# Melba Hops



## HBHB (5/3/15)

We've been brewing a few recipes and having a play with Melba. Melba is the new Aussie kid on the block and hasn't quite reached full scale production, but we believe there will be sufficient with this next crop to make it into the home brew market. Nail brewing has done some brews with it not sure who else has. 

The first has been kegged today. It was dry hopped at 18 Degrees C for 8 days to see if we could push the envelope a little. 

I'll put up the spec sheets tomorrow for all. 

This recipe is basically our S&W clone recipe with just the hops changed out so we could could draw a clear comparison. 

Definitely, an alternative for those who weren't able to obtain Galaxy this year. There's a few slight differences. There's some other fruity notes that come through. Tropical fruit, but passion fruit is still dominant. There's no grassy notes. I'll post up a link with the exact recipe with the hop schedule for those interested. 

I think it will be a hop worth looking for....enough difference for those who find Galaxy a little harsh and grassy, but similar enough for those who love the passionfruit.

Martin


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## DU99 (5/3/15)

Nice report..martin


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## HBHB (14/3/15)

Brewsheet for the first experimental brew with them for direct comparison with Galaxy:

BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Stone and Wood Pacific Ale Clone All Melba Version Grainfather tweaked
Brewer: Martin
Asst Brewer: 
Style: Australian Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0) 

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 28.07 l
Post Boil Volume: 25.17 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 23.00 l 
Bottling Volume: 20.90 l
Estimated OG: 1.048 SG
Estimated Color: 2.9 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 80.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amt Name Type # %/IBU 
3.55 kg Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe White) ( Grain 1 75.5 % 
1.15 kg Wheat Malt, Malt Craft (Joe White) (1.8 Grain 2 24.5 % 
19.00 g Melba [9.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 3 20.3 IBUs 
10.00 g Melba [9.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 4 5.3 IBUs 
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 5 - 
10.00 g Melba [9.50 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 6 2.1 IBUs 
25.00 g Melba [9.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 7 0.0 IBUs 
1.0 pkg Coopers Ale Extracted and Cultured (Hom Yeast 8 - 
50.00 g Melba [9.50 %] - Dry Hop 7.0 Days Hop 9 0.0 IBUs 


Mash Schedule: Grainfather Steped mash for S&W Clone
Total Grain Weight: 4.70 kg
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Name Description Step Temperat Step Time 
Mash In for BC Re Add 16.80 l of water at 46.9 C 43.0 C 30 min 
Protein rest mash Add -0.00 l of water and heat to 53.0 C 53.0 C 15 min 
Sacch rest Heat to 65.0 C over 9 min 65.0 C 60 min 
Glyco Protein res Heat to 72.0 C over 4 min 72.0 C 20 min 
Mash Out Add 0.00 l of water at 75.0 C 75.0 C 10 min 
Sparge Add 16.20 l of water at 77.2 C 76.0 C 20 min 

Sparge: 76.0C

Created with BeerSmith 2 - http://www.beersmith.com
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Overshot the gravity by 2 points.
Dry Hop was done at ferment temps for 8 days, not the usual 5-7


Still tropical fruit with passionfruit up front, but Aroma has faded pretty fast on this one. (Must say for a 50g dry hop, i expected it to stick around a little more)


Next trial will be a little different, i'll add the dry hop amount at/after flameout and stand it for 10 minutes then dry hop a smaller batch to see where it goes.

Can't get the spec sheet to upload.....PDF file is too large


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## Barry (15/3/15)

Could let stand at approx. 80°c for 20 mins or more. Some of the US brewers are letting the hops stand for 10 to 50 mins+ at temps 100-60°c. I have tried it with an AIPA but still in the fermenter.


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## HBHB (31/3/15)

LINK TO SPEC SHEET HERE

Sorry, couldn't upload to here as an attachment for some reason.


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## wereprawn (8/5/15)

Had 15ltrs of beer that was lacking, in a keg . Dry hopped in the keg with 15g. Got very mild strawberry with a smaller hint of citrus.

Have another brew fermenting ATM. Magnum for bittering. 75g Melba split @ 5 , FO and -10. Hopefully a bit stronger flavour/aroma in this one. 

May be interesting in a lager.


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## pist (7/7/15)

I'm drinking a SMASH I dry hopped with 50g of melba now.
Must say I'm not that impressed with it. To me it tastes quite resiny with just hints of citrus. Not a fan.
Was expecting a lot of tropical fruit (passionfruit) as per the spec sheet but theres very little if any


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## Mattrox (21/1/16)

I'm really interested in using this Hop.

I'm doing a Coopers recipe for their kits and bits version of the 2015 vintage ale.

My local HBSes don't have any, but I'll keep looking.


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## Grainer (21/1/16)

I have heard reports that is is REALLY bad at retaining aroma.


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## pist (28/1/16)

Thats true grainer they seem to fade very quickly. I think my mistake was using them to also bitter with. To me they seem to give off a spicy peppery taste that i find unpleasant when used early. From memory i think they did mention this on the spec sheet that i read after i used them.


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