Mackinac hops - anyone tried these?

[rhys333]

Hi everyone,

I'm interested hear what you think of mackinac hops. I ordered a pound based on reviews and the following description:

Mackinac Hops:
May have been a little slower out of the gates but has proven the favorite. This incredible hop is among the first new cultivar to be released from the GLH trials and breeding program in 2014. It has gained traction and praise across the United States since and has not only increased in demand but cannot be planted quickly enough to fulfill requests. Big Tropical, Citrus, Melon, Papaya, Spice. Aromas Identified by Brewers: heavy robust tropical citrus, melon & papaya with unique floral and peppery undertones

They sound awesome. I might use these to over-hop my next saison.

 

[Agent]

I got a pound maybe 5+ years ago? It's been a hot minute. Without the notes (HDD crash) I recall it being underwhelming in a malty Pale Ale, but it worked very well as a helper hop in some IPAs.

 

[rhys333]

I got a pound maybe 5+ years ago? It's been a hot minute. Without the notes (HDD crash) I recall it being underwhelming in a malty Pale Ale, but it worked very well as a helper hop in some IPAs.

Thanks for sharing your experience with mackinac hops. I'm guessing that this variety isn't well known.

I was thinking about trying them in a hoppy pale ale, or maybe a saison.

 

[Bassman2003]

I used some for a few WC pale/IPAs and they were nice. The tropical and citrus was there. This might be my system but I found the beers I brewed developed a cough syrup flavor after 2-3 months of being on tap. Odd but it has only happened with this hop so I do not use it anymore!

For the $10.99 a pound from Hop Alliance it was a good value but I imagine you could get similar flavor and aroma for the same money with different hops.