Summer Saaz

January 4, 2010
Summer Saaz is one of the newer Australian varieties. Sometimes it is assumed it is a Saaz copy that will provide the same qualities as the Czech Saaz. This is a misunderstanding. Yes it does have some of the same qualities but it is a different hop with different flavours. It provides a nice smooth bitterness if you choose to use it that way, but with its low Alpha I wouldn't. There are better bittering hops out there. The flavour is similar to the Czech Saaz but it is different. There is more fruit and less spice in the taste. I really enjoy it. For those that love Saaz this would be a good hop to try something a little different. It will provide a hint of spice like the Czech Saaz but add a different dimension with some fruit flavours coming through. The flavour is quite subtle, as is the aroma. I think it would work well as a blend with Saaz in any Czech Pils.

Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

Southern Cross

October 13, 2009
Southern Cross has a lot of appeal. It is a high alpha acid hop with low cohumulone said to give a European flavour. I used the hop in a big IPA. Southern Cross add a lot of flavour to the beer. It is a pleasant sweet lemony flavour that can dominate over the malt if you over do it, but the flavour is so pleasant that it won't matter too much. I added around 0.5 to 1g per litre for flavour and aroma and its stronger than you'd expect but not dominating.

The bitterness you get from Southern Cro...
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Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

Topaz

October 7, 2009
Topaz is a relatively new Australian hop. It has a high alpha content, but its cohumulone is high as well and there isn't a lot of information on it other than that. After a small test batch, it is clear this is a nice hop and the cohumulone isn't as high as reported. Its bitterness is reasonably smooth compared to many other hops and it is full of flavour. For example, I found the bitterness smoother than Cascade is when it is used for bittering.

The dominating flavour from this hop is citrus...
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Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

Pacific Gem

August 2, 2009
High Alpha, a hint of blackberry and a 'cask oak' flavour are things that get said about this New Zealand hop. It was enough to generate interest to try it. The recipe was a simple mix of Munich and Pale malt with hops going in every five minutes from 30 minutes to flame out. Wyeast 1026 (cask ale) was used to ferment as it should have complimented the cask oak flavours. A bit more thought should have gone into the hop schedule perhaps.

Pacific Gem has its place, but as a big flavouring hop it...
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Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

Warrior part two

August 2, 2009
As promised an update on the warrior hops tasting. It is remarkably similar to Amarillo in the early stages, perhaps a little too much. There are those that love Amarillo and those that think its a tad over done. In the first few tastings of any brew using Amarillo there is a tendency for the flavours not to blend well, it almost tastes off. Then the beer settles and the Amarillo flavours come through nicely. Sometimes a little too fruity for some but everyone has their own opinion.

The Warri...
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Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

A review of hops

July 30, 2009
One thing I have noticed in all of my brewing and search through new hops is the distinct lack of reasonable reviews of hops and their impact on the final beer. Sure, there are general comments coming out of the breeders or retailers about the type of hop and possibile substitutions. But, when it comes down to it although it may be similar to another hop the very fact that it is sold as a different variety indicates that it has its own unique flavour profile.

If you're a beer forum frequenter...
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Posted by Jared Birbeck.

 

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