Serebrianka hops

(mods - I posted this over in General Beer Discussion, but thought now that perhaps it was more appropriate here - sorry for the double post)

Anyone ever hear of or have any info about Serebrianka hops? I had a beer brewed with it the other day, mostly because it used this hop that I had never heard of. I can find very little info online other than it is purportedly one of the parent strains of Cascade. Anyone ever use it or know where it can be found?

Freshops
It seems like it wouldn't be grown commercially on any large scale due to poor storage properties. Maybe try emailing the guys at Freshops or Hops Direct and asking if they know any growers or a source for rhizomes?

Hops Direct has it. I bought a pound and am trying to figure out what to do with it. What kind of beer was it that you had? A pale ale or ipa? I am thinking of trying out an IPA with it. Let us know if you have get any info on it.

Cbaddad said:

Hops Direct has it. I bought a pound and am trying to figure out what to do with it. What kind of beer was it that you had? A pale ale or ipa? I am thinking of trying out an IPA with it. Let us know if you have get any info on it.

Click to expand...

It was actually in a cask-conditioned oatmeal stout. Some more info is actually coming out over on the original post linked above.

Thanks. Some good ideas and info.

I have a pound also and plan on using them in some belgian ales like saisons.

I've been using them in saisons. I'm by no means a hophead so take my description with a grain of salt, but I perceive them, in general, as rather subtle, with a floral and perfumed character and a significant amount of noble character. The aroma on my dry-hopped saison, unfortunately, faded very quickly.

I did a hop tea with them and I would agree that it has the floral and perfume character. I did not detect a C hop character at all. I liked them a lot and can't wait to use them in my next saison. Next saison will be a blend of serebrianka and french strisselspalt.

I agree about the lack of C flavor, though the stout I tried was not very hoppy, and, obviously, rather stout-y so hops weren't being showcased. It is odd to think though that cascade is a descendent of this and fuggles and yet neither alone seem very cascade-like. I wonder what the early crops of cascade were like and if the citrus flavor has been selectively bred into it over the years.

I used some of these Serebrianka and Legacy hops in the Orval inspired beer I just brewed on Saturday. I will let you know in a few weeks how they turn out. I had whole leaf and blended them with Alsatian Strisselspalt pellets. It's chugging along with WLP510 and one bottle worth of dredges already thrown in. I have some other saved bottle sediment to dump in there also.

Just wanted to update a little info on these serebrianka hops. I am drinking my first beer using them and it's great. I think the serebrianka offered up a rustic perfumy hop character. It's very nice. I hopped the beer to about 40 IBUs it's basically a belgian amber made with WLP510 in the style of orval. Well see how it evolves but as a fresh beer it's great.

I've also recently used these hops very heavily in a quick sour saison experiment. I will update when those are bottled and ready for drinking.

Does anyone know of or have these rhizomes for sale or trade?

Hey I got a pound of these that I was thinking of opening. However, I can't decide what kind of beer to make with it. Does it have an american, english or continental flavor?

smokinghole said:

I've also recently used these hops very heavily in a quick sour saison experiment. I will update when those are bottled and ready for drinking.

Click to expand...

Reviving an old thread here... should be enough time for your quick sour saison to be tested.

ohhh... any updates on this?
I'm doing a Saison that I plan to blend with either some flanders red or sour brown with plums I've got going. Not sure the ratio, but I don't want to drown out any character the hops might bring.

Based on what some have said about the character not lasting, I'm thinking the extended bottle conditioning on the blend might not works so well..

Haha, totally forgot. The hops are non-descript especially when comparing to much stronger American varieties. I really like using them due to their low AA. The bitterness was always agreeable for me. I think I bought a few pounds on clearance to oxidize and age for lambic making purposes. There is much definitive character to drown out, they taste Hoppy, slightly floral, we maybe a touch of a perfumy aroma. Perfect for saisons if you ask me.

Thanks for the insight!

smokinghole said:

I had whole leaf and blended them with Alsatian Strisselspalt pellets.

Click to expand...

This is almost exactly what I was thinking of trying, since my German family originated in Alsace before emigrating to South Russia (Ukraine) and then to the USA (western North Dakota)

Do you have any other insights or comments about this combination? Any idea how it might do for a wheat beer, or perhaps American Pale or Amber Ale?

A very low alpha acid composition of about 3% to 5% makes Serebrinaka an ideal aromatic hop. Its uniquely mellow and earthy aroma of tobacco, black tea, and herbs bring a wonderful quality to Dark Ales, Stouts, and Porters. If you can’t find Serebrianka for your home brew, you could substitute with another low alpha, earthy varietal like Czech Premiant.

The combo tastes like classic hops with a slightly perfume or floral aroma. Nothing over the top or in your face. I think they'd be great in a wheat beer. I was using them heavily in Saisons and after aging a bunch, lambic.

Awesome - thanks, guys ~

My intention is to see if I can come up with something that reflects my family's heritage across their emigration route. I gravitate toward wheat beers, but am open to pretty much anything.

Well, for better or for worse, I am soon to be the owner of a Serebrianka hop plant, ordered from here:

http://www.greatlakeshops.com/serebrianka.html

We'll see how things go.

Thanks for the replies and information -

Ron