Loral Hops (HBC 291)

[freshouj]

I'd stick with Loral/Citra. Personally have used Ekuanot a few times and enjoy it, but it's pretty pungent. Loral is more delicate and think it'd be lost.

 

[armenianbrewer]

Bumping this one. Bought a SMASH kit with pale and Loral. After reading this thread, I was planing to go Loral + Citra. But then I realized that I got a lot of Eukanot/Equinox laying around, which I've been waiting to play with. So, any thoughts on how the'd play together? Wold Equinox dominate Loral in a 1:1?

I've had much better experience with the combination of Loral and Amarillo. But that may be because I'm just not a huge fan of Citra in every beer as everything starts to just taste the same.

However Loral and Amarillo is hugely fragrant in its aroma (lots of orange and rose, almost perfumy in a good way)

 

[JEG]

Loral and Amarillo sounds very interesting. Regarding pungent, I kinda thought Citra was about as pungent as Equinox?

 

[freshouj]

To me it's very resinous like Chinook but more fruity. Citra doesn't have the resin and is almost sweet and fruity. YMMV, but if you're wanting to experience Loral with Ekuanot, I don't know that you'll taste it.

 

[Deckers_Beers]

Is Loral like Cilantro? Some people hate it because they think it just tastes soapy while other people love it because they think it tastes fresh and tangy?

I just started lagering my Loral Pils. I really liked it going into the fridge so we'll see it fully in a few weeks.

I was totally thinking about Cilantro while reading through this thread!

I've had a few Loral-forward beers, including a NEIPA & a Farmhouse, & I've never picked up any soap. I wonder if this is one of those things that's just up to biological idiosyncrasies, like how some people just can't taste diacetyl. Or the cilantro thing.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I've not seen any direct connection, but there are striking similarities between the cilantro/coriander tasting of soap thing that 10-15% of the population have (which is partly genetic - Google the gene OR6A2) and the way some people taste some hops as soapy - Centennial is the main one. It makes sense, as soap, coriander and some hops all have lots of terpenols like geraniol and linalool - tasting notes of floral and citrus in Loral makes me think of geraniol and its derivative citronellol.

So yep, I'd assume the soapy thing is a taste equivalent of colour blindness in some people.

 

[Deckers_Beers]

I've had much better experience with the combination of Loral and Amarillo. But that may be because I'm just not a huge fan of Citra in every beer as everything starts to just taste the same.

However Loral and Amarillo is hugely fragrant in its aroma (lots of orange and rose, almost perfumy in a good way)

What would you guys think about a Loral & Calypso combo? Maybe 2:1, heavy on the Loral?

I've got a bunch of hops lying around, & while I like the idea of doing Citra & Loral, or Amarillo & Loral, I don't have more than a 1/2 oz of either right now...

Here's a nice description of Calypso, if you're not familiar: "Calypso features crisp, fruity aromas and flavors that exhibit elements of apple, pear and stone fruit brightened with hints of lime citrus. It is marvelously complex with an almost understated earthy, tea-like note." -Hopslist.com

 

[TheHairyHop]

I haven't gotten Calypso to ever pop for me, and Loral is pretty subtle. So unless I'm just Calypso ignorant, it could either live or die based on the fact that it'll probably be pretty low key

 

[bassmang4]

Just kicked a keg of Loral Pale Ale. My Standard Pale Ale based off RR R2H56. Also made the original simcoe version at the same time. At the end I was pouring 1/2 loral and 1/2 simcoe. Worked well together.

 

[Upthewazzu]

I haven't gotten Calypso to ever pop for me, and Loral is pretty subtle. So unless I'm just Calypso ignorant, it could either live or die based on the fact that it'll probably be pretty low key

I'm with you on Calypso. I thought it had a chance to be a cheaper Mosaic, but it was definitely not.

 

[Deckers_Beers]

I'm with you on Calypso. I thought it had a chance to be a cheaper Mosaic, but it was definitely not.

Ah, that's too bad. In your experience, what was the flavor/aroma profile for Calypso?

 

[Upthewazzu]

Ah, that's too bad. In your experience, what was the flavor/aroma profile for Calypso?

Stone fruit is an accurate descriptor. Definitely not "tropical".

 

[TheHairyHop]

I'm with you on Calypso. I thought it had a chance to be a cheaper Mosaic, but it was definitely not.

Jacks Abbey makes an IPL that is heavy on Calypso (so they say) and it hits me over the head in the best possible way. I have no idea how they do it in the slightest. I've been trying to crack this for a while

https://jacksabby.com/blog/2015/04/jack-talks-excess-ipl/

 

[Deckers_Beers]

Stone fruit is an accurate descriptor. Definitely not "tropical".

Gotcha. I'm guessing stone fruit would wash out any delicate floral notes from the loral...

 

[TheHairyHop]

hm, I don't think so. As I had experience, Loral + Citra was great, and I would consider Citra to be incredibly potent. Then again, what do you want? Do you want Loral to be a back up or the star?

 

[Deckers_Beers]

hm, I don't think so. As I had experience, Loral + Citra was great, and I would consider Citra to be incredibly potent. Then again, what do you want? Do you want Loral to be a back up or the star?

I definitely want Loral to be the star. I'm still considering doing a single hop pale w/Loral (there's a nice write up/recipe here: http://brulosophy.com/2017/03/23/the-hop-chronicles-loral/), but was also thinking about using another hop for bittering & background flavor/aroma.

I was actually thinking of using Citra, as you mentioned above. But Citra doesn't really throw stone fruit as much, & the tropical notes it has are very bright, in general. I kind of see stone fruit & dark tropical notes overpowering the floral/earthy & light tropical notes the loral is supposed to produce.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I don't know how easy it is for you to get hold of them, but it sounds like some of the new British hops might fit that supporting role quite nicely - Jester or Ernest perhaps.

Otherwise maybe some of the new German hops like Huell Melon?

 

[TheHairyHop]

Loral and Ariana would be smooth as all hell

 

[Deckers_Beers]

So I ended up brewing a single hop pale with loral last weekend. Brewday went pretty well, & was pretty tasty. I based my recipe on one in the Brulosophy post on the loral hop (http://brulosophy.com/2017/03/23/the-hop-chronicles-loral/). Here's mine:

5.5 gal batch
Mash @ 149
OG 1.052

9 lb 2-row
1 lb Vienna
.75 lb Carapils
.5 lb Victory

60 min .5oz Loral 10.2%
20 min .5oz Loral 10.2%
10 min .5oz Loral 10.2%
5 min .5oz Loral 10.2%
FO .75oz Loral 10.2%
WP 1.5oz Loral 10.2% @ 170 for 20 min

safale 05

I'll update in a few weeks when it's ready!

 

[VolsteadBrewer86]

Anyone come up with a substitute hop for Loral? Hop Combo or just 1 singular variety?

 

[freshouj]

Potentially Ella...but I think It'd be best replicated as a combo. Being that Loral is a combo of Lemon & Floral (new world hop/old world hop), I would assume Lemon Drop & Hallertau (or something noble).

 

[VolsteadBrewer86]

Potentially Ella...but I think It'd be best replicated as a combo. Being that Loral is a combo of Lemon & Floral (new world hop/old world hop), I would assume Lemon Drop & Hallertau (or something noble).

I'll have to see if my LHBS has any instock. Thanks!

Cheers! [emoji482]

 

[HomemadeSauce]

I bought a pound of it for $10, having loved it in a handful of beers and reading about it on Brulosophy and Mad Fermentationist. Then I brewed a Biere de Garde with it so I'll know how that turns out in a month or so.

I've been tinkering with a rye IPA recipe to use up some Chinook and play around with HBC-438. Perhaps I'll throw the Loral in there instead.

 

[cbier60]

So I ended up brewing a single hop pale with loral last weekend.
I'll update in a few weeks when it's ready!

Any feedback, Deckers? I bought 4 oz of Loral and have been wondering how to use it best.

 

[thehaze]

I just purchased 9 oz Loral pellet hops / crop year: 2017 and will do a smash kind of beer.

Batch size: 6 gallons
SRM: 4.5
Target ABV: 5.5%
Target IBUs: 40
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.008
Grain bill: 6 Kg / 13.2 lbs Simpsons Golden Promise
Yeast: US-05

MASH WATER: Ca: 81 ppm / Mg: 5 ppm / Na: 3 ppm / Chloride: 50 ppm / Sulfate: 125 ppm / pH: 5.4

I am very exciting to try this out and I will make sure to post aroma and flavour notes during all stages of the beer.

 

[Chris-Naz]

I just purchased 9 oz Loral pellet hops / crop year: 2017 and will do a smash kind of beer.

Batch size: 6 gallons
SRM: 4.5
Target ABV: 5.5%
Target IBUs: 40
Original Gravity: 1.050
Final Gravity: 1.008
Grain bill: 6 Kg / 13.2 lbs Simpsons Golden Promise
Yeast: US-05

MASH WATER: Ca: 81 ppm / Mg: 5 ppm / Na: 3 ppm / Chloride: 50 ppm / Sulfate: 125 ppm / pH: 5.4

I am very exciting to try this out and I will make sure to post aroma and flavour notes during all stages of the beer.

Here is a saison rendition:

This was bottled 2wks ago and spent 12 hours in the fridge.
Hot-side Loral-hopped wlp568 saison:
Aroma: Belgian yeast. Touch of clove/phenol/spice. As the beer warms I’m getting more herbal/grassy/hay notes and underlying it all is pleasant lemon/pithy citrus peel.
Flavor: phenol hits me first followed by spice and lemon.
Thoughts: nowhere in this beer do I get “floral” aroma or flavor. My guess is that it was biotransformed during fermentation. Guess is the timing and quantity of application during the brewing/fermenting process is important in obtaining the desired outcome?
I’ll be giving Loral another round in a NE IPA w/1318, blended possibly with some Citra/Mosaic...

 

[TheHairyHop]

Lone Pine in Portland Maine is currently selling a loral IPA. They do a single hop series that is normally very good. Great limited release to get your hands on if you're in the area

 

[Chris-Naz]

Lone Pine in Portland Maine is currently selling a loral IPA. They do a single hop series that is normally very good. Great limited release to get your hands on if you're in the area

Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely go hunting

 

[HomemadeSauce]

That saison sounds mighty nice, Chris. Looking forward to brewing with Loral again soon in a hoppier saison or in combination with some other varieties in a pale ale.

 

[Chris-Naz]

That saison sounds mighty nice, Chris. Looking forward to brewing with Loral again soon in a hoppier saison or in combination with some other varieties in a pale ale.

Hi H-sauce,
FYI - I sampled this saison again recently and it has completely changed. The lemon is still there but has taken a back seat to some very strong clove and phenol notes. Actually, some floral aroma and flavor is now detectable. Due to the substantial changes during bottle conditioning I’m thinking that wlp568 is not for me. I’ll brewing this one again with wlp570 or 550, which are my typical go-to Belgian strains.
Also hoping that some extra time in the bottle will mellow out the clove/phenol character...