Colombus / Tomahawk / Zeus (CTZ)

[illywhacker]

Recently started using this hop. Idea was to use it as a resiny, piney, more gutsy hop to complement cascade and mosaic in flavour, aroma and dry-hopping hop-heavy pale ales and IPAs.

Both brews I've tried it with, works as envisaged, but for a really strong, can only describe it as a peppery finish. Not that it's an off taste - I'm sure some would love it. But I didn't see it coming. It's clearly present.

How do you guys use CTZ? I envisaged using it IBU-for-IBU with cascade, to add a bit of grunt to IPAs. But with such a strong flavour and a good 400g of the stuff, at 17%AA, I'm starting to wonder how best to use it. Maybe I should have just stuck with Chinook...

 

[Samuel Adams]

Yeah it's a potent hop. I tend to use it sparingly because it can dominate with that spicy dankness.
If you use it to a ratio of 1 part Columbus 2 parts fruity hops (cascade, centennial, citra etc) its great !

 

[dkaos]

Its' one of the hops used in Punk IPA, I'm dying to know what the dominant hop flavour is, whether it's CTZ,Ahtanum or Centennial. Anyway, have a go with that

 

[illywhacker]

Yeah I might persist but just scale it down a bit.
It's quite nice as it is, but those not into ballsy hops may baulk.
Too rough as a bittering hop, you reckon?

 

[Samuel Adams]

I like it as an bittering hop for IPA's but there are smoother hops for sure.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

it's great for black IPA / US Stout type of beers. The harsh pine/spice can cut through the roast malt.

 

[kevo]

I quite like Columbus and have found it stands out among the fruitier hops that are pretty popular - has a 'rougher' character for want of a better term.

I've used it right through a few beers, about 20ish IBU AT 60, and then load up in the latter part of the boil.

 

[Nizmoose]

Columbus and Simcoe hop thief 6 style

 

[Liam_snorkel]

^ if only they actually put enough in that you could taste them

 

[manticle]

Can't comment on ctz specifically but I use chinook for a similar purpose - resin to balance fruit.
Works best when you just use a little. The reason you're finding it too much is probably using nearly half a kilo.

 

[manticle]

Unless I misread and you have 400 on hand, not 400 in a regular size brew...?

 

[SJW]

I'm using that hop for the first time in the Docs Orders, Iron Lung imperial Pilsner/bock. 14g at 10 min. The recipe is on Brewbuilder, looks sensational.

Steve

 

[Dan Pratt]

Its' one of the hops used in Punk IPA, I'm dying to know what the dominant hop flavour is, whether it's CTZ,Ahtanum or Centennial. Anyway, have a go with that

https://www.brewdog.com/beer/headliners/punk-ipa

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I like it. I made an IPA with it alone as I do to get to know the flavor. Early middle and late additions. I'll be using Columbus again for sure.

 

[Mr B]

Someone (Pratty I think did a knights of Columbus IPA.

I made (copied really) it and liked it, and have continued with various variations which have been quite nice I think.

So nice in fact that a mate fell through the window after enjoying some a couple of weeks ago.

That's pretty tasty.

Mmmmm hoppy IPA - You'll find the recipe on the Whats in the glass thread I think. Or maybe not. So here is one (it might even be the original, not sure - And Thanks Pratty for sharing)


11 Knights of Columbus IPA Dbl batch

Original Gravity (OG): 1.068 (°P): 16.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.017 (°P): 4.3
Alcohol (ABV): 6.68 %
Colour (SRM): 8.9 (EBC): 17.5
Bitterness (IBU): 60.3 (Average - No Chill Adjusted)

91.21% Pale Ale Malt
4.89% Caramunich I
3.91% Carapils (Dextrine)

0.6 g/L Columbus (13.6% Alpha) @ 40 Minutes (Boil)
0.6 g/L Columbus (13.6% Alpha) @ 30 Minutes (Boil)
1 g/L Cascade (7% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.8 g/L Columbus (13.6% Alpha) @ 0 Minutes (Boil)
1.6 g/L Columbus (13.6% Alpha) @ 7 Days (Dry Hop)

0.0 g/L Whirlfloc Tablet @ 5 Minutes (Boil)

Single step Infusion at 66°C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 18°C with Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

 

[manticle]

CTZ contains columbus but is different to it on its own.

 

[illywhacker]

Ah thanks all.
Not sure I'm game to go a straight Colombus brew, but I'm getting a little more accustomed to the profile. With more careful use I'll think it'll find a home in my freezer

 

[Tex083]

One of my first AG brews was a Tomahawk SMaSH using JW Ale malt. Don't have the recipe with me but it was a plae ale Smash you could make one up. I used mostly early additions and maybe a 5 or 10 addition. It was inspired by Mikkeller single hop IPA's

 

[Spiesy]

CTZ contains columbus but is different to it on its own.

It's not actually a combo, is it? I thought the three hops were so genetically similar that CTZ just referred to using any one of them.

I've used Columbus as a base bittering hop in a Black IPA to provide some dank and spice to balance out the Amarillo, Citra and Cascade that sat on top. Worked well.

 

[Yob]

Columbus and tomahawk are genetically identical, just different farms/licence but Zeus is actually slightly different.

 

[Spiesy]

Columbus and tomahawk are genetically identical, just different farms/licence but Zeus is actually slightly different.

Sure, but CTZ does not refer to a combo - it refers to using any one of those three hops, doesn't it?

 

[Yob]

Nope, it's a blend like falconers flight

 

[Spiesy]

Nope, it's a blend like falconers flight

Oh right. My bad. Sounds like a pretty boring blend - three of the most similar hops around.

Edit: everything I can find online points to them not being a blend, but just a reference to the interchangeability of these three hops due to their similarity.

 

[Nizmoose]

Haha I also thought that they were all the same thing and referred to accordingly, pretty funny idea for a blend! Two that are identical and one that almost is!? Surely not? I mean even Columbus and Zeus sure but why the hell throw two in that are the same thing!?

 

[Liam_snorkel]

WTF Yob, got a source saying it's a blend?

 

[Yob]

have a gander >HERE<

for those not inclined to click

Zeus – An America hop known for its extreme bitterness. By itself, Zeus is likened to a bottle of Pine Sol cleaning solution. Its characteristics are often listed as dank, earthy, and resin. As a blend, Zeus is categorized as CTZ, which stands for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus.

hardly conclusive you say?

There are other sources as well, like

THIS one for example

Columbus Hops is one of the Three C's, including Centennial and Cascade. This variety also has other names including CTZ, which stands for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus. Tomahawk is the exact same variety, while Zeus hops is so bitterly close that it gets lumped in. The naming struggle has to do with copyrights and patents between Yakima Chief, Inc, and Charles E. Zimmerman who originally produced the variety. This resulted in a joint venture going by the name of HUSA-CEZ, LLC between Charles and Hopunion USA.

From the Zeus Link

Zeus Hops, although genetically different from other varietals, gets shuffled into the CTZ group of Hops. CTZ Hops stands for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus. There is a brief history time line involving different hop growers with the same or similar hops varieties. They each got their own name, as can be seen, however they emerged back into simply CTZ in their after life. Don't let the grouping slow down your impulse to brew some beer with Zeus, as it is simply amazing.

After the merging of the brands it was later discovered that Zeus Hops was in fact a separate variety through gas chromatography. Even still, Zeus' brewing characteristics are so bitterly close that it makes sense to simply move forward with CTZ as the revised brand name. HUSE-CEZ, LLC is the resulting joint venture that manages the trademark for this variety.

I could go on but I think we are done here

 

[Liam_snorkel]

the first source isn't even close to primary, the second source doesn't say that they're blended, just that they're often just labelled as CTZ. Why bother blending three hops that are the same. Do hop growers have three different yards, one growing Columbus, one growing Zeus, one growing Tomahawk, and then harvest them, mix them all together, then pelletise them?

 

[Yob]

My understanding is that they are all processed together.. they are.. wait for it..

a blend

 

[Yob]

HERE on Probrewer page


Since so many of the fashionable, designer hops are in short or nonexistent supply, I'm wondering about using those that are plentiful.

According to the USDA hop report:

2011 harvest
Nugget 3.332 million pounds
Columbus/Tomahawk 7.422 million pounds
Zeus 10.695 million pounds

Anyone have any experience in formulating recipes using these? Quantities, using by themselves, blending with other hops?



Ted Briggs

01-27-2012, 08:23 AM​

Alot of people do already. CTZ a very popular hop is a blend of Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus. I'M assuming its the reason i have trouble finding plain Columbus anymore, so i switched to CTZ. Usage is like other citrus high alpha American verieties.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

That's a post on a forum from a virtually anonymous source. You'll find 3 more opinions on the same thread saying that it isn't.