Ingredients you don't like.

i wish I could like this post twice!

You da man!!!

 

I've only used it once, but melanoiden malt in a Bo Pils recipe earlier this year was really off putting. It could be that my bitterness wasn't where it needed to be, but I found that even at 2% it gave a cloying sweetness that just didn't do it for me.

SO-4, never ever again. It leaves a really unpleasant raw dough character every time i've used it. no thanks.

 

I have had a few commercial beers that used melanoiden malt in very small amounts and I never enjoyed those beers. They had a flavor aspect that was 'off' for my personal palate. Because of those experiences I made a mental note to never use melanoiden malt in any of my homebrewed beers.

When I am looking for a bit of toasty flavor aspect to a batch of beer I will use a bit of Vienna Malt as part of the grain bill.

Cheers!

 

A related story.

At the 2015 National Homebrewers Conference they gave every attendee a complimentary bottle of a beer they branded as Ron Mexico which was brewed by Russian River which featured the new hop HBC-438 (which was later given a name: Sabro). Below is the label of that beer:



I really enjoyed drinking that beer! I picked up zero coconut in that beer.

They also provided a clone recipe sheet so that we could homebrew our own version of this Ron Mexico beer. I was not able to source these new HBC-438 hops but a fellow homebrewer (@hopfenunmaltz) did and he brewed with them. In a past thread he described his beer:

"I am drinking my HBC-438 clone based on the RR recipe. Seems a little lighter in body than I remember.

Aroma is citrus, lots of grapefruit, followed by stone fruit.

Stone fruit in the flavor, followed by "hoppy favors" and only what I will call "wild hop" flavor for lack of a better term. This will be fun to drink."

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/hbc-438.328703/

In 2020 I finally purchased some Sabro hops and homebrewed an IPA which featured them. In July 2020 I posted:

"I recently homebrewed an IPA where I solely used Sabro hops for flavor and aroma (including dry hopping) additions. I thought that beer was very good and my wife must have absolutely loved it because that batch was gone before I knew it. For my palate I mostly picked up a combination of coconut & tropical fruit/citrus flavors. For people who like to drink Pina Coladas this would be a perfect IPA for them."

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/hatred-for-the-sabro-hop.644410/#post-6983705

So, it sure seems that over the past 5-6 years this hop has sure 'evolved' to where the contemporary hop crops have a prominent coconut aspect to them.

If you dislike coconut then Sabro is indeed a hop variety to avoid IMO.

Cheers!

 

How is this for irony, I just received an e-mail from Yakima Valley Hops and they have a sale on for Sabro hops:

“Sabro® is the perfect hop for summer! It is smooth and sunny with bright notes of tangerine, peaches, and tropical fruits. Sabro's unique neomexicanus character shines through as coconut and cream.

Sabro works well in a wide range of styles and is a standout superstar in hazies. Sabro can excel on her own, but really works best when in a supporting role. Even just 10-20% in your hop bill can take your NEIPA to the next level.

So snag some Sabro on sale today and stock up on all your hops for the summer!”

The price for a pound of Sabro is $14.00. A great deal for those who are fans of this hop.

https://yakimavalleyhops.com/produc...y1iPVEM7gqnaWnhhDL8B8crvn8VB7bO47snnmm.VQEefX

Cheers!

 

I've brewed with Sabro in the last year. It is now a coconut bomb.

 

Mostly the second point here, but there is no reason for sour or wild or funky beer. If It happens, it is dumped.

I am actually somewhat on the first point here as well. I have never purchased trademarked or proprietary hops. I have gotten some from different events, but I do not buy them. Call it my thing. I do like beers made with them, I just feel like they are typically over used. Some places by me over use Mosaic a lot and it gets old after a while.

Another one for me is coconut, and it is a shame when a barrel gives too much coconut flavor as well. I am the guy that can find the >2% coconut in his granola bar and have to throw the granola bar away as it has been ruined by the small singular fleck of coconut.

 

I screwed up my very first batch of beer using Calypso hops, I know it wasn't their fault. But I drank every last ounce of that beer and I can no longer go near Calypso due to stomach memory or something.

 

Sabro Sabro Sabro Sabro Sabro

Lotus might actually be worse but it’s much harder to find beers made with it.

Talus is right up there.

You get Coconut... I get Cedar

 

I wish I had your problem. I love the smell of cedar. I only like coconut in very specific circumstances; it's one of the few things I'm picky about.

 

i feel you... but cedar + passion fruit/mango is an absolutely horrible combo

I hope to never drink a beer with Sabro in it ever again.

That hop smells so amazing out of the bag. If they could figure out a way to get rid of the weird cedar/woody note it would be amazing.

 

Fermentis S-23. And probably some other yeasts, too. It's fruity, not great for lagers, but it is a fruity in a way that I would find off-putting in an ale, too. The only reason I would brew with it again is to describe more thorougly why I dislike it.

And water from my tap.

 

Have you tried it at 95F and 27 PSIG?

<not a serious question>

 

I was thinking about using melanoiden malt in a Octoberfest brew soon. I wasn’t sure about the amount I want to use but I definitely do t want it to sweet. I was think about using this for color mostly?

 

04 yeast
Melanoidin malt
Not a fan of Light Chocolate malt

Years ago I used Sorachi Ace in a beer — American wheat perhaps — and it was fantastic, really nice lemon. I used it sometime later with not nearly as nice results. Perhaps this is a hop that “evolved” over time? Or perhaps a matter of terroir?

Cheers!

 

Sabro & Vic Secret haven't worked out great (though I'm gonna give Vic Secret one more chance). Think I'm done with Sabro for good.

S-04 in hoppy beers....no more. Still ok in darker brews.

Lactose - has to be kept to a minimum in milk stouts. No use for it anywhere else.

Hot peppers/spices like in Stone Crime & Punishment (expensive drain pours).

 

A couple of folks have discussed their displeasure with S-04 yeast. I have read a number of times on BA (and other homebrewing forums) that if this beer is used to brew an English style ale it produced a bready flavor that some (most?) are not fond of.

While I have never used S-04 to ferment a beer style like Bitter Ale I have used it a few times to ferment Juicy/Hazy (a.k.a. New England style) IPAs and I have consistently been pleased with S-04 for this sort of beer.

I suppose some ingredients may be unfavorable for some beer styles but favorable in others?

Cheers!

 

I got one more.

Had request using lavinder and mint leaves. Nothing I personally wanted but what the hell.

Used both in a pale ale last 10 minutes of the boil. Eith it was the wrong time Orr just not good for that style , but it turned into a 5 gallon drain pour. Just foul tasting brew

 

Should've stopped right there.

Cheers