shortage shmortage, I suppose it is time to try new hops Options

[passlaku]

Just from reading the threads it seems like the old standbys and clean high alpha hops are running low (eg, cascade, EKG, etc). But an HBS newsletter got me thinking that other less popular hop varieties might be more readily available in the next coming years. These were the varieties that the HBS implied they had plenty of, I am sure HBA is in the same boat.

Ahtanum
Boadicea
Lublin
Marynka
Newport
Northdown
Premiant
Progress
Sladek
Sterling
Vanguard

Maybe our next hop-of-the-week discussions should center around these hops since it seems we'll be likely to use them if the doom and gloomers are right about the hop crop. Either way, I'd like to know what you all think or heard about some of these new varieties.

All best,
p_l_KU

[roscoe]

No experience whatsoever. Thanks for getting me thinking though...maybe I'll make an order.

[VP Brewer]

I have a pound of Ahtanum arriving tomorrow. I'll try them in a pale/IPA maybe next time or the following time around. Probably wont have any feedback though for a few months.

[Patrick C.]

Ahtanum- very similar to Cascade, but maybe a little more mellow. Good substitution for Cascade, but maybe throw in a bit of Chinook to give it more bite if you like that kind of thing. I got a pound of it from Hops Direct last year, and so far have made an all Ahtanum pale ale, and a couple of IPAs with it mixed with Centenial. All were very good.

Sterling- excellent hop for pilsners or any other lagers. Would also work well for Belgians. One of the best beers I ever made was an all Sterling pilsner- Awesome flavor and aroma. Similar to Saaz, very 'noble' taste and aroma but much higher AA%.

[Stuster]

I've got an all Ahtanum rye pale ale on hand at the moment. It's a nice hop, with definite citrus notes, but milder than the C hops with a warmer edge to it. I've used Northdown in a few beers, but always in combination with other hops or as a bittering hop so I can't really say for sure what it adds. It certainly smelled great. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/blush.gif)

[just-cj]

I also found Ahtanum to be quite a bit more mellow in flavor and aroma than Cascade -- a good hop, but not exactly a sub for Cascade.

Vanguard is similar to the other US Hallertauer wannabes -- Liberty, Mt Hood, Crystal, Vanguard are all similar to me. It works really nicely in porters.

I agree that Sterling is nice and smooth -- I like it better than Saaz (which I think smells skunky in medium to large amounts).

And Newport? Yuck. I get super-Fuggle out of them, very grassy and earthy. If you like Fuggle, give them a try, but not for me.

The others I either don't know or haven't even heard of.

[passlaku]

Good info here. Thanks for the replies.

[jusbrewin]

I've used ahtanum quite a bit. i find that when added late in the boil, it gives the beer an almost florally/perfumy aroma. The flavour has citric tones, not as strong as the 'C' hops though.

J

Just from reading the threads it seems like the old standbys and clean high alpha hops are running low (eg, cascade, EKG, etc). But an HBS newsletter got me thinking that other less popular hop varieties might be more readily available in the next coming years. These were the varieties that the HBS implied they had plenty of, I am sure HBA is in the same boat.

Ahtanum
Boadicea
Lublin
Marynka
Newport
Northdown
Premiant
Progress
Sladek
Sterling
Vanguard

Maybe our next hop-of-the-week discussions should center around these hops since it seems we'll be likely to use them if the doom and gloomers are right about the hop crop. Either way, I'd like to know what you all think or heard about some of these new varieties.

All best,
p_l_KU

[Bugeaterbrewing]

I put in an order for hops a couple weeks ago with Freshhops. One thing I noticed right off was that even though the price of domestic/european hops has gone way up, the price of the New Zealand organic hops has stayed the same. The NZ hops used to be almost double the price of the domestic, but now they cost the same. I took this opportunity to try a bunch of the organic stuff. They seem to have a good supply of the NZ hops too.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[mikegrau]

I've been playing around with Ahtanum and Vanguard in some single-hop beers. I agree with what folks have said about Ahtanum comparing to Cascade, and I've really been enjoying Vanguard in a single-hop house ale recipe that I've been brewing over the past year. I'll definitely consider some of the other varietals in the list above as soon as I free up more space in my freezer.

[mach5]

Wow, interesting hops...I've never heard some of those names, I'll have to do some research. Thanks for pointing these out. Any specific sources for these varieties?

[sidney porter]

lublin - I think this is saaz grown in poland. I have never used them but have heard they are closer to real saaz than american saaz

This post has been edited by sidney porter: Nov 1 2007, 03:12 PM

[passlaku]

Mach

I subscribe to an email newsletter from a hbs out of st.paul (I think) and they wrote about how they have these new varietals.

EDIT:

I just checked their website and it does look like they're out of mostly everything. They are not selling by the pound. I suppose that it is time to panic.

This post has been edited by passlaku: Nov 1 2007, 03:37 PM

[realbeerguy]

And Newport? Yuck. I get super-Fuggle out of them, very grassy and earthy. If you like Fuggle, give them a try, but not for me.

I dry hopped a Barleywine with Newports. Worked well. Also, have used them in an IIPA as a flavor hop, with centennials & cascades

[jeffdj]

My next beer will be an all Boadicea hop pale ale. I took a risk and bought a pound of them. I am curious about it though.

jeff