Nelson Sauvin - The Perfumed Garden?

[Renegade]

I put down a brew a couple of weeks ago in order to showcase the Nelson Sauvin flavour that so many people rave about. This is my first go with the NS hop, and to be honest I don't know if I have ever actually tried a beer including this style.

What I am finding from the hydro samples is that the taste is very bitter, and there is a very strong taste of perfume. As in Eu de Cologne, if you have ever tasted that (c'mon guys think back to your groping & heavy petting days in the back of the Torana or Gemini ).

Im not a huge one for big bitters at the best of times, but I have invariably had quite a few IPA's around the traps, so I can appreciate the element of bitterness. And this bitterness surpasses that. Miind you it doesnt linger on the tastebuds, and perhaps with bottle conditioning, carbonation & drinking temp chilling it will be far less imposing. And yes, age will knock that down too, but I doubt it will ever see it's three month birthday.

The perfume taste does last though. With a clean mouth not tainted by other beers before or after, one sip will linger for a good 20 minutes to the senses. Is this a characteristic that others notice when using the Nelson Sauvin & taking test samples? I should say that I'm not 'worried' by it, but wanted to throw the discussion topic out there. It's very different to any other hop I have used.

For completeness, here is the ingredients list.

And to add, I think I calculated this at the time to be around 32 ib's.

Pitched 7-June-09
24 Litres
US-05 Yeast
500g Pilsener Malt (mini mash @ 60)
200g Crystal Malt (steeped @ 20)
1 x Morgans Pale Malt 1.5kg
1 x Coopers Wheat Malt 1.7kg
300g Dextrose
15g Fuggles @ 60 4.4%AA
15g Nelson Sauvin @ 60 11.5%AA
15g Cascade @ 60 6.3%AA
15g Nelson Sauvin @ 30 11.5%AA
15g Nelson Sauvin @ 15 11.5%AA
OG 1.058


And to add, I think I calculated this at the time to be around 32 ib's.

 

[Sammus]

According to beersmith it should be about 1.050 and 60IBU... no wonder it tastes so bitter! I would've bittered to about 25IBU for the 60min addition, and added a big dose a 10min, and another dry after primary. if that doesn't showcase the flavour and aroma nothing will.

 

[Renegade]

WTF ? Sounds like someone didn't plug in their numbers properly (and by that I mean me). I'll have to see if I saved the recipe in BS and see where it went pear shaped.

By the way Sammus, I'm still hanging onto that Gatorade tub, there's no rush, it's not taking up any extra space. :icon_cheers:

 

[Renegade]

Ok, where's the 'Hand Up, Renegade, You're an Idiot" smiley face ?

My original Beersmith recipe came out at around 42 ibu, but for some reason I used a "Dummy Hop" line in place of "Nelson Sauvin" and I didnt change the AA from 5%. I'm now getting an IBU of 56, fast appraching what your calc's got. (even though Im probably not using it properly - but at least its showing a more true account, and almost refects your figures).

Still doesnt explain my 1058 starting gravity (Im gettin 1049 on BS, that's not even close to the facts) which was taken with my hydrometer before pitching.

Either way the revised calculations tell me why it's so bitter. This is going t o be my introduction to Nelson Sauvin, totally in my face :lol:

 

[Neill]

I did a pale ale to 27 IBU with pure nelson a while ago. hydro samples were...... scary. i used only 40g of the stuff (mostly late additions to hit the flavour hard) because people had told me it was pretty damn strong. it went from 1062 to 1012 and holy hell - at the end of the ferment you would be certain you were drinking carbonated white wine - it was a very strong fruity taste. after 2 weeks in the bottle it has mellowed a lot and is starting to come nice. after another 2 weeks i will sample another one - i suspect it will be quite tasty by then.

 

[browndog]

So you have the bitterness sorted, as far as the perfume goes, stop cleaning your fermenter with 4711 :lol:

cheers

Browndog

 

[Renegade]

So you have the bitterness sorted, as far as the perfume goes, stop cleaning your fermenter with 4711 :lol:

cheers

Browndog

haha I had to look 4711 up to know what you were referring to . Guess Im not much of a Metro. Interesting that the 4711 Perfume brand's from Cologne, Germany, and that recently someone suggested I use Nelson Sauvin to try replicate Redoak's Kolsch. A beer traditionally from Cologne.

Im on the right track then, in a roundabout logic sort of way.

 

[megs80]

Hey mate,
Ive just bought a big batch of nelson sauvin. The reason for this is becouse i drank a Knappstein lager. I had it fresh and thought its a ******* great lager! like life changing beer (go NZ). Weird i know. Its from the claire valley and one of the brewers used to work with malt shovel.
I havet brewed with it yet but this beers a good example of what it can be.
PS I got some from dan murphys. seemed alittle old. all i can say to u is try it a few times.

 

[churchy]

Heres a brew that I did for my second AG.After two months in the bottle it tastes great.I think it has a slight passion fruit taste but what the hell would I know I just drink any beer.



Andrew




NZ Red Best Bitter. 25 litres



Ale malt 4kg
Crystal malt 0.2 kg
Caraaroma 0.1kg
Melanoidin 0.1kg
Carrared 0.4kg


Nelson sauvin 35g at 12.2% 60min
Nelson sauvin 25g 10min
Saaz 20g 10min
Nelson sauvin 20g 5 min
Saaz 20g 5 min
Nelson sauvin 20g Flame out