Newer hops that y'all are digging?

Gonna throw cashmere in the mix. First time using it but split 10 gallons of pale wheat ale. the el dorado dryhopped batch vs cashmere dryhopped batch. No contest. Tons of tropical fruit from cashmere. I wasn’t expecting this because I’ve read mixed things. Big fan

 

The local brewery had a very nice Cashmere IPA on a while back. Lots of tangerine and other flavors. It was from a local grower, so that was a factor.

 

Time of harvest is a big factor in the onion, late harvest is bad.

 

Jeff, are you experienced in brewing with Michigan hops? How do they compare and contrast with those same hop varieties grown in the PNW? For example, what flavors does Michigan Cascades hops provide vs. Cascade grown in Washington state?

Cheers!

 

I haven’t brewed with them, but many of the small local breweries are using hops from Top Hops in Goodrich MI, or other hops growers like Hophead Farms. That is where my impressions are from.

To answer your question, is epigenetics, or terroir. Gorst Valley renamed Chinook due to brewers saying, no pine.
http://gorstvalleyhops.com/commercial-and-craft-brewers/varieties/skyrocket/

Here is something from Stan Hieronymous
https://appellationbeer.com/blog/a-hop-by-any-other-name-the-un-chinooking-of-chinook/

 

Jeff, from fellow homebrewers (e.g., members of our club) do you have any additional knowledge about Hop Head Farms?

https://hopheadfarms.com/

I have heard good things about the Michigan hops they sell but I personally have been reticent in ordering from them from an aroma/flavor prediction perspective.

Cheers!

 

People in my area say that the cascade here is more citrus then anything else, also they say that nugget gets that way too. I bet Gorst called chinook skyrocket more from a marketing mind set then anything else.

Hop Head hops are great, in my opinion. I have tried a couple different verieties and feel I got what I expected for the bitterness, flavor and aroma from them.

 

Which varieties have you tried from Hop Head Farms? Did they have the same aroma/flavor profile as those grown in the PNW?

Cheers!

 

I haven’t used much, but I did get an assortment in my judge gift bag at an event last summer. Used the German varieties and was pleased. Still have a few C hops to use.

They have a good reputation, and the people are very homebrewer friendly.

@honkey has used them.

 

There are a few pros I know that really dislike the Chinook from the PNW, but are using a lot of the local Chinook. I think it was more than marketing.

 

I like onions (even in beer), late harvest (or early harvest) Eukanot/Eureka tastes like Summit/CTZ/Simcoe/Chinook to me

 

Cascade, Centennial, Willamette, and Zupper Saazer. Cascade and Willamette were what I expected, where ever my LHBS gets their hops, they were similar if not the same. Even when they get the local hops, it was similar enough. the other two was my first time using either, so can't comment too much but liked them all the same.

 

Not a taste I’m looking for in beer.

 

Thanks for your input. I was expecting that there was a notable difference and you confirmed that fact.

Not that there is anything explicitly 'wrong' with differences but it makes it challenging to construct recipes here.

Cheers!

 

Yup! As I posted above: "I have heard good things about the Michigan hops they sell..."

Cheers!

 

I've made some really wonderful beer with Vic Secret with Cluster and Saaz as flavor and bittering hops. Very fruity but I can't really place which fruit it is.

Also used Azacca in a English Bitter in a nice tropical fruit addition.

Eldorado I've used a few times and loved each time.

Lemondrop tastes exactly like it's name. I mixed it with Monroe, with the flavor of whipped cream a another interesting hop.

I plan on brewing an Apollo/Ekuanot IPA soon. Would like to hear others' opinion on this combo.

 

Tony, I recently discussed in a NBS thread a beer from Sixpoint (Undefined Variable) which featured Vic Secret (but with other hop varieties as well):

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...t-yall-are-digging.579155/page-2#post-6098327

Sixpoint described this beer: “Expect aromas of peach and passionfruit to fly out of the can like crazy.” For my palate I picked up mostly tropical fruit flavors with just a tiny hint of dank.

I recently homebrewed with El Dorado: an El Dorado IPA. That batch is currently bottle conditioning and in another week or so I will know more about this hop.

I have not brewed using this combo but I have brewed a number of batches that was solely hopped with Ekuanot for flavor/end of boil/dry hop and those beers turned out great. It has been my consistent experience that Ekuanot produces a number of complex flavors that come off in layers for my palate; it is like 3 hop varieties in one. You might want to consider just using Ekuanot for your IPA if this is your first time brewing with this hop. I discussed my Ekuanot (Equinox) IPA in a past thread:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-558.349949/#post-4201670

Cheers!