I have a basic question about hop blends and Zythos in particular. Since they are blends are they pretty consistent year to year? I would assume that like normal hops, the AA changes but the characteristics are meant to stay pretty consitent.
Sorry I don’t have any experience with hop blends but gearing up to do a Zythos pale ale soon. If they are good, I am thinking abou using them a lot in place of the hops that are expensive or hard to get that I love so much.
I was able to find this:
Due to the popularity and fixed availability of pellet blends, we have received numerous inquiries about the future supply of Zythos. Hopunion is pleased to announce that the success of Zythos’ inaugural run has resulted in a decision to continue production and contracting for 2012. Zythos will maintain the strict quality standards and aroma characteristics established in 2011.
Zythos is a customized IPA/Pale Ale style pellet blend designed to embody the powerful tradition and unique aroma characteristics required in premium craft brews. While the unique flavors and aromas of our proprietary varieties cannot be duplicated or replaced, we at Hopunion, along with our growers, recognize the need to supply more of the distinct varieties and exceptional aroma characteristics craft brewers have become accustomed to. Zythos is not a replacement for proprietary varieties, but rather a premium pellet blend designed to compliment existing IPA/Pale Ale lineups. Zythos can be used as a single hop addition or as a compliment to current inventories, imparting distinct tropical (pineapple) and citrus tones with slight pine characteristics.
I finally got around to brewing an all Zythos pale ale yesterday using Munich I for the entire grain bill.
For 5 gallon final volume, my additions were
16g 60 min
7 g 20 min
23 g 10 min
23 g 5 min
23 g 0 min
I wasn’t planning to do the 20 min addition however I overshot my OG by 9 points so I adjusted a bit. This hop schedule gave a calculated IBU total of 37.5
From the sample, the only aroma that I detected was one of slight garlic, yes garlic. I will try to remember to post my results.
Is used the Zythos blend on an IPA this fall. Initially I thought it was quite harsh at first but it mellowed out after 30 days or so in the keg.
I used Zythos along with Citra in a Belgian Imperial IPA just before Thanksgiving. I didn’t get any garlic at any point. I did get a pleasant fruit flavor, that was not too much. My hop schedule:
2 oz. Citra leaf in the mash
1 oz. Zythos First Wort
1 oz. Citra 15 min.
1 oz. Zythos 15 min.
3 oz. Citra 5 min.
2 oz. Zythos 5 min.
2 oz. Citra dry hop 7 days
Even with all of this the flavor was not too much. I would even be inclined to increase the late hop additions or do a hop stand. There is NO discernable bitterness at all. The best description of this beer is that it is a desert beer. 10.5% ABV tropical and citrus fruit. A pleasant sipping beer.
Damn that sounds good! The airlock is bubbling away in my fermentation chamber with great hop aroma present. I am not getting any garlic now which I thought was strange to begin with. I had a new hydrometer flask that I didn’t clean out very well…could’ve been from that somehow.
I thought the aroma of the pellets was fantastic though more mellow than expected. I have been trying to find decent hop type alternatives that are more affordable and available than my favorites Amarillo, Citra, and Simcoe.