With many varieties unavailable, many of us brewers will be forced to use relatively unknown hop varieties. Smelling new hop varieties is a good gauge of the aroma, but I've wondered what a whiff can tell us about hop taste. I once ate a hop pellet, what a bad idea! It was horrible. Do you all think a smelling a hop is a good gauge of how it will taste in a beer?
Smelling Hops
- Thread starter mew
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Fatgodzilla
Well-Known Member
So much info out there on the web there is no excuse for not using an "unusual" hop.
They say a change is as good as a holiday !
They say a change is as good as a holiday !
TheJadedDog
AFK ATM
When picking a substitute I usually look at the hop descriptions in Ho to Brew and then pick something from the same region and with a similar AA% and description as the one I wanted to use.
Yes, smelling the hop will give you some idea of the flavor. The main difference between flavor and aroma is the volatility of the oils. With a whole hop, you can chew some of the petals. But, stay away from the resin in the middle. I, too, chewed a hop pellet once. It was the 19.8% AA hop that the High-alpha acid program at OSU had just breed. Couldn't taste a thing the rest of the day.
BYO has a fairly good cross-reference, but it needs updating.
BYO has a fairly good cross-reference, but it needs updating.
sirsloop
Well-Known Member
I like the taste of Saaz and Cascade pellets... I tried a TINY nibble in a warrior pellet and it was HORRIBLE. Rough stuff...
