Zythos Hops Question??

I run a very small microbrewery (guess it could be called a nanobrewery); we have an IPA that uses Simcoe, Cascade and Centennial

As you all know Simcoe is MIA, and no one really knows when it will be back in stock. So I am looking for a replacement and came up with Zythos as my first choice.

I had a 2oz bag of it, I popped it open and to me it smells more like Cascade/Centinnial than Simcoe, seems like Simcoe has a more profound piney character. Anyways, what are your thoughts on the combination of Zythos/Cascade/Centennial?? Think they will play well together??

My thinking is that we can use Zythos until the Simcoe stock comes back, without a significant change in hop profile.

Thoughts/Suggestions/Comments???

Thanks all

those should all taste pretty good together. there really isn't any good substitute for simcoe tho.

jester5120 said:

those should all taste pretty good together. there really isn't any good substitute for simcoe tho.

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Yeah I know, Simcoe is a beast all it's own. We just have the recipe where we want, then Simcoe decides to go all out of stock on us.

Just hoping the zythos plays well with others lol!

I think falconers flight is closer to simcoe than zythos. I just made an ipa with zythos, but preferred the one I made with falconers flight. Falconers flight is supposed to contain simcoe, I think it would be your best bet. There is also a falconers flight 7c's, I have no experience with that one.
Also if you are a nanobrewery, why didn't you contract your hops so you had a guarantee of availability?

JRems said:

I think falconers flight is closer to simcoe than zythos. I just made an ipa with zythos, but preferred the one I made with falconers flight. Falconers flight is supposed to contain simcoe, I think it would be your best bet. There is also a falconers flight 7c's, I have no experience with that one.
Also if you are a nanobrewery, why didn't you contract your hops so you had a guarantee of availability?

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You have a place I could find falconers flight??

We are in the very beginning stages, hoping to sell by summer so we hadn't looked at contracting hops prior to the sell out of Simcoe

I would have to agree, I made a pale with all Falconer's Flight, and it had that Simcoe aroma...and it does contain Simcoe, as well a amarillo, citra, and several other NW varieties.

You can get falconers flight here
http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com/scripts/hopsList.asp?idCategory=21
not too bad at $1.25oz
how much simcoe do you need? My Lhbs stocked up I think they have 3-4 11lb boxes but they sell it at close to $3 an oz.

JRems said:

You can get falconers flight here
http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com/scripts/hopsList.asp?idCategory=21
not too bad at $1.25oz
how much simcoe do you need? My Lhbs stocked up I think they have 3-4 11lb boxes but they sell it at close to $3 an oz.

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That's actually where I picked up 2lbs last night.

Wow, so one 11lb box would be $528??

My conundrum is this; let's say I use FF in our next batch of IPA and it turns out awesome, even better than the Simcoe. FF will run out bc it was a limited run.

So I dunno if I should try and find enough Simcoe to hold me out till supplies come back (which is when???) or use FF and switch back to Simcoe hoping the flavor isn't much different, cause people will notice and be able to tell

brentt03 said:

That's actually where I picked up 2lbs last night.

Wow, so one 11lb box would be $528??

My conundrum is this; let's say I use FF in our next batch of IPA and it turns out awesome, even better than the Simcoe. FF will run out bc it was a limited run.

So I dunno if I should try and find enough Simcoe to hold me out till supplies come back (which is when???) or use FF and switch back to Simcoe hoping the flavor isn't much different, cause people will notice and be able to tell

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You should really be directing these questions on upcoming hop availability to your supplier.

My understanding is that these hop blends were created to be as a substitute to the simcoes and amarillos that are in high demand and low supply. My hope is that the hop growers made adjustments in their crops to supply more of these varieties in the coming season. However, it's highly possible that they didn't do so, or a larger company has already bought the rights to the upcoming crop of simcoe.

Like the others have said, it's really hard to sub simcoe. I have the same worries about falconers flight as you do. If simcoe supply really is limited there won't be much of that around either.

Maybe chinook and citra together? This might be a bad idea too since citra is in just as short of supply as simcoe.

Summit might be a good sub for an aroma addition but poor for a flavor addition.

Super Alpha and Southern Cross from NZ are both more lemony than simcoe but just as interesting. They would definately go well with centennial and cascade.

Amiarillo is always a good substitute, it won't taste or smell anything like simcoe but it goes with all the same hops simcoe does so it will still make good beer.

Since you have Zythos, just brew a test batch and see how it goes.