Name That Flower...

You're probably smelling the essential oil geraniol, which can smell a bit like geraniums and roses. It is a big contributor in the C hops and often breaks down to citral (or it's isomer geranial) which smells lemony

 

I asked Sam (bulletrain76) from Firestone Walker about how to achieve the floral quality of Union Jack, which is Bittering— Magnum; Late Kettle—Cascade, Centennial; Dry Hops—Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Chinook, Simco. His response was only to "use all the hops". So now that you bring it up, maybe Centennial is the key.

 

Oh that's easy. It's Geranium pratense, aka the Meadow Cranesbill. The European landrace, not so much the Asian. Hey, if people can smell Crushed Cape Gooseberries in hops, why not?

Seriously, geraniol is kind of a rosey smelling compound (as drewbage said), and is used in perfumes. I think it's also used in some artificial fruit flavors.

 

You have to be a true aficionado to pick out those subtle flavors.

 

I usually suck at "Name that hop odor" but the smell of Geranium is one of the distinctive notes that I sometimes can pick up. I think it is because I am familiar with the smell from my houseplant and garden hobby. Come to think of it, I am often sitting in my Adirondack chair next to a Geranium display when I am drinking a homebrew. Perhaps I have no keen ability to pick up on Geranium odors in hops after all.

 

As long as your Centennial hops don't smell like Amorphophallus Titanum you're okay.

 

Linalool will also give a lavender aroma, but sometimes fruit loops.

 

Excellent thread. I am also terrible at the 'describe the hop flavor/aroma' game. After 'citrus' and 'floral,' I am typically out of descriptions.