What's the best way anyone has developed to learn to identify different hops in beer? I know that certain beers I like have certain kinds of hops (hello Citra!) but if you put six IPAs in front of me with different hop combinations and asked me to identify them, I'm pretty sure I'd strike out. Is there a hops scratch'n'sniff like when I was a kid? Or is the best you can do buy a Deconstructed 12 Pack or buy a variety from the local homebrew store?
They sell hops at your local brew shop, but that may get expensive for tasting. They also sell hop lozenges from all different types of single hops. You could find them online for relatively cheap, taste each one, and review your results.
Dear god that needs to be created. As well as candles and cologne with the scent of various hops. Can you imagine Citra or Galaxy cologne? Actually, it's probably better they're made into women's perfume. I just got a business idea.
I had some hop aftershave or cologne some time back. Let us just say it was not something the wife liked, and she likes hoppy beers.
Scratch and sniff, hmm that would be great if it worked. So far as I know, though, the only way to really do this is to homebrew some SMaSH (Single Malt and Single Hop) beers and drink enough of them to get familiar. Our homebrew club is planning to do this, but it is a big project. Mikkeller does a series of these but with them cost is high per oz. and freshness concerns make results less useful
Visited this place this past summer. Hop soaps, cologne, etc.: http://www.hopfen-laden.de/index.ph....html&XTCsid=d7faca8a681ca10e8163ddad8e28c8fd also hop gummis, chocolates, etc.: http://www.hopfen-laden.de/index.ph....html&XTCsid=d7faca8a681ca10e8163ddad8e28c8fd EDIT: oh yea, and hop Schnapps: http://www.hopfen-laden.de/index.ph....html&XTCsid=d7faca8a681ca10e8163ddad8e28c8fd
Impressive stocking stuffers! Though I wish some of those things came in different hop varietals.... not just "hop soap", but Simcoe soap
Pretty sure they do, as the Hops Museum in which this gift shop is located experiments with multiple varieties of hops from all over the world. They just don't market things the way U.S. brewing does.
Given the multitude of hop varieties, and the multitude of ways those hops can be combined and utilized, I just don't see developing the ability to accurately identify hop varieties in beers as being feasible. Check out any homebrew forum and scroll through the clone recipes - if there's no recipe offered from the brewery of the beer being cloned, everybody has their own ideas as to which hops are used and when/how. All of this begs the question... why? Why do you want to be able to identify which hops are used?
Well, I had a beer last year which I really enjoyed, and which the brewer reported was made "with Gouldings and Chinook hops." This was a one-off and I've been on a search ever since to find something with a similar profile. I'm not a homebrewer and have no idea what each of these varieties brought to the party, but maybe it would help if I knew something more about them.
Huh? I just like beer and I want to know more about it. It seems like some homebrew company (Northern Brewer?) should sell a hops variety pack or something...
At best, you might be able to identify which hops were used for aroma. That still leaves flavor and bittering. The best way to learn more about beer is to brew it.
