Nz Cascade Flowers

[Tim]

I just thought I would start a thread to comment on NZ Cascade flowers which I picked up from ESB a couple of months ago.
I used them in an APA which is pretty much the same grainbill as Jayse's Skunkfart PA, except I used the 8.7% AA flowers for all hop additions.
I have to report that I am dissapointed with the aroma of the hops. It doesnt seem to have the prominent Piney/grapefruity taste of the US pellets or that from LCPA.
The malt profile of the beer is completely overpowering the aroma and flavour hops [I pretty much used 100 grams of the flowers]. There is however a slight citrus note up front, but not what i was expecting. I suspect with more time in teh bottle the malt flavours will subside a bit and the balance may come back [at the moment i think it may even be in the Altbier style guidlines..]
Anyhow they are just my opinions, and I would be interested to hear how others have found them.
Tim
ps. I dont think they are a bad hop, just not what I was expecting

 

[Darren]

I just thought I would start a thread to comment on NZ Cascade flowers which I picked up from ESB a couple of months ago.
I used them in an APA which is pretty much the same grainbill as Jayse's Skunkfart PA, except I used the 8.7% AA flowers for all hop additions.
I have to report that I am dissapointed with the aroma of the hops. It doesnt seem to have the prominent Piney/grapefruity taste of the US pellets or that from LCPA.
The malt profile of the beer is completely overpowering the aroma and flavour hops [I pretty much used 100 grams of the flowers]. There is however a slight citrus note up front, but not what i was expecting. I suspect with more time in teh bottle the malt flavours will subside a bit and the balance may come back [at the moment i think it may even be in the Altbier style guidlines..]
Anyhow they are just my opinions, and I would be interested to hear how others have found them.
Tim
ps. I dont think they are a bad hop, just not what I was expecting

[post="71616"][/post]​

Hi Tim,
I have found that Cascade hops (even ones from the US) can vary in their flavour/aroma properties from batch to batch, manufacturer to manufacturer, year to year. Must be difficult for commercial brewers to maintain a "flavour" from year to year. Never trie dthe NZ ones.but I suspect it will be the same with them too.
cheers
Darren

 

[Guest Lurker]

Tim. What was the yeast?

 

[ausdb]

On the note of NZ cascade flowers how well do they keep?
I have a bag about a year old (vacuum sealed from TWOC) which I am not sure about using or chucking, anyone have any recommendations?

 

[Tim]

Tim. What was the yeast?

I used WLP001 California ale yeast.

Its only been in the bottle 10 days so maybe it will come good. it did have some green apple flavours, but it tasted good after CCing.
I'll let it mature for a while before i make up my mind.

I was really just commenting that I didnt get much aroma from the hops.

 

[johnno]

On the note of NZ cascade flowers how well do they keep?
I have a bag about a year old (vacuum sealed from TWOC) which I am not sure about using or chucking, anyone have any recommendations?

[post="71639"][/post]​

If they have been kept in the freezer they should be ok. Mayber havs lost some AA's.
I have used hops that have been in the freezer for 12 mths nd they have made good beer.

johnno

 

[ausdb]

If they have been kept in the freezer they should be ok. Mayber havs lost some AA's.
I have used hops that have been in the freezer for 12 mths nd they have made good beer.

[post="71643"][/post]​

Fridge only, so I might ditch them as I have some fresher US cascade plugs and am I correct in saying cascades dont keep well (I remember reading it somewhere)

 

[johnno]

If they have been kept in the freezer they should be ok. Mayber havs lost some AA's.
I have used hops that have been in the freezer for 12 mths nd they have made good beer.

[post="71643"][/post]​

Fridge only, so I might ditch them as I have some fresher US cascade plugs and am I correct in saying cascades dont keep well (I remember reading it somewhere)

[post="71644"][/post]​

Sorry ausdb,
Freezer only for me.
There may be someone here that has used older hops before. Hey I wouldn't chuck them unles the amount was minimal.
Dont some of those belgian beers use hops that are 3 years old? For preservation properties only?
Just a thought.

johnno

 

[Tim]

With old hops, i generally hang on to them and just use them for bittering. I have found that pellets dont lose their bittering properties that much, and the cheesy and all other aromas gets boiled off.

 

[Tim]

I used WLP001 California ale yeast.

Its only been in the bottle 10 days so maybe it will come good. it did have some green apple flavours, but it tasted good after CCing.
I'll let it mature for a while before i make up my mind.

I was really just commenting that I didnt get much aroma from the hops.

Ok, I totally forgot about this beer and found a few longnecks under Dad's house the week before last. For a 5 year old beer it was in damn fine condition. You can read about it here.
Sorry to dig up such an old post, but felt it was worth sharing.

 

[BOG]

Did you put them in the comp and if so how did you go?


BOG

 

[buttersd70]

Tim! Long time no see, matey. Back in Oz, I take it?

 

[Tim]

Yep back in Aus, but not up to speed with the brewing yet as I'm in a flat.

I never put these beers in a comp, but will do so when the next one comes along.

 

[arogers]

Tim,

Just checked that blog of yours out. Well done

Took me back to my years living in London, ahh those were the days.

Welcome back.