Summit Hops

I am interested in feedback from those who have used this hop. I plan on using it as a first bittering addition (60) will the citrus flavor carry thru to the finished wort or will I also need a flavoring addition with it. I plan on using Centenial/Ahtanum as 30 and whirlpool additions. I am avoiding late additions with Summit due to its high AA%.

I also prefer to do 75% of my bittering early and burst with flavor/aroma hops late.

Thoughts?

Some (well, lots actually), notice a strong onion flavor aroma with Summit, usually when used as a bittering addition.

I find it to have an incredible tangerine flavor/aroma when used late, or as a dry hop.

Others have no noticeable onion flavors when using this hop.

I hate those hops with a passion. Yuck.

Don't use them early, but use a pile of them for late additions. I LOVE Summit hops and those that swear them off are simply folks who used them for bittering and refuse to adjust for this by only using them late.

Have a Summit-only hopburst IPA on tap right now. One of the best beers I have ever brewed.

So use something else for bittering and save the Summit for the last 20 minutes.

This recipe has received really good reviews: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/sacred-summit-pale-ale-ag-62758/

Which has always made me wonder if there weren't different flavors from different summit growers??? Maybe similar to onion growers (regional soil differences, etc.)?

Straight Garlic homie.

They are my bittering hop of choice right now. I do like using them in small amounts to punch up late additions as well.

I've only ever gotten onion from FWH. Other than that it's lovely tangerine and grassy notes.

almost no aroma/flavor will come thru from a bittering hop. why would you avoid using it late cuz its high AA? many high AA hops are some of the best late hops

I avoid using much early for fear of the onion/garlic rumors, but late it definitely gives orange/tangerine.

I think I will switch it up earlier, maybe warrior. Move the summit to a later edition. Im intrigued by the polarizing responses im getting

Big fan of Summit, and have never had the onion characteristic that some (lots) do. I usually use them as late addition as well, so maybe there is something to that.

I generally get more of a grapefruit characteristic than tangerine.

I had an IPA at a microbrewery in stl, and I didn't really care for it (or really any of the beer selection for that matter) but go figure I find out I'm sitting next to the head brewer at the bar as I'm expressing my slight disappointment with the IPA, as I had already tried 4 other kinds and figured I couldn't go wrong with an IPA.

Anyway, I ask him what hops he used because there was something in the flavor that was throwing me off. He said there was amarillo in it and I believe cascade(which I said well I love both of those, what did you use for the flavoring hops?) - Summit! Never had it, but he explained the onion character, and I said that must be it. Not digging the summit!

I ended up getting a barleywine that had veeerry little carb I've had some good beers there before, last time I liked their ipa and they had a good maple porter.

While I kind of felt like an ass for criticizing his brews, at the end, he started pitching me some internet business crap, so I really didn't feel too bad at all.

That hop is awful. Expected tangerine from my late addition, got garlic and onion. Would probably be nice in a savory tomato beer, but not in a pale ale.

ArcaneXor said:

That hop is awful. Expected tangerine from my late addition, got garlic and onion. Would probably be nice in a savory tomato beer, but not in a pale ale.

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It's crazy the different results people seem to have. I have used Summit half a dozen times (across 4 different hop orders) and never gotten onion or garlic (although I have never used any earlier than 25 min left in boil.

And then there are these posts. Pretty wild variation if it is indeed batch-to-batch.

Randar said:

And then there are these posts. Pretty wild variation if it is indeed batch-to-batch.

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I did a poll awhile ago (wasn't open very long, I guess) and it was:

8 - onion
4 - awesome

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/summit-awesome-onion-167631/

I brewed an APA using summit for bittering, half an ounce at 20, then citra for a 5 and flameout addition. I got no tangerine...just a ton of onion. It was drinkable but not near as good as I'd hoped it would be.

I'm planning on using the remaining summit alongside some Columbus and simcoe for a big dirty IPA and am hoping it will mesh better with those.

I used organic Summit for an ipa a while ago tried one within 2 weeks and loved it.Used it for bittering and aroma.The aroma didnt last much beyond two weeks and i should have used more and dryhopped.no onion/garlic on that one.It made for a great ipa for my first one.

I agree, Sandy. I haven't noticed the much-feared onion. We use Summit as our kettle hop for a light (1.045) pale ale, with Citra as our later additions and it is always phenomenal. With it being a lighter brew we would definitely notice something like that, but haven't sensed it yet.

I used summit hops in a SMASH and it turned out great ..lots of grapefruit flavor and no onion flavor...I only added 1/4oz at 60 and then another 2oz from 20 min to FO...just wish I would have gotten some tangerine flavor but I will definitely use them again

I loved my all Summit IPA