Boadicea Hops

[rippajak]

I recently stumbled onto the name "Boadicea" while browsing Hopslist for something new to play with. I was immediately intrigued by the name, the warrior queen of ancient Britain who rebelled against the Romans, and I liked Hopslist's description of a delicate floral aroma and flavor.

Finding more information about Boadicea has felt much like a unicorn hunt. The internet has yielded me a handful of names of commercial brews that have used the hop, mostly British beers that I don't believe I can get my hands on. Very few people seem to have homebrewing experience with it, and the owner of my LHBS had never even heard of such a hop.

I think it was this mysterious quality that obsessed me. I had to have this hop. I found a U.S. based online supplier that carried Boadicea, and placed an order for a pound. It is now safely tucked away in my freezer. My plan is to brew an ordinary bitter using Boadicea as the sole hop, to try to get a feel for what she's all about.

Does anyone have any brewing experience using Boadicea? I have read reports ranging from "much stronger than standard UK hops" to "you need 2-3 times as much as you would use Goldings," so I'm at a bit of a loss for amounts. The current draft of the recipe I'm working up uses 2 oz in 5.5 gal, with most of the hop additions late in the boil. I'm considering upping the late hop additions or possibly doing a hopstand, but I'm afraid of getting too much "grassy" taste.

Any advice, HBT?

 

[giraffe]

I only used them once, in a bitter. They were floral, fairly goldings like with a tinge of chinook-like pine tar from what i remember. Overall, fairly mild, probably along the lines of fuggles or goldings in intensity. YMMV this was 2 years ago.

 

[bbrim]

I made a premium bitter with these hops last fall. I had 1 oz of Boadicea with 1 oz of EKG in the Whirlpool, and 1 oz Boadicea at 15 minutes. It was a simple recipe and it had a nice floral character with hints of orange. Overall very mild but pleasant.

 

[FarmerTed]

If you get Left Hand beers, their 400 lb Monkey IPA uses Boadicea hops. I've only had it once, but thought it was pretty good.

 

[rippajak]

Thanks, all, for the replies. It sounds as though it would be pretty difficult to overdo it with Boadicea. I'm probably going to add another handful as a whirlpool addition, so that I can really see what she has to offer. Besides, whirlpool hops are the latest toy in my brewing toolbox, so I'll take any excuse!

 

[duncan_disorderly]

We don't see a great deal of them in England either. They don't get much attention on UK brewing forums. I've not brewed with them but I've had an occasional pint containing them, including a single hop. They are indeed gentle, floral, pleasant, suited to something light and drinkable. An ordinary bitter or a blonde ale I guess. Adnams use them in some of their beers, but they seem to mix them with other hops.