Belma Hops

[Braufessor]

. . . . .Just not good for flavor or aroma.

..... Well, that is not much of an advertisement for this hop

 

[FarmerTed]

Here's my first Belma recipe (brewed it today):

12 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter, Warminster (4.5 SRM) 90.6 %
16.0 oz Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) 7.5 % (added 30 min into a 50 min mash)
4.0 oz White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) 1.9 %
0.25 oz Belma [11.30 %] - First Wort 60.0 min 9.5 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins) -
0.50 tsp Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 mins) -
1.00 oz Belma [11.30 %] - Boil 10.0 min 12.6 IBUs
1.75 oz Belma [11.30 %] - Boil 1.0 min 2.6 IBUs
1.0 pkg Brettanomyces Lambucus (Wyeast Labs #5526) [50.28 ml] -
1.0 pkg French Saison (Wyeast Labs #3711) [50.28 ml] (starter made with both yeasts mixed together)

The O.G was 1.063 (~5.7 gallons), and I pitched the two yeasts at 65 F. Looking forward to drinking this sucker in a few months! The wort actually had a nice little acidic tang to it.
I did a similar saison-brett last year with 3711/Brett B that finished @ 1.002, so this bad boy could end up being 8% ABV when all is said and done.

I dry-hopped this with an ounce of Amarillo, and it has turned out really well. I'm not sure how much the Belma plays into it, but it's very tropical/citrusy. It was at 1.001 when I bottled it ~5 weeks ago. I'm cold-conditioning it now, and that has really helped mellow the beer out.

 

[urbanmyth]

Ouch - use in sours sounds a bit steep.

What's that supposed to mean?

 

[RacingRam]

Urbanmyth, I enjoy sours but I don't know much about making them. Any recommendations on where I can learn more?

 

[CityOChampBrew]

Pliny the Elder is rather Columbus heavy, yet contains 12-13 oz total hops per 5 gallons post-ferment. If you swapped the CTZ out for Sorachi Ace or Amarillo, you'd notice. Trust me.

I never said it would be the same, my comment was more about how umderwhelming belma reviews seem to be.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Just had our first taste of an IPA with Belma.

11# 2-row
1# munich
12 oz C60
(I think this is exactly the grain bill from Edwort's Bee Cave IPA)

Hop schedule:
2.5 oz Belma FWH
1 oz Cascade 15 min
1 oz Belma 10 min
1 oz Citra 5 min
Dry hopped for 6 days with 1 oz each of Cascade and Citra

Fermented with S-05 at 65.

The verdict is that there doesn't seem to be much from the Belma, but it worked well as a bittering hop.

You didn't really try to make it stand out. You didn't even dry hop with any, what do you expect?

I think it's pretty mellow, but very fruity. Too much mellon and strawberry for me. If you like that kind of thing though, this is definitely your hop. I think this hop would be perfect for finicky SWMBO beer.

 

[AgentHubcap]

Did my first brew with belma last night. i used a total of 5 oz in the boil, most was < 10 mins. I plan on dry hopping with another few ounces. I have 5lbs, so I can afford to use crazy amounts.

 

[urbanmyth]

Urbanmyth, I enjoy sours but I don't know much about making them. Any recommendations on where I can learn more?

It's really not hard at all. You just gotta have more patience. Go to www.themadfermentationist.com. He has awesome information. Also, pick up Wild Brews by Jeff Sparrow

 

[thasnazzle]

You didn't really try to make it stand out. You didn't even dry hop with any, what do you expect?

I think it's pretty mellow, but very fruity. Too much mellon and strawberry for me. If you like that kind of thing though, this is definitely your hop. I think this hop would be perfect for finicky SWMBO beer.

That's fair. I should have added that we made a Saison a couple of months ago that was all-Belma, and I don't really get any of the flavors from that batch in the IPA.

The Saison was done with 3724 and hopped with an oz each at FWH, 5 min, and flameout. I got some creaminess in the mouthfeel I wasn't expecting for a beer so dry (it finished at 1.004) and some floral notes in the aroma but it ended up being pretty tame otherwise. In retrospect I probably should have added more flavor hops.

 

[jessup]

What's that supposed to mean?

traditional sour beers used hops that are aged to lose all their flavor and only utilize the preservative qualities. saying they're good for sours to me means they're useless. just go big and they'll do the trick! here's my latest brew i whipped up 2 weeks ago:

corny rye ale - OG 1.059 ~6% abv
3 lbs Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 4 5.2 %
30 lbs BD Pilsner (2 Row) Bel (2.0 SRM) Grain 5 51.7 %
15 lbs Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 6 25.9 %
10 lbs GW Pale Malt (2 Row) US (4.0 SRM) Grain 7 17.2 %

4.00 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 8 31.3 IBUs
3.00 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 9 14.2 IBUs
3.00 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 10 11.8 IBUs
3.00 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 12 8.5 IBUs
3.00 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 13 8.4 IBUs
4.50 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 14 7.0 IBUs
1.50 oz Citra [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 15 2.3 IBUs
3.00 oz Belma [12.10 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 17 0.0 IBUs
4.25 oz Chinook [13.00 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 16 0.0 IBUs

 

[bleme]

I'm guessing that 55 pounds of grain isn't for a 5 gallon batch.....

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I'm guessing that 55 pounds of grain isn't for a 5 gallon batch.....

more like 20 probably

 

[jessup]

Went for 30 gal but got 28 @ ~85% efficiency & ~ 85 ibu's. Tried my 1st keg & def plenty of fruitiness going on with nice crisp hop bite. i guess belma is better in combination with the C hops and other higher AA hops. i'm yet to do a smash or any single hopping with the belma...

 

[AgentHubcap]

My first batch using only belma turned out awesome. Not sure what everyone is complaining about

 

[masonsjax]

I just opened a bag of Belma and had a whiff. It's a very unique aroma, hard to put my finger on, but seems herbal to me. I'm getting a little pine and maybe a touch of black licorice, something like that. I'm anxious to feature it in a simple pale, I'll do that next.

 

[chiteface]

My first batch using only belma turned out awesome. Not sure what everyone is complaining about

Yeah, it doesn't have the aroma, but mine tastes great too.

 

[permo]

I finally found a beer that belma shines in. White IPA. This is a seriously excellent brew. I am drinking one as I post this......the corriander with the hops and yeast are just perfect...


16 gallon batch

22 pounds pale
4 pounds pils
1 pound munich
2 pounds flaked oats
2 pounds malted red wheat
1 pound sugar
1 oz millenium at 60
2 oz centennial at 30
1 oz cenntennial 15
1 oz columbus 15
2 oz belma at 15
2 oz centennial at FO
2 oz columbus at FO
4 oz belma at FO
5 oz crushed corriander at FO
6 oz glacier cold dry hop
Wyeast 3944 (2.5 liters on a stir plate)
Mash at 150
OG = 1.065
FG - 1.0010
IBU roughly 55
Ferment at 65-67 degrees

 

[theveganbrewer]

Thx, one of my favorite styles. I'll think about incorporating belma into my next WIPA.

 

[daksin]

Enjoying yet another glass of my all-belma APA. Can't wait to use this hop more. After a couple weeks in the keg, the aroma has definitely faded, and I can see where people get a grassy character from the hop (I only dry hopped 3 days). Still, my next iteration of this beer will be even more amazing. I can't get enough Belma!

 

[justkev52]

Enjoying yet another glass of my all-belma APA. Can't wait to use this hop more. After a couple weeks in the keg, the aroma has definitely faded, and I can see where people get a grassy character from the hop (I only dry hopped 3 days). Still, my next iteration of this beer will be even more amazing. I can't get enough Belma!

You can have mine. Not sure they are worth the shipping cost though...

 

[Effingbeer]

Ouch Kev! They didn't turn out to be the next Citra, but I will use them up for bittering and mid boil in APA and IPA, maybe a Saison. They have a good AA% and a complimentary flavor. I can't buy Magnum for $5 a pound. I won't use for dry hopping though.

 

[coastwx]

First time browsing this thread. I've had a lot of Belma in stock since last fall and used in several beers... IPA's and pales. One was heavily dry hopped. The comments about lack of aroma makes total sense. While I get a decent taste profile, I've been scratching my head at the lack of aroma that I get from a Cascade or Amarillo. Good to see others have notice this as well. I still have more than a pound left, so will relegate to bittering and flavor in future brews.

 

[one-L]

Looking forward to making another batch of EdWort's Haus Pale with this and cascade. I haven't been wowed by them, but they have worked well for bittering, and late additions in conjunction with something else. Get a nice earthy, subtle spice from them with Cascade, and I will say in everything I have used them in they add hugely to head retention and add a creamy mouthfeel.

 

[zippybasher]

Brewed this 4 days ago, Was going to add 8lb Strawberries for a Strawberry Wheat, But the fermenter smells so good I might save the strawberries for later.
Someone said : Strawberry Bubblicious gum - nailed it!

Strawberry Wheat

5lb US 2Row
5lb Wheat
4lb Vienna
1.5lb C15
1.2lb Rice Hulls

Mashed @ 155º for a little sweeter brew.

Belma @ 1.5oz FWH, 2.5oz @ 10, 2.5oz @ 5, 2.5oz @ 0 , and 1oz 5 minutes into chill


8lb Strawberries Topped, Washed and Frozen

Pacman 1L Starter

 

[AgentHubcap]

what batch size is that? Sounds awesome.

 

[zippybasher]

6gallon batch - 1.068

 

[dpatrickv]

I made an all belma saison with 3726. Holy strawberry batman. Very very good saison IMO. Probably will not use this hop for anything other than a blonde ale or a saison but for those two, I think it would work most of the time.

 

[eulipion2]

Trying to track down an off-flavor in a Belma/Strisselspalt session saison. It's giving me a somewhat grassy/metallic dryness. It's only been in bottle about 1.5 weeks, so it may clear up with a little time. It's not so bad that I won't thoroughly enjoy this beer - the berry/citrus flavor is phenomenal - but I'd still like to eliminate that flavor in future batches. Here's the recipe:

BIAB/No-Chill, 6 gallons

5.5 lb Maris Otter (malty backbone)
2 oz Acid Malt (pH adjustment)

.25 oz Belma FWH (calculated as 30 min add)
1 oz Strisselspalt - cube hop (calculated as 20 min add)
.25 oz Belma - cube hop (20 min add)
1 oz Strisselspalt - dry hop for 7 days
1 oz Belma - dry hop for 7 days

Wyeast 3711

OG: 1.030
FG: 1.006
ABV: 3.15%
SRM: 3.3
IBU: 21.6
BU:GU: 0.73

Mash: 60 min @ 154-156
Mash-out: 15 min @ 170
Boil: 60 min

 

[strambo]

I just had a Belma Pale Ale at Full Sail Brewery the other day...it was underwhelming as well. Slightly better than my Belma PA, but I still wasn't getting any major flavor and aroma...and continue to look for the strawberry roll up essence reported by others, don't get that either.

I made an American Wheat with Belmas, it is a good wheat, no major fruity flavors in it either tho.

Oh well, they are a cheap bittering and flavor hop to round out big IPA's and DIPAs.

 

[KurtB]

I made an all belma saison with 3726. Holy strawberry batman. Very very good saison IMO. Probably will not use this hop for anything other than a blonde ale or a saison but for those two, I think it would work most of the time.

I still have a pound sitting in my freezer that I haven't tried yet. I was just thinking about making a saison (or maybe a wheat beer), and adding some additional strawberries in secondary to make a very fruity summer beer.

dpatrickv, care to share your recipe?