Medusa Hops

[VolunteerBrewer]

Wife gave me some Medusa hops for my birthday. Hoping to brew on Feb 3rd. Planning on doing one base wort and then 2 NEIPAs, roughly 3-4 gallons for each beer.

Has anyone had any experience with Medusa hops? Any recommendation using them? Dry hop? Whirlpool? at FO or 5 min remaining? Believe I have 1/2 pound to use.

From BSG's site:

One of the newest hops on the scene, Medusa™ is unlike anything you’ve encountered before. Native to Colorado and New Mexico, humulus lupulus neomexicanus is an entirely different species from its European cousin, humuls lupulus lupulus. Grown exclusively by CLS Farms in Yakima WA, where 8 different varieties of neo-mexicanus are being developed.



Crazy Mountain Brewing Company and Sierra Nevada have played with this hop so far, with fantastic results. Consumers are raving about these beers; Medusa™ at work.

Medusa™ delivers strong flavor and aroma characteristics of intense guava, melon, apricot and citrus fruit. Along with these highly desirable aroma and flavor characteristics, it comes in with low alpha levels. Excellent as an aroma hop in IPA’s, Pale Ales and anything that is looking for strong aromatics.

Probably one of the most striking features of this hops is it’s multi-headed cone; it adds to the allure and story of Medusa™, truly a unique hop that is sure to become the talk of the industry.

This week at the Craft Brewers Conferece, BSG CraftBrewing will be serving the New World Pilsner from Devils Backbone Brewing. Brewed with 100% Weyermann® pilsner malt and hopped with 100% native Medusa™ hops. Medusa™ adds slight peach and tropical fruit notes to this delicate lager, clocking in at 28 IBUs, 5.2% abv. Please stop by the BSG CraftBrewing BASECAMP to try for yourself.

2014 crop will be available in limited quantities

Alpha Acids: 4.8%

Beta Acids: 5.8%

Myrcene: 48.8%

Source: https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/medusa-2

 

[Hopsimus]

I used them in two brews last year. One moderately hopped American Wheat and one pale ale.
I found the flavors to be less intense than some of the other varieties out there now. The Medusa seemed to get drowned out easily. So, in future brews I would probably go heavier on the Medusa, percentage wise, if I was mixing with other hops.

Flavor wise, I found the pellets I used were predominately citrus, with mild stone fruit. I don't recall any "intense guava", though I was hoping for it.
Strangely, a sample I pulled before dry hopping had quite a bit of stone fruit to it and almost no citrus. So I was surprised when it changed to citrus later on.
I also noticed some grassiness from the dry hopping - though that went away after a couple weeks as the beer aged.

The pale ale I made used the following additions (for about 40-45 IBU total):
.8 oz Magnum, 12.5 aa, 60 min
.5 oz Medusa, 4.8 aa, 15 min
.4 oz Archer, 5 aa, 15 min
.5 oz Medusa, 4.8 aa, 5 min
.5 oz Archer, 5 aa, 5 min
.6 oz Archer, Dry hop
.4 oz Medusa, Dry hop

The combo of Medusa and Archer was decent, but I probably wouldn't try it again. The Archer gave more of a floral hint than I was looking for, and didn't seem to mesh super well with the Medusa. I chose the Archer because it is also supposed to have some apricot flavors, but it didn't seem to work out that way for me.
If I were to brew it again I would probably ditch the Archer and decrease or eliminate the dry hop in favor of a strong whirlpool addition (to avoid the grassy taste).

You could always do a SMASH - that might be the best way to get a feel for the Medusa hops.

Cheers!