Brambling cross for a cali common?

[Redtab78]

As the title states, has anyone ever used brambling cross hops in a cali common?

Reading some internet sources, Brambling Cross seems to bring some of the earthy and woody tones with a little fruit as well. I know tradition says Northern Brewer....but im no traditionalist, and i like to find new ways to bring interesting changes to older styles such as the Anchor Steam.

 

[BigEd]

Northern Brewer isn't exactly tradition, it's the hop that Fritz Maytag settled on after he bought Anchor Brewing years ago. Anchor was the last remaining beer made in the local style and Anchor copyrighted the Steam Beer style. That plus the style guidelines sort of made Northern Brewer the only official hop for the beer. Now since Northern Brewer hops weren't developed until the 1930s and the style that became Steam Beer had been brewed by a number of San Francisco breweries since the mid 19th Century there certainly were other hops in brewing the style. Old American types like Cluster and traditional European hops like Goldings and Hallertau were sure to have been used by some of those breweries. So, yes, a nice UK hop like Bramling Cross would be a fine choice, IMO, if you want to do your own take on the stye.

To actually answer your question, I have not used them in a Cal Common but I have used a combination of Cluster and Goldings which I think works very nicely.

 

[Redtab78]

Hmmm, very interesting bit of knowledge there. I just figured that since Bramling cross is an english hop with an American aroma, it might make a unique profile in a very basic malt forward beer. Thanks!

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Hmmm, very interesting bit of knowledge there. I just figured that since Bramling cross is an english hop with an American aroma, it might make a unique profile in a very basic malt forward beer. Thanks!

That's funny - I was going to recommend looking up northern brewer's (user) posts on the hop, since he's a fan, as I am coming to be (haven't had a chance to use it a lot, but like what I have). I saw your comment about tradition and thought you were saying northern, since's a British brewer, was urging tradition, or something, lol.

At any rate, just a recommendation to check his posts out on the hop. Great (and mind-blowingly knowledgeable) guy.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I saw your comment about tradition and thought you were saying northern, since's a British brewer, was urging tradition, or something, lol.

You're too kind; as a true Brit I'd say respect tradition but don't be enslaved by it. +1 on @BigEd's comments, Northern Brewer is more for clones of the Anchor version rather than representing the real tradition of this style. The whole point of a steam beer was that it was making do with what was available - lager yeast and no cooling - so they would have used whatever hops came to hand which would have mostly been Cluster variants. But frankly the style isn't really about hop flavour, so I wouldn't get too hung up on it. If you want to appreciate the subtle blackcurrant of Bramling Cross at its best, use it in something with a touch of crystal like a classic English best bitter - 50:50 with Goldings is even better.

As an aside, Bramling Cross only has one "b", it's nothing to do with blackberries as its name ultimately derives from the village of Bramling outside Canterbury. It's a cross between Bramling Golding and a brother of Brewer's Gold, so is related to Northern Brewer which is a cross between Canterbury Golding and a son of Brewer's Gold. Both crosses were made just a few hundred yards from the sign in my avatar, it's kinda Ground Zero for modern hops.

 

[catdaddy66]

If 47hops.com ever gets my order to me (ordered on 5-16), I will have a pound of aurora hops that are progeny of northern brewer and can use them in a California common.

I would definitely try the bramling cross to see the difference in hop profile with the standard grain bill. When I say standard I mean my recipe, which is 8# 2-row, 1.5# Munich and 1# C60.