Topaz

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browndog

Are you bulletproof boy?
Joined
23/9/03
Messages
3,635
Reaction score
157
Pedigree
Female tetraploid J78 and male 29-70-54

Brewing Usage
Dual Purpose

Aroma
Resinous, grassy tones with light tropical flavors

Additional Information
Bred by Hop Products Australia at the Rostrevor Breeding Garden Victoria in 1985








Alpha Acids
13.7 - 17.7%

Beta Acids
6.4 - 7.9%


Co-Humulone
48 - 51%

Total Oil
1.7 - 2.2 mL / 100g


Myrcene
34 - 56% of total oil

Humulene
8 - 13% of total oil


Caryophyllene
7 - 13% of total oil

Farnesene
< 1% of total oil


General Trade Perception
Dry hopping produces resinous characteristics while tropical tones are found in higher gravity beers
MOD: Post edited by Lord Raja Goomba I, to insert hop description. Original post below:


Hi Brewers,
I got the chance to use this new aussie hop a short while back and thought I'd discuss my findings. For starters I made an IPA using this recipe

Batch Size: 24.00 L
Boil Size: 32.79 L
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG
Estimated Color: 13.8 SRM
Estimated IBU: 54.3 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 80.00 %
Boil Time: 75 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
4.00 kg Pale Malt, Ale (Barrett Burston) (3.0 SRM)Grain 63.49 %
1.50 kg Munich Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 23.81 %
0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 7.94 %
0.30 kg Rye Malt (4.7 SRM) Grain 4.76 %
30.00 gm Topaz [16.20 %] (60 min) Hops 48.0 IBU
20.00 gm Topaz [16.20 %] (5 min) Hops 6.4 IBU
30.00 gm Topaz [16.20 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.50 tsp Koppafloc (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs US05 (Safale) [Starter 200 ml] Yeast-Ale


As you can see there is 80g of Topaz there , 50g in late additions, so if there is flavour to be had, this beer will have it. Opening the vac sealed bag, the aroma was your typical pungent hop aroma that you get from most hop varieties. During the boil however, there was a noticable peppery aroma, like what you get with galaxy, only not as pronounced. Sitting here now sipping the beer above, I'm a little dissapointed. Topaz is no galaxy in the "sticking out like dogs balls individuality stakes" It has the same flavours as a number of high alpha hops, pacific gem, warrior, southern cross and to a lesser extent, magnum. What is the flavour? well, I would put as resiny, spiced fruitcake, this is backed up by The Scientist who simply said "fruity". It would probably make a good bittering hop if the fruitiness does not hang around too long in the boil. Has anyone else usedit? what are your thoughts?

cheers

Browndog
 
The only Topaz sample I have experienced is a zwickle out of a fermenter, where Chappo had used Topaz for an Aussie lager. It reminded me of a cross between Galaxy and POR, but without a big, upfront aroma note that Galaxy is known for. It had a citrusy, almost pine type flavour. It seemed to be a little bit disappointing as the flavours it seemed to contribute were just variations on existing themes rather than being something unique. The only disclaimer I'll put on this is that this beer ended up being infected, so I'll leave some more detailed analysis to others...
 
BeerSmith Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: S.M.A.S.H the Topaz
Brewer: Jody Fischer
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 44.00 L
Boil Size: 49.31 L
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 10.1 EBC
Estimated IBU: 29.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 82.50 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
10.00 kg Ale Malt (6.3 EBC) Grain 100.00 %
25.00 gm Topaz [16.20 %] (90 min) (First Wort Hop)Hops 25.3 IBU
8.00 gm [16.20 %] (20 min) Hops 4.2 IBU
0.50 tsp Kopperfloc (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs American Ale Yeast-Ale

Just put a Keg of this S.M.A.S.H into the fridge to chill, cant wait to try it, I was at Craftbrewer when they 1st opened the 5kg back and the smell was awesome filling the whole place... :icon_drool2:

CB
 
Bump.
Clean Brewer, How did this one turn out? I've got some Topaz I want to give a run.
 
Got a 90gram shrink of Topaz as part of my order today, will have to work out a recipe for it.
 
Bump.
Clean Brewer, How did this one turn out? I've got some Topaz I want to give a run.

Hey rosswill,

Turned out ok, I would probably use the Topaz as later addition hops though in the same beer again and probably wouldnt use it as a single hop beer, found it too fruity, citrusy and maybe the same as some other comments as Grapefruit.... :)

Maybe its the same as the description for Chinook "Use caution when adding to early boil, as grapefruit can dominate." Maybe try it for a flavour/aroma hop and try a neutral bittering hop or combine it with something else???????? :unsure:

Ive only used it once and still have 50+grams left, so will try something similar in Grain but adjust the hops a little, all trial and error hey.... Wouldnt say it was terrible though.... ;)

:icon_cheers: CB
 
Any more topaz uses out there ,Hows the flavour

sav
 
Bottled a topaz ale recently, never used it before.

It is -
71.5% Ale malt
15.2% Munich II
5.1% Med Crystal
8.2% Wheat Malt

10g Topaz at 30,20,10 min & flame out to 32 IBu inc 15g dry hop.

With a 2112 Cal Lager yeast.

Got a one chilling in the fridge at the moment (all be it very early) that was just short of a full bottle (rather like myself I guess :unsure: ) Which I kept as a tester.

Early impressions of it though were a strong resiny fruity character, but I'll reserve my opinion on it until later.

Cheers,
BB
 
Having just tried it - definite grapefruit flavours going on there, its dominant but not in any unpleasant way, a nice aroma as well.

Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised, IMHO it would combine well with many other fruity citrusy hop varieties.

Cheers,
BB
 
Necro thread..

I had a good whiff of these over the weekend and I got a little aroused.. Pine and fruit (as Noted above and in the HPA data sheet)

I think that one of my next cubes will have be a topaz cube, maybe mixed with a little Mosaic, Citra or Calypso

:icon_drool2:

*ed. Profiled this week on HDA Profiler Page
 
Just cracked the first bottle of a 28Lt 1.060 40 IBU American Brown Ale tonight. I did an all Topaz Strong Ale last Autumn and didnt like the bittering. Hopping as folllows:
Bittering - German NB
20 min 25g Chinook + 25g Amarillo
5 min 25g Chinook + 25g Amarillo
DH 50g Topaz Flowers

Aroma very pleasant and well balanced, the Topaz rounded out the other hops giving a full caliedescope of citrus aromas, piney, citrus, passionfruit, black currant?, spicey, herby and earthy.

Ive used the Chinook/Amarillo combo before and found it a little one dimensional (ok maybe 2D), The Topaz did really round out the aroma.

Deffo an American Ale Flame Out or Dry Hop.
 
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