New Zealand Hops

[4_Sons_Brewing]

Anyone have experience with New Zealand hops?

I bought the following from someone here on HBT and looking for dome guidance on a recipe for a pale ale, ipa, etc.

Taiheke - 4 oz

Southern Cross - 8 oz

Pacific jade - 8 oz

Pacific gem - 8 oz

Would love to know if anyone has tried them, what plays well together if any, maybe what doesn’t…

Thanks

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I’ve only used Southern Cross from your list with Rakau and a mixture of NZ hops called Māori Mingle in an IPA. Use the SC for bittering and the others at 15m, hopstand and dry hopping.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Taiheke is the brandname for NZ-grown Cascade - slightly different to US-grown Cascade but not so different.

Southern Cross is an interesting hop that's far too good to waste on bittering. It's rare in being able to generate levels of 2MIB (2-methylbutyl isobutyrate) above taste threshold - see this article from Scott Janish for more, he suggests using it in the whirlpool of a hoppy lager.

Pacific Jade also has a fair bit of 2MIB, and again is probably best in the whirlpool or maybe as dry hop.

Pacific Gem is a relatively old variety, it as released in the 1980s when all anyone really cared about was maximising alpha content for industrial lagers. I guess it serves the same purpose as Target or something like that, when you want bitterness with a bit of character rather than the "clean" bittering that everyone thinks they want these days.

 

[4_Sons_Brewing]

Many thanks @Northern_Brewer I read somewhere else to bitter with southern cross - I won’t be doing that after reading your post.