Colombus / Tomahawk / Zeus (CTZ)

[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.

 

[Yob]

I've asked the question of industry people last time this came up.

it's a blend, only a small portion of Zeus is kept aside and sold seperately.. tell ya what, I'll shoot off an email and seek some clarification for the issue for the thread.

This is one of those conversations that tends to do the rounds, I do remember getting the info on it before though from people directly connected to the farms.

 

[welly2]

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

Chinook, Ahtanum, Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe, Nelson Sauvin. I'd be interested to understand how having such a number of different hops creates the flavour/aroma and so on? As someone on their fifth AG beer, I'm just throwing in a single hop a brew. I wouldn't know where to start mixing/blending hops yet.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've asked the question of industry people last time this came up.

it's a blend, only a small portion of Zeus is kept aside and sold seperately.. tell ya what, I'll shoot off an email and seek some clarification for the issue for the thread.

This is one of those conversations that tends to do the rounds, I do remember getting the info on it before though from people directly connected to the farms.

sweet cheers. I suspect some growers just grown one of the 3 varieties and sell it as CTZ.

 

[dicko]

Welly,
there are posts somewhere that brewers have suggested different combinations...F I I can find it at the moment.

To evaluate a hop for bitterness and flavour/aroma you will need to brew and use the variety as a separate addition.

I have currently tested for myself..Ella, in an APA which has turned out a tad dissapointing in my opinion. I think this hop should be used along side another variety.

The one I did before this one was Faloners Flight. Needless to say I wont be using that blend variety again unless a reliable brewer might recommend another variety that it will partner successfully. So after this trial it has made me very cautious about using CTZ.

Of course hop flavours are also somewhat individual as is all foods and drinks.

A blend of hops at packaging is nothing like a blend of hops at different quantities and times throughout a recipe.

 

[welly2]

Cheers Yob! I guess I'll just need to keep brewing!

Oh, found this http://www.morebeer.com/articles/master_hop_character which looks handy.

 

[HBHB]

One of those ones where for every piece of literature that says they're the same, there's another one that says CTZ a blend. Not that it really matters.

http://www.usahops.org/graphics/File/HGA%20BCI%20Reports/Variety%20Manual%207-24-12.pdf

 

[Yob]

its gunna turn out to be both innit?

 

[welly2]

There's confusion all over the internet whether CTZ is a blend or not.

These guys are selling it as pellets: http://www.nikobrew.com/columbus-tomahawk-zeus-ctz-pellet-2013/

This guy says it's not a blend: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/ctz-hop-blend-yea-or-nay.103420/#post-1516372

But this guy says it is a blend: http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?23770-Using-available-hops&p=75688#post75688

We will probably never get a definitive answer..

 

[manticle]

I always thought it was a blend but I'm happy to be wrong.

 

[kevo]

Really, who cares if it's a blend?

It's delicious and smells awesome. :icon_cheers: