So I made a Kellerbier using Hallertauer Mittelfrüh. The recipe came from a Zymurgy article a few issues back, basically it is a hoppy, amber german style lager. Maybe I have never experienced that much Hallertauer Mittelfrüh late hopping but the spicy note is off the chart…I would say it is almost a " chile pepper" type of spicy. Not hot obviously but spicy if that makes any sense. Has anyone ever encountered that before? I will try to dig up the recipe…
There is a certain spicy character to it, although I wouldn’t say I could describe it as chili-like… maybe a very very slight chili, like a jalapeno diluted down to 1/20 its usual strength, maybe.
I get a little spicy but more floral character out of Mittelfruh, fwiw. People sometimes perceive hops differently, though. Then there are differences in yearly crop, differences in retailers, etc.
I always thought Mittelfruh was commonly described as more herbal. Which by herbal, I assume people are thinking like parsely/cilantro/basil sort of herbal? I never quite get that. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I guess I’ve never gotten spicy out of Mittelfruh.
Yeah, I don’t get that either. A lot more floral to me.
It’s herbal for sure. Grass, hay, basil, oregano are all possible descriptors, more than I’d say chili.
I actually use them quite a bit in different styles and I get floral, maybe herbal but not anything I would describe as spicy really
So I’m wondering if there is a regional/seasonal character going on here.
I am sipping the first early glass of a marzen I brewed 2 weeks ago, german munich and pils, german organic mittelfruh all the way through. I was out of magnum so I even bittered with them. And I’m getting an unusual spicey note on the tongue and a hint of chili-like flavor.
On the other hand, I used some of the same mittelfruh a couple months ago and did not notice this character.
Personally I find I get the most pleasant spiciness from German hops when they are boiled for a full 60-90 minutes, than if I reserve them for the end of the boil. So you might also be picking up on that. I love using my homegrown Hallertau for bittering, turns out wonderfully spicy and herbal every time. Very “German” tasting. No additional “flavor additions” required – use them all in the full length of the boil.
Cheers.