Sorachi Ace hops

[enderwig]

Hey everyone, I have a few questions about Sorachi Ace hops. Freshops had them awhile back so I ordered 4 ounces, and have been trying to figure out what to do with them ever since.
All that I really know about them is that they are 14%AA. I have heard that they have a lemony flavor. So, my first thought was an american wheat beer. I like some honey malt in my american wheats, so I was kinda thinking honey/lemon... can't be that bad.

So if anyone has any experience with these hops, please chime in. What kind of beer did you put them in, did you use them for bittering, flavor or aroma, or all. And most of all, did you like them.

Below is my stab at an american wheat recipe using sorachi ace hops. The first addition is at 45 minutes, because I don't want to overpower with bitterness, I like to keep the IBUs between 15 and 20 for wheats and this recipes weighs in at 20.2 IBUs according to beersmith. I really want the lemony flavor to come through, hence the 1/2 oz at 15.


OG 1.049
FG 1.013

5# 2row
3.5# wheat malt
.5# honey malt
.25 oz sorachi ace at 45 mins
.50 oz at 15 mins
WLP320 American Hefe yeast

probably mash at 152 for an hour

 

[DeathBrewer]

you will definitely get some lemony flavor. i used them to make a session beer and ONLY used it for bittering and i still got a mouthful of lemon. not really what i intended but it was still tasty.

i think it will be great with that wheat recipe.

 

[jds]

I'm fixing to use some in a wit I'm brewing this coming weekend. I'm hoping the lemon flavor will complement the orange and keep people from dumping fruit slices in my witbier. I'll try to remember to come back in a few weeks and let you know.

Also, a search turns up some good info on Sorachi Ace. I've linked to some of the better threads below.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=53567&highlight=Sorachi
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50902&highlight=Sorachi
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=40020&highlight=Sorachi

 

[imasickboy]

I've used them a couple of times, but exclusively once. I made an all Sorachi pale ale. I tried to keep the IBU's low, and as such, got a very good beer, but ended with little lemon flavor. I'll remake it, but I'll likely change the hop schedule to move a good portion of them into late boil additions.

My original:

0.25 oz. Sorachi Ace Whole 14.00 14.6 60 min.

0.50 oz. Sorachi Ace Whole 14.00 14.9 30 min.

0.25 oz. Sorachi Ace Whole 14.00 3.9 15 min.

0.25 oz. Sorachi Ace Whole 14.00 2.4 5 min.

35.8 IBU's

I will caution you, don't like them too much, because they are no longer commercially available, if every source I've read is correct. Sadly, I really like them, and am down to 9.25 ounces. I should've bought 2 pounds. Live and learn, I guess...

 

[jezter6]

I did a Sorachi Saison which rocked on toast!

 

[Captain Willard]

I did a Sorachi Saison which rocked on toast!

Last weekend I brewed the recipe you posted for it, looking forward to seeing how it comes out!

I got a pound of Sorachi from Freshops last year. I've made couple of all-sorachi IPAs, and I think you have to be careful with the stuff - it's very overpowering. I dry-hopped with it once and it took about 9 months in the keg to mellow out to the point where it was drinkable. It's quite tasty now though, about one year after kegging. To me, Sorachi has more of a grapefruit flavor than lemon.

I think bittering with something mellow and using Sorachi for flavor and aroma is the way to go. I'm planning to do an Amarillo/Sorachi APA like this soon.

 

[jezter6]

Awesome! Post results in my recipe thread.

 

[jds]

To follow up on using Sorachi Ace in a wit: It works well.
The details on the recipe are here.

 

[Tonedef131]

Does anyone know where these hops can still be bought? I have an idea for a beer with these but I can't find any for sale.

 

[enderwig]

As far as I know, they are no longer available. (see this USDA page, last line) I got mine from freshops a while back.

 

[Chriso]

http://www.brew365.com/hop_availability_chart.php
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11229

yep. looks like he's the only one that has 'em.

 

[DeathBrewer]

damn...is there anything AHS doesn't have???

reminds me of this, lol...

WHAT DIDN'T DIDDY DO????

 

[Chriso]

*siiigh* that was a spectacular episode. i'm off to south park studios to rewatch it!

 

[Tonedef131]

Sweet, I just grabbed some of those from AHS. I am excited to try those out in the thai beer recipe I am working on.

 

[enderwig]

http://www.brew365.com/hop_availability_chart.php
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11229

yep. looks like he's the only one that has 'em.

That's awesome, I didn't realize that AHS had them!:rockin:

 

[Chriso]

Bookmark that sucka at Brew365, it's updated nearly-daily and is pretty much the defacto guide to who's got what. I have it on my Bookmark bar

 

[jcarson83]

I just picked some up for my pale ale and haven't quite figured out how to incorporate them. Are they better for bittering or aroma?

 

[DeathBrewer]

my LHBS used it for bitter, flavor and aroma. it was pretty good...if you like lemons.

 

[budbo]

As far as I know, they are no longer available. (see this USDA page, last line) I got mine from freshops a while back.

The USDA link is only about 14 years old.

Barring crop failure according to Dave at fresh hops they will be available next Septmber.

 

[enderwig]

I tasted this beer today. I am afraid that the recipe is not very good at showing off the sorachi ace, I think that the honey malt may have "muddied" the flavor of the hops.
Honey malt lends an almost syrupy sweetness, and I think that detracted from the hop flavor. I really can't taste the lemon flavor that everyone mentions.
I may make this again replacing the honey malt with either carapils or crystal 10, a mellower more neutral sweet malt.

This is the recipe that I brewed, it was altered slightly from the original post.

OG 1.045
FG 1.011

5# 2row
3# white wheat malt
1/2# honey malt
.25 oz Galena at 60 mins
.25 oz sorachi ace at 20mins
.25 oz sorachi ace at 10 mins
Nottingham yeast

mash at 152 for an hour

 

[WBC]

How old is your beer? Sometimes if not aged enough it will change a lot. Give it time.

 

[enderwig]

How old is your beer? Sometimes if not aged enough it will change a lot. Give it time.

This is just a first tasting, I will continue to taste it as it ages. My experience with honey malt is that it kind of overpowers everything else, which is fine when thats what you want. In this case, wanting to really taste these hops that I had not yet brewed with, I should have left it out.