Help with new hops

[jeeppilot]

I got an assortment of hops from a local brewer, each in 1 oz portions. I may do a few 1 gal batches as SMASHs, but I was looking for help/experience with some pairings. I’ve never used any of these before and I won’t pretend I’m a great match maker of hops yet. Any beer styles and associated hop combos suggestions are appreciated!

If the picture is too hard to see, I have Apollo, Bravo, Lemondrop, Calypso, Denali and Eureka!

 

[thehaze]

I have used Denali in a NEIPA and it is tropical fruit. Eureka! is piney, most likely the pinest of all hops existent at this point. Bravo is a relative cheap and underused hops, with pleasent citrus and fruitty notes.

Lemondrop should be lemony, but I think I've read some posts where it did show so much of the citrussy notes present in the name.

I would definitely pair Bravo, Denali and Eureka! together, but seeing you only have 1 oz each, it is not enough for a 5 gallon batch. But for smaller batches, you should be fine.

 

[SEndorf]

What I find helpful, is simply googling "hop chart". No one list has everything, so you'll need to play around a bit.
Also google the specific hop for a good description which will tell you if the hop is best for bittering, flavoring, late hop additions, or just a multi purpose hop. You can construct your pairings from that information.

 

[eetu]

Hop substitute chart is also helpful if you find matches with hops that you are familiar with.

 

[chezhed]

https://ychhops.com/varieties

A good start....not all hops but a lot and plenty of information regarding bittering, aroma, dual....

 

[jeeppilot]

I have some of those charts as well as some descriptors on the hop packages themselves. I guess what I was looking for was if anyone had experience using these hops in certain beer styles and with other hops that really popped! Obviously, some varieties pair better together than others and don’t pair as well with different ones. I heard once of a hop combo that tasted just like sassafras.

For instance, the Bravo sounds like it might go well in a black IPA with its orange and fruit and vanilla. Pair it with some well matching dank hop variety and voila! Ideas?

 

[chezhed]

There is no calculator for taste....not the standard saying..."there is no accounting for taste." though one may wonder with some hop combinations I've been given.
I think you just have to do recipe research to see what combinations have been used successfully, both commercially and award winning.

I can tell you I have used Bravo as a bittering hop with Liberty aroma in a Pale ale with good results.
I have tried Apollo with Centennial and Cascade in IPA...would make adjustments.
Found Lemondrop disappointing.
Not a big fan of piney so Eureka escapes my trials.
The experimentals are up to you and I think you just have to go with the descriptions and combine or contrast as you wish.

Just make some one gallon batches and enjoy!