp the BA ones or ones brewed with additives), Barleywines etc are popular. Because they're bold and in your face, and have easily discernible flavour profiles.

I'm not knocking new world or old world hops, or big or small beers. But that's just the way it is in this community.

 

Because most don't actually like hops they are just big fans of fruit.

 

Complexity and intensity of flavors. Personally I tend to enjoy citrus and tropical fruit flavors more than piney flavors as well, which New and Old world hops are each known for, respectively. With that said, I enjoy the hell out of both, I just lean that direction when given the choice.

Another possible factor is that with the rarity of newer hop varieties, the breweries that have a chance to use them are generally better ones, whereas anyone out there can get as much of an old hop as they like, so there's a bit of a skew toward higher quality in the pool of available choices of new hop beers.

 

New World hops have a differing hop flavor/aroma profile from Old World hops. Lots of craft beer drinkers have a preference for the flavors/aromas that New World hops have. The ‘first’ BIG New World hop was Cascade which was introduced in the early 70’s.

For those looking to learn more about hops I would highly recommend the book For the Love of Hops by Stan Hieronymus.

A clever way to represent the flavor/aroma profile is via a chart that is sometimes referred to as a Hop Spider Chart; below is an example:

 

Lol. Galaxy hops are from Australia, and the very word "kiwi" is a nickname for all things from New Zealand. But it is very American to take things from other cultures and claim them as our own.

 

It's of course personal opinion and taste (plus perhaps what I'm used to) but I like my hops to taste of hops and not grapefruit, lychees or whatever. If I want a drink tasting of grapefruit then I can buy grapefruit juice.Old World hops (my fav is EKG) have a unique taste and aroma.

 

I like dank hops and I cannot lie. You other BAs can't deny. When a beer gets served with a juicy fruity nose and some citrus that just flows your mind's blown!

 

I love the juicy, tropical and citric nature of a lot of the New World hops. Those are characteristics you don't really find in a lot of Old World hops.

 

"I like my hops to taste of hops" isn't very descriptive, when different varieties of hops have a huge range of flavors. ALL of them are hop flavors however.

 

While I'm not familiar with EKG, I agree with your sentiment. Whenever I see a comment like "straight up fruit juice", I think, does the poster consider this a good thing or a bad thing? Why not just buy fruit juice? The more I try the Galaxy hops of the world, the less I like them.

 

Marquis appears to be of the opinion that European hops are the only 'real' hops since they have what he terms "taste of hops". According to him hops like Cascade, Citra, Simcoe, Galaxy, etc. are not 'real' hops since their flavor profile is not consistent with European hops like East Kent Goldings. I suppose the 'logical' extension of this is that New World Hops are 'non-real' hops?

Cheers!

 

More mosaic hops! (Unlike what that other guy said!)

 

You're putting words in his mouth, and being a little bit hard on him don't you think? IMHO "I like my hops to taste of hops" seems like a perfectly reasonable thing to say. His favorite, East Kent Goldings, has been loved and used by brewers for over two hundred years. Maybe in the 23rd century hop varieties like Motueka and Nelson Sauvin will be what homebrewers are thinking of when they say things like "I like my hops to taste of hops." Too early to tell.

 

Both are good...GREAT...brewing wouldn't be the same if there weren't all the available resources...

 

I did say that perhaps it's what I'm used to. EKG was around about 200 years before even I began drinking and it has maintained its position as a leading hop because of its sheer drinking quality.The test of time you might say. Compare with the upstart Fuggles with only 140 years of use.
The problem with these hops is that you need a lot more of them than of the present high AA hops.But when you do the results are as good as it gets.


There are a lot of beers appearing these says with a dreary sameness; in particular they taste of grapefruit

 

'New World Hops" are New, insightful i know. As for the New vs Old Hops alot comes into play with the alpha acids and profiles you want to impart on a beer. Its a lot easier and uses a lot less New world Hops to hit the IBU targets in the dominant style of American IPA.

Iam someone who loves EKG and Fuggles and Saaz hops just as much as I love Simcoe, Galaxy, Mosaic.