Hop combos

Hop Combinations that Emulate Fruit Flavors

https://patspints.com/2022/06/29/hop-combinations-that-emulate-fruit-flavors/

Dan Shaffer, head brewer at Land Grant Brewing Company

Citrus Fruits

· Orange Juice – Mosaic, Amarillo, Centennial
· Orange Rind – Bravo
· Grapefruit – Simcoe, Amarillo
· Lemon – Lemondrop, Citra, Centennial, Loral Cryo
· Lime – Motueka

Tropical Fruits

· Mango – Simcoe, Citra
· Passionfruit – Strata, Citra
· Pineapple – Sultana, Azacca, Citra
· Coconut – Sabro
· Guava – Still searching for the right combination

Berries and Stone Fruits

· Peaches – El Dorado, Azacca
· Strawberries – Huell Melon, Strata or alternatively Belma
· Blueberries – Mosaic
· Black Currants – Brambling Cross

Blending Bangers - Hop Butcher

Brewer’s Perspective: CBB Magazine. The safest way for us to really get to know a hop is to pair it with things we know that work. We know what Citra brings to a beer at 7.5 percent versus 5.75 percent…. We’ll use a hop like Motueka and read that it has a 0.8 oil content, and we want to pair it with Citra which has a range of 1.8 to 2.5, so we start to take into consideration that if we want to dry hop with 2.5 to 3 pounds per barrel, we need to consider the hops we’re using and what their oil contents are.

Recently, we got our hands on some Sabro and paired it with some Citra. We went 60 percent Citra and 40 percent Sabro; the net result was that the Sabro just punched its way through. It was the more intense of the two. So we asked, “How the hell did that happen? We used 60 percent Citra, and it’s the banger here.” Then we looked at the oil content, and Sabro is a 3.8 at max, and Citra is maybe a 2.5. That’s why this beer netted out as it did.

For the next beer, we did a Mosaic beer with Sabro, and we took a look at the oil contents and said, “We know what the variable was like with Citra and Sabro at 60/40. Let’s keep the variables consistent and just replace Citra with Mosaic, and learn what’s going on with Sabro.” The Sabro was intense, but not nearly as intense as it was with Citra.

Then when you rub certain hops in Cryo form, it can change your perception of those hops. One of those hops for us was Ekuanot. It’s a hop we liked using in smaller amounts because the classic T-90 pellet version contains a decent amount of vegetal/green-pepper characteristics. When we use it in large amounts, that starts to come out and can get a little overbearing. However, when you use Ekuanot Cryo, that vegetal matter is nonexistent. It’s straight tropical fruit to the highest extent. It’s like “Where was this hop my whole life? Why can’t I use this all the time?”

Misc. Pairings

Apricot/Pineapple: R- I’ve used YQH-1320 (Elani) with a 50/50 blend of eldo and 1320 and it was apricot/pineapple juice. Def a big fan and am going to be using it more. It was a hazy dipa. Just a couple ibus introduced in the whirlie introduced by .15 lbs per bbl of Idaho 7. Then a big dry hop of 4lbs per bbl split between 1320 and Eldo.

Yakima Valley Hops website- Top Hops for Hazy IPAs: Chinook + Columbus + Nugget: This is a classic hop combo that is often overlooked for modern hazies. It might not be as flashy as other combos with newer varieties, but it still hangs with the best of them. Chinook and Nugget together offer up many of the key biotransformation precursors and thiols present in the current superstar Citra. Columbus also offers up the highly sought-after linalool and comes packed with ripe orange aromas. Together, this combo is greater than the sum of its parts.

Chinook: This is our favorite sleeper variety that often gets overlooked. Chinook offers the perfect aroma that is packed with biotransformation compounds like Geraniol and Linalool, as well as a little bit of 4-MMP. Hotside, whirlpool, or dry hop, Chinook has amazing things to offer. So basically, just use it in all your beers.
Nugget: Another classic variety that has found new life and meaning in hazies. Nugget is packed with biotransformation compounds like Geraniol and 4-MMP and works well on the hotside. Paired up with Chinook, this duo stands toe to toe with even the best modern varieties.
CTZ: Another variety that often gets overlooked, but it is a certifiable banger in Hazy IPAs. Columbus is loaded with Linalool for biotransformation as well as aromas of ripe oranges. Columbus often gets a bad rap as an alpha variety, but when Columbus is picked as an aroma variety, it is bright, beautiful, and fits perfectly in your hazy.

Sorachi ace and Nelson combo, I don’t recall where that combo was recommended

Dip Hopping- Who knew you could use chinook and centennial to make a beer that tastes like pineapple and mangoes with no dank, weed, drippy shit.

CBB 349 - Parish: Ghost is big on Simcoe and Cascade on the hot side. Dry hop is mostly Citra with a little cascade

CBB Hazy now: 75% citra 25% Nelson is good

CBB 246– Slice :

Blending NZ/US hops are fun

Nelson/Riwaka/Mosaic/Simcoe cryo Was a fun one
Mosaic simcoe only in w.pool
Dry hop was even split (4.4lb/bbl so 1.2lb/bbl each)

likes nectaron a lot and says it rips in a west coast IPA

CBB 374 Fair State - did a 5:1 Strata:Columbus Cryo that was great

Hoppy Lager - R: We’ve done the same base hoppy lager a few times and switched up the hop combos. Favorite so far was Mandarina/Nelson/Nectaron. All 3 in the dry hop. Nelson/Necataron at a 170 degree whirlpool.

Nectaron hops - R -

Used it with Mosaic, Talus, Nelson and got a real tropical coconut vibe.
Used it with Kohatu and Wai-iti and it's all pineapple.

Reverse Engineering Cryo Pop

(TRI-2304CR) Blend (thirdleap brewing) TL;DR: A blend of 46% Idaho 7 / 25% Citra / 24% Loral / 5% Talus is closest to TRI-2304CR while a blend of 65% Idaho 7 / 33% Mosaic / 2% Citra maximizes each “survivable” compound level.

Bravo Hops (Brulosophy Hop Chronicles)

I couldn’t agree more with the results from blind participants, Bravo imparted a deliciously pungent citrus flavor balanced nicely by notes of tropical fruit and a hint of floral character that I think would work just as beautifully in a liberally hopped IPA as it would a less aggressive Amber Ale or Saison. And on top of all that, the bitterness quality was smooth and enjoyable. Bravo is an absolute winner in my book