Nelson Sauvin is the only NZ hop I’ve used, but I loved it. Are there other NZ hops I should try? I’ve been reading the descriptions of the varieties, but they’re all kinda vague, so I’m looking for some first-hand experience.
I have some single-hopped Pale Ales bottle conditioning right now that include Nelson, Rakau and Motueka. They’re carbing up now, so I’ll post my tasting notes in another week or two.
Here are my notes I took on the aroma of the hops themselves:
Rakau (11.4% - from Rebel): grassy, tropical fruit, spice
Motueka (7.2% -from Rebel): herbal/citrus (noble-like with a citrus kick)
Nelson Sauvin (12.1% - from AHS): American/West Coast hop aroma; fruit/citrus with a distinct “white wine” note
I really liked the Motueka, and had a note that I wanted to brew a Pils with it. The descriptors I read said it has a lime or lemon-lime aroma, but I couldn’t get that just off the hops - it was just a nondescript “citrus” to me. Maybe more of that character will show up in the finished beer.
I remember being a bit disappointed in the Rakau. I think I was expecting a bombastic Citra/Galaxy aroma when I cracked into the package, but the hops themselves weren’t as aromatic as I hoped. I’ll reserve judgement until I taste the final product though.
The NZ hop I want to try the most is Riwaka, but I haven’t seen it available this year.
I’ve never used Citra or Galaxy before either. A few years ago I was really into hoppy beers, but I’ve been doing “continental” styles almost exclusively for the last couple years. I guess I got bored with the “typical” PNW hops, like the Cs, Simcoe, et al.
Of the ones I’ve tried, I think Motueka holds the most promise in continental styles. I’m just not sure how the herbal/spicy vs citrus balance comes out in the finished beer. The Pils I was planning with it will probably be more of an APA/Pils hybrid - Pils malt with a touch of Munich and either fermented with 2112/2124 or Chico in the low 60’s.
There are a few NZ hops that look promising for noble-style hops, but I still have a lot of US hybrids that I haven’t gotten to yet. I’ll probably stick to the fruity stuff unless I see a great sale on something like Pacifica or Southern Cross.
Sorry, I left that thought unfinished (busy at work today). I got kinda bored of hop-forward beers, but the Nelson got me interested in making those kinds of beers again. I’ve been making hop-forward beers again with the Nelson (like APAs and IPAs), so I’m looking for hops with the most “punch” of fruity flavors/aromas, like the Nelson.
I made a single hop pale ale with Rakau. I agree with erockrph’s assessment of “grassy, tropical fruit, spice”. It took me a while to like it. There was a rough quality to it that I didn’t quite like, but after a couple of months I started to really enjoy it. There was a stone fruit quality to it that was enjoyable to me.
I also used .25 oz of Rakau in a 3 gallon batch of Patersbier, along with Saaz at the 10 minute mark that was absolutely delicious right away.
Riwaka is great but will probably not be available in the US again, acreage is limited and the NZ brewers use it. Yields aren’t great, so they’re not likely to plant more.
Try Pacific Gem if you can get your hands on some.
I just can’t get over that “Savory” character that Nelson puts off… I can’t put my finger on it, and I don’t want to just call it “catty”. It’s just odd. Same thing I don’t care for in some S. Blanc, esp. NZ varieties.
I really like Galaxy. Flat12 Bierworks (a brewery here in Indianapolis) does a single-hop Galaxy pale year-round, and its one of their most popular brews (they call it “Walkabout”).
I forgot to mention that I really like Pacific Jade as well. It has an herbal, fresh fruit, peppery quality that blends really well with Crystal hops. I made a really good rye ale, and amber ale with the two.
Does anyone have a source they’d recommend for getting these kinds of hops? I’ve been googling a bit and I’ve seen a pretty wide range of prices.
In my recent experience, it seems like Rebel Brewer has the best selection of NZ hops right now. But availability is rather limited for many of them, so you’re lucky to even find some of these anywhere. I got my Galaxy from Yakima Valley, Motueka and Rakau at Rebel, and Nelson at Austin Homebrew Supply.
I make an IPA with:
1 oz Southern Cross to bitter at 60
1/2 oz each of Pacific Gem and Pacific Jade at 10
1/2 oz each of Pacific Gem, P. Jade, Galaxy and Matouka at 5
1/2 oz each of Galaxy and Matouka at 0
I’ve also dry hopped this with an oz of Galaxy but it depends on inventory and if I remember.
I also use 90% Munich in this to give it a lot of malt to balance the hops.
Very upfront tropical hop flavours. I really like it but there may not be any need for 4 flavouring hops. Still, it’s a total of 5 oz hops which isn’t out of line with lots of US IPA recipes I see.
I also have done a blend of Galaxy and Palisade that is quite good but I really like passion fruity/tropical flavours over the grapefruity hops.
I buy mine from Northern Brewer and farmhouse brewing supply. I like to buy two 4 oz bags from farmhouse, and test them out. That also gives me really cheap shipping.
So, I went a little crazy. I picked up the following, and what I’m thinking of making with them:
Motueka - blonde or pale lager?
Pacific Jade - APA?
Rakau - dry-hopped wheat (maybe rye)
Green Bullet - bittering?
Super Alpha - bittering?
And I picked up some more Nelson Sauvin so I can rebrew the Nelson Brut I made last year.
Any suggestions?
How much was the Nelson? I was in Northern Brewer in Minnesota last week because hops are a lot cheaper in the US so I was stocking up and I wanted to get some NS but they were $5.50 per ounce compared to $2.50 or less for others. I skipped them.
Austin Homebrew Supply has Nelson for $1.99/oz (plus flat-rate shipping).
I’m really enjoying Motueka right now. I was using Amarillo/Columbus/Ultra as my house combo for my hoppy beers, but I’ll be using Motueka in place of Ultra from here on in. It’s got a real nice lime zest/lemongrass herbal-citrus thing going on that I’m loving. I think it will be great in a blond, pale lager or a saison.
As far as Rakau goes, I’m still making up my opinion on it. I had a bit of palate fatigue when I tasted it the other night, but it didn’t really strike me as anything special. Still, I think you’re making the right call with the wheat/rye idea. The cinnamon note I got plus the sweet fruit would probably accentuate a Hopfenweiss-style beer pretty well.
Have you ever used Crystal? It sounds a lot like Motueka. Noble with a citrus kick, only with more of an orange marmalade citrus-type character. I got a pound last year and I’ve worked my way through most of it. I got a pound of Vanguard too, but it’s much more restrained and with a typical “noble” profile.
I haven’t tried Crystal yet, but I’ll have to add it to my list of hops to try when this year’s crop is ready. I really like the complexity that comes from combining noble-type hops with “C”-type hops.
Crystal was one of Hal Aunold’s USDA breeding program hops. Crystal, Mt. Hood, Ultra, and Liberty were all Hallertau M.f. hybrids. They did Santiam (Tettnanger / Hallertau hybrid) and Sterling (Saaz) too. BTW I just learned that hops called “US Tettnanger” are actually Fuggles.
I was actually just thinking that Rakau might be nice in a pale lager. It has a rough quality to it that fades over a couple of months to give a nice fruity aroma. I do not the ability to lager, so I was thinking of doing a faux lager this winter with it.
Pacific Jade would make a great APA. I think it blends well with Crystal and Columbus. It also makes a really good rye and amber. I was thinking of making a saison with it soon.