Bramling Cross availability?

[Derp]

They aren't the most popular hop in the States, but I like to use Bramling Cross in my bitters and ESBs. I seem to have depleted the local supply of them, so I was excited when a liquor store with a homebrew section announced that they'd restocked. I was in the middle of my brew day when I opened the packet up and found yellowed, barely fragrant pellets. They smelled like a dirty towel and had to have been years old. I threw them out and substituted some Kent Goldings.

I can't seem to find Bramling Cross at any of the usual online shops. I'd like to get a pound or two of the latest crop, but I'm not sure when they typically become available in the United States. I'd settle for 2017, if necessary.

Any tips for finding this elusive creature?

 

[deere322]

https://www.homebrewing.org/Bramling-Cross-Hop-Pellets-1-oz_p_2342.html

 

[IslandLizard]

I've seen and gotten them from Hops Direct in the past.

Store your hops in the freezer, in the original O2 barrier mylar bags.
You can flush them with N2 or CO2 before resealing, then squeeze as much gas out as possible while rolling up the flap. Tape it down shut.
I still use hops from 2012 stored that way.

A club friend of mine brought a few back from the UK from one of his visits. He got them mail ordered there from a hop farm in Kent, IIRC. Not sure if they ship internationally.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Even in the UK, I think the only place you'll find 2018 BX is direct from farms such as here. Our mainstream stores are still on 2017 such as here and here. With shipping, I can't imagine it will make particular economic sense to buy from the UK but at least it's an option - even if they don't explicitly offer shipping to the US I'm sure it can be arranged if you ask, and it's not _that_ expensive for small parcels - about $10 for 500g from the post office for delivery within a week.

Bullion is an alternative that tastes vaguely similar if you can get that. Personally my favourite blend for brown bitters is something like 60:40 Goldings:BX, so you could stretch any that you do find by cutting it with Goldings.

I can't remember having had any beer made with BX 2018, but in general this year's hops are characterised by quite a firm bitterness without the fully developed fruitiness of a year like 2015, the heatwave broke just a little too soon for them to be really great (although they're not bad). Also the heatwave means that yields are 30% below normal for some farmers. In contrast 2017 saw a really dull summer which wasn't so great for flavour development but was great for yields.

 

[Derp]

Even in the UK, I think the only place you'll find 2018 BX is direct from farms such as here. Our mainstream stores are still on 2017 such as here and here. With shipping, I can't imagine it will make particular economic sense to buy from the UK but at least it's an option - even if they don't explicitly offer shipping to the US I'm sure it can be arranged if you ask, and it's not _that_ expensive for small parcels - about $10 for 500g from the post office for delivery within a week.

Bullion is an alternative that tastes vaguely similar if you can get that. Personally my favourite blend for brown bitters is something like 60:40 Goldings:BX, so you could stretch any that you do find by cutting it with Goldings.

I can't remember having had any beer made with BX 2018, but in general this year's hops are characterised by quite a firm bitterness without the fully developed fruitiness of a year like 2015, the heatwave broke just a little too soon for them to be really great (although they're not bad). Also the heatwave means that yields are 30% below normal for some farmers. In contrast 2017 saw a really dull summer which wasn't so great for flavour development but was great for yields.

Thanks for the info. Interesting and helpful as always!

 

[Amadeo38]

I ordered some from Austin Homebrew Supply in late June of this year. Brewed a Bitter with them on July 4th and it took 2nd in Best Florida Beer a few weeks ago. I’d say they were fresh!

 

[Derp]

I emailed Hops Direct and asked if they expected to get any Bramling Cross in the near future. Their response:

“Bramling cross is a very hard to get hop this year. We most likely will not be getting any because of poor yield this past crop year.”

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I can't remember having had any beer made with BX 2018, but in general this year's hops are characterised by quite a firm bitterness without the fully developed fruitiness of a year like 2015, the heatwave broke just a little too soon for them to be really great (although they're not bad).

Just by way of an update, I have now played with Bramling Cross 2018 and I was right - they've got very little fruitiness, but the Golding parentage really comes through. These were pellets from the Malt Miller BTW, although the website still says 2017.

 

[Amadeo38]

Yeah, I had purchased them after reading an article claiming they put off strong blackberry notes when used as the sole hop in the recipe. I didn’t get any blackberry notes until after about two months of lagering (it was a bitter brewed with San Diego Super yeast). Albeit, that recipe was malt-forward, so maybe a more hop-forward recipe would make it obvious.