The Great Chinese Hop Buy 2009

[geoffi]

Ahhh yes, but already the discussion has been subjective, with no one actually doing blind tests...so what will change with the beers? Everybodies taste buds will be jumping out of their mouths to find a difference...

The true test will be when a beer is entered in a comp...maybe...

My bold prediction: those who liked the smell of the hops will think the beer is fine; those who thought the hops smelled crap will think the beer is crap.

Blind tasting is the only way to go.

 

[QldKev]

I don't get why is everyone comparing these hops against the US/or where ever origin. They are Chinese hops and the flavour/aroma should stand on their own. Are they a good hop that shows the characteristics of what that particular hop should display? Are they a hop that can produce a decent beer?

To use the analogy of a car, would we compare a Japanese Subaru against a US built Chevy; they are totally different cars both with their distinct styles.

I purchased these hops for brewing house beers, which is over half of the beer I brew; something nice and easy to drink after work and on the weekends. The price was a huge consideration; I can make beer that I can offer all my mates and dont mind if they have a few. To give you an idea if I brew with a BB Ale or Pale from the bulk buys, some specialty grain, and Chinese hops I have a brew that is highly drinkable and cost me under $15 including the LPG. This house beer may not be 100% true to its origin but is something that appeals to my taste.

Now I also brew other beers trying to keep to true style, which cost me a lot more than this. If I wanted a beer true to original its style then yes you would need to purchase grain and hops from that region. Then you would be brewing beer to the correct style and you would have beer that would be worth entering into comps. As stated earlier; to me that is not the beer I want to brew every brew.

Now I havent taken these Subaru hops out for a test drive yet, but I believe they will work out to be ok for house beers to suit their style.

(Yes I know Subaru is Japanese, not Chinese)


QldKev

 

[Adamt]

My bold prediction: those who listened to the constant spruiking, hard-selling and over-optimism of the quality of the hops will think the beer is fine; those who thought the hops smelled crap will think the beer is crap.

Blind tasting is the only way to go.

Fixed for you!

EDIT: Gee, I'm being cynical this morning, aren't I?

 

[Guest Lurker]

I would just like it on record that I dont care what the Chinese hops taste like. Then why bother posting? Because I was feeling left out as everyone else with no stake in this issue has been.

 

[Adamt]

You can't get listened to if you don't say anything!

 

[Supra-Jim]

You can't get listened to if you don't say anything!

True, but sometimes the more you speak, the less people listen to you!

Cheers SJ

 

[Sully]

I don't get why is everyone comparing these hops against the US/or where ever origin. They are Chinese hops and the flavour/aroma should stand on their own. Are they a good hop that shows the characteristics of what that particular hop should display? Are they a hop that can produce a decent beer?

To use the analogy of a car, would we compare a Japanese Subaru against a US built Chevy; they are totally different cars both with their distinct styles.

I purchased these hops for brewing house beers, which is over half of the beer I brew; something nice and easy to drink after work and on the weekends. The price was a huge consideration; I can make beer that I can offer all my mates and don't mind if they have a few. To give you an idea if I brew with a BB Ale or Pale from the bulk buys, some specialty grain, and Chinese hops I have a brew that is highly drinkable and cost me under $15 including the LPG. This house beer may not be 100% true to its origin but is something that appeals to my taste.

Now I also brew other beers trying to keep to true style, which cost me a lot more than this. If I wanted a beer true to original its style then yes you would need to purchase grain and hops from that region. Then you would be brewing beer to the correct style and you would have beer that would be worth entering into comps. As stated earlier; to me that is not the beer I want to brew every brew.

Now I haven't taken these 'Subaru' hops out for a test drive yet, but I believe they will work out to be ok for house beers to suit their style.

(Yes I know Subaru is Japanese, not Chinese)


QldKev

That is the most logical well said unbiased post I have read to date about these hops.

 

[white.grant]

Fixed for you!

EDIT: Gee, I'm being cynical this morning, aren't I?

I think changing another members post inside a quotation box is not appropriate Adamt. If that's your view then say it, don't insert the words into someone elses mouth.

chees

grant

 

[Adamt]

It's not like I tried to hide it, and I doubt anyone would have been "fooled".

 

[arogers]

can't we just be happy we all got some cheap hops?

 

[geoffi]

It's not like I tried to hide it, and I doubt anyone would have been "fooled".

Expect to hear from my lawyers Sue, Grabbit and Run very shortly.

 

[peas_and_corn]

I don't get why is everyone comparing these hops against the US/or where ever origin. They are Chinese hops and the flavour/aroma should stand on their own. Are they a good hop that shows the characteristics of what that particular hop should display? Are they a hop that can produce a decent beer?

I have regularly discussed the differences between the same strain of hop grown in two different areas- NZ vs US Cascade, NZ vs Czech Saaz etc. Surely comparing Chinese Saaz to the NZ and Czech equivalents makes sense?

 

[Bribie G]

What type of beer are you using the Cluster in?

I used it as a workhorse 'base bittering' hop in a UK bitter working man's quaffer. 50g of Cluster went in, no immediate blast of aroma but when I went back into the brewhouse it smelled like a brewhouse should ! Then I finished the boil off with 20 of Northdown and the resulting wort tasted clean and hoppy with no off flavours of onions or soy sauce or whatever. After all Cluster is the basic hop of XXXX heavy and down at the RSL it doesn't exactly reach out of the glass and try to drag you in.

This one should be drinkable for Xmas Day as the other two brews (An international Pilsener and a Belgian) I have made will need some lagering till at least first week in Jan, then a week in the keg.


:icon_cheers:

 

[arogers]

soy sauce

ROFL

 

[QldKev]

I have regularly discussed the differences between the same strain of hop grown in two different areas- NZ vs US Cascade, NZ vs Czech Saaz etc. Surely comparing Chinese Saaz to the NZ and Czech equivalents makes sense?

The point I was trying to get at was we normally compare between the hops, not against them. Hopefully the Chinese hops will display characteristics that the others don't have; some may be better some may be worse. They have been grown in a different climate with different soil and water. So what I'm trying to say is if the hop isn't 100% identical (it will never be) is the difference actually better, even thou it isnt 100% true to the origins style. Maybe if we had been using Chinese hops for the past 100 years, and we brought in some UK hops we could be having the same argument saying the UK hops dont match the style of the Chinese hops; therefore must be inferior quality. I want to make quite a few brew to get used to the hops before I will pass down my judgement on them.

QldKev

 

[peas_and_corn]

I am not defending any mentality that thinks that because they are different they are inferior, just the one that compares hops of the same strain to note differences caused by climate, soil differences, etc. It appears that you support this as well, if I am interpreting your reply correctly.

 

[roger mellie]

The true test IMO will be if you make a beer that you truely enjoy - That's all that matters really.

Cheers Ross

Are you sure Ross - I thought it had to cost the absolute minimum possible as well.

h34r:

RM

 

[Leigh]

I have regularly discussed the differences between the same strain of hop grown in two different areas- NZ vs US Cascade, NZ vs Czech Saaz etc. Surely comparing Chinese Saaz to the NZ and Czech equivalents makes sense?

Ammusingly we don't compare homegrown varieties to the commercial crops with such vigour as the comparison here...

 

[Fourstar]

Ammusingly we don't compare homegrown varieties to the commercial crops with such vigour as the comparison here...

I left the exact same post somewhere in one of the major chinese threads recently too.

Infact everyone drools over the idea of their home grown hops being dumped into their next harvest batch. Hops of which most of us have NFI how they will turn out, what their AA is like and still, merrily dump it into our beer. Is it because we grow it in our backyard we are happy to use them because we put our own chicken shizen onto it??? Even thou i grow my own hops, it seems like a bucketload more of a risk to use the home gorwn variety in my beer than a commercially grown, internationally exported chinese variety.

 

[KillerRx4]

I still have not received my hops... Pissed off!... at this point I don't think they are going to turn up.

All the way from china, then lost between brisbane & sydney. :angry:

Is there a checklist to confirm they were infact packed & sent? Possible mine was missed on packing day or lost between packing & posting?