Waimea Hops - Any experiences to share?

[Pickaxe]

Hey all,

Just got some new hops on the way - Galaxy i know, Nelson Sauvin I don't but there's plenty of discussion here about NS and how to use it, BUT:

What are people's experiences with Waimea?

Just wondering how people are using it, how it's tasting, and whether it would be a good single hop selection? Just thought I'd try something new.

The discussion seemed to have died on the release post >>
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/67675-new-hop-release-waimea-nz/page-4?hl=%20waimea%20%20hops

Did we lose interest? Did it not do much for anyone?

 

[Yob]

http://www.brewshop.co.nz/pdf/waimea.pdf

for a drool factor

https://www.facebook.com/newzealandhops

 

[stakka82]

Wow.

 

[Nick JD]

I did this a couple of months back and was planning to dry hop it with maybe 1g/L of Waimea, but on tasting it in secondary, didn't really want any more "waimea" flavour in it.

Can't quite put my finger on it - but I found it didn't really stand out at all. It was just-a-hop. If anything reminds me of the Pac Gem/Jade type hops. No particular flavour pops through - if you're looking for another Citra, it ain't Waimea.

What it's not - it's not Nelson, certainly not D Saaz.

The thing I've really learned about new hop releases is that you will know about the truly amazing releases. If no one's raving except the sellers ... assume mediocrity.

2c worth - maybe others will be lining up for the stuff, but I won't. Others though Kohatu was good when I thought it was bland city. Thing is, D Saaz is still in short supply - pretty sure Kohatu isn't. Actually I know it isn't because .. well, look at the attached price list.

When you see Waimea selling for way, way less than D Saaz per kg you can safely assume it's not going to knock anyone's socks off.

Waimea Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)

Original Gravity (OG): 1.055 (°P): 13.6
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (°P): 3.1
Alcohol (ABV): 5.63 %
Colour (SRM): 5.3 (EBC): 10.5
Bitterness (IBU): 42.9 (Average)

84.62% Pilsner
7.69% Dextrose
7.69% Victory

0.6 g/L Waimea (14.9% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.9 g/L Cascade (6.2% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)
0.9 g/L Waimea (14.9% Alpha) @ 15 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 90 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 20°C with Wyeast 1272 - American Ale II


Recipe Generated with BrewMate

See attached. Waimea is one of the cheapest NZ hops. Dunno about you guys by if I list the hops in the attachment by order of price decending, that's pretty much my order of favourites. Incidently, a pound of Nelson Sauvin costs AUD$10.25 wholesale (less if you buy more than 1kg)... h34r:

View attachment NZHopsPriceList2013.pdf

 

[sponge]

Should definitely post in the thread you linked to, to keep all the results and discussion in one place..

 

[Tilt]

I'd agree with Nick. It's not a standout hop - nice enough for a PA or IPA.
I'll be using the rest of my supply as a "filler hop" in my NZPAs with Motueka, Nelson, Pacific Jade and Southern Cross.
Epic "First Batch" is brewed with Waimea if you can get hold of that - a nice enough NZIPA but it doesn't stand out.

 

[Pickaxe]

Good Idea sponge - and with that, I'll move this over to the original thread.

Seems the general consensus is "meh".

Oh well, got my self some cheap, so its all good.

 

[Nick JD]

The "new" hops I'm looking forward to are the ones like Nelson, grown in Europe.

That sounds interesting - take a hop with unique characteristics and grow it in a different place. Bit like the hop growing area of NZ grows better Sav Blanc than France.

Imagine Galaxy grown in Hallertau, or Citra grown in Nelson ... in the same way Fuggles grown in the Willamette Valley have their own character. Or Cascade grown in NZ is more tangy.

And why on earth don't thay start crossing Citra with Amarillo!!!!!!!!

 

[Ross]

Each to there own, I love Waimea. We (Bacchus Brewing Co) did a single hop golden ale & an IPA that where both big hits commercially & it's one of the major hop additions in our Hopilingus IPA that has had rave reviews

Cheers Ross

 

[Yob]

care to share a recipe Ross?

Not asking for your commercial recipe but an insight as to timing for additions or something?

:icon_cheers:

 

[Nick JD]

Each to there own, I love Waimea. We (Bacchus Brewing Co) did a single hop golden ale & an IPA that where both big hits commercially & it's one of the major hop additions in our Hopilingus IPA that has had rave reviews

Cheers Ross

What do you love about it, Ross?

 

[Ross]

Nick,

It has a big resiny tropical mango character, which we found a refreshing change from the grapefruity C hops.
Worked great on its own & we blended it with Mosaic, Galaxy & Nelson in our Hopilingus.

 

[Yob]

you could taste in amongst Galaxy Mosaic and Nelson? :blink:

 

[Nick JD]

Nick,

It has a big resiny tropical mango character, which we found a refreshing change from the grapefruity C hops.
Worked great on its own & we blended it with Mosaic, Galaxy & Nelson in our Hopilingus.

Hmmm, maybe I didn't use enough. To me it was like they'd bred Pacific Jade with Southern Cross.

 

[spog]

Each to there own, I love Waimea. We (Bacchus Brewing Co) did a single hop golden ale & an IPA that where both big hits commercially & it's one of the major hop additions in our Hopilingus IPA that has had rave reviews

Cheers Ross

sounds like a good enough reason to do a smash with this hop myself in the future.
o,t here but looking at what you have on tap (at the bottom of your page)is a good enouhg reason to visit QLD in the future.never been there,just have to convince the better half... cheers..spog..

 

[beachy]

Hmmm, maybe I didn't use enough. To me it was like they'd bred Pacific Jade with Southern Cross.

Currently drinking a pale ale with 1.5g/L Waimea @10 and 0 min and dry hopped and it stands out nicely.
I consider this 1.5g/L to be low but it used up a 90g packet in 20L. I often use 2 or even 3g/L at these same times for US hops including Citra.

Nick if you want to get hops out of a beer maybe try putting some in to start with. It is hardly surprising nothing stood out @ less than 1g/L at 15min only!

 

[Yob]

o,t here but looking at what you have on tap (at the bottom of your page)is a good enouhg reason to visit QLD in the future.

you might wanna ring first and get an update.. does say last updated in 2011

ed: I have tried some of those beers at the scratch and were very nice, the missus had to drag me away from there :lol:

 

[Nick JD]

Currently drinking a pale ale with 1.5g/L Waimea @10 and 0 min and dry hopped and it stands out nicely.
I consider this 1.5g/L to be low but it used up a 90g packet in 20L. I often use 2 or even 3g/L at these same times for US hops including Citra.

Nick if you want to get hops out of a beer maybe try putting some in to start with. It is hardly surprising nothing stood out @ less than 1g/L at 15min only!

It's a Citra recipe (that abounds with tropical goodness) with the Waimea subbed for Citra. Was supposed to get 1g/L of dry hops (the same as the Citra recipe that's a corker) but I just couldn't do it at that stage.

Guess I was hoping for something with more PAZAZZ. And now I feel gay for using that word, but it's really the word that needed to be used.

 

[ploto]

FWIW I got pineapple from a 10min addition of Waimea hops.

 

[stakka82]

I have an american wheat in the fermenter CCing - all waimea at the moment. Fermenter tastings are disappointing, not much flavour/aroma?

It's been a few months since the above, are there more people that can share their experiences?

 

[Pickaxe]

When I used it, didn't really give anything of character from what I can tell other than "muddying the waters". Didn't try at 10 minutes though, might take above suggestion and use at 1g/l and see what it brings in conjunction with something else. 0 gained from dry hop add that something else would punch at. Kinda expected that though. Not a waste of time, just not a big hitter. Kind of a no ball delivery - might have been a good ball, but it didn't count so wgaf.
That being said, she was used with galaxy and ns which is known to be "muddy" as far as confused flavors. Wasnt the best brew anyway, But I'm only newbie. Interested in pineapple...

 

[ploto]

To expand on my comment, it was a 10l extract batch with 30g of waimea added at 10 mins - a '10-minute APA' if you will.

Unfortunately it fatally stalled at 1.020 and was never bottled, but much was drunk from the fermenter and the first hit was pineapple, followed by passionfruit with hints of grapefruit. I don't know how strongly the pineapple would have carried over in to a carbed or kegged beer, but I do intend to find out one day.

I'm not experienced enough to say what hops would best compliment waimea, but given the subtlety many are reporting I would be inclined to steer away from the stronger citrus-style hops.

That said, I do have a galaxy pale ale FWK that I'm tempted to dry hop or tea-steep with waimea, just to see how they go (and because the packet has been opened).

 

[Judanero]

I used 10g @ 10, 10 @ 5, 45 @ flameout, and dry hopped 25g for 5 days. (23L batch)
In the keg, great aroma, great taste (I got mango, slight pineapple?)
The ones in the bottle after just a month seem to have lost a lot of the aroma, and as I used smoke malt in the recipe, the smoky flavour seemed to start coming through a lot more.

I like this hop and intend on chucking a bit in an APA or RIPA once my current brew schedule has finished.

Cheers

 

[Danscraftbeer]

2 years from the last post of this Waimea judgment. hmmmmm
Simple all grain brewing I try hops by themselves to see what they are. As a simple brewer I have found hops that are good any way you use them. I prefer esters than resin flavors. Waimea are high AA so I made a 38lt lager and a 38lt Ale with 100g Waimea.

The 38lt lager: 20g for 60min = 21ibu. 30g Dry hopped in one of the kegs. This tasted alright drunken prematurely (6 weeks from pitch). Esters yes, slight tartness as a green, earthy character that I thought was the yeast at first. Light flavored beer but gets better in time, then it ran out with some help before its peak, oh well. No favorite of mine though.

The ale I used 25g for 40min and 25g for 3 min = 30IBU. I'm now tasting after 5 days carbed cold in keg the same as the lager. Flavor = Earthy, like dirt! No esters at all. I'm not knowledgeable enough to describe it but its familiar but just cant say. Its awefull though. Slim chance i feel of anything that may have gone wrong with the processes.
$0.02
I guess I'm just learning from experimenting. There's hops that you favor, and hops that you don't.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Drinking this Waimea Ale again. (amateur flavor profiling here). To be the first beer taste on a friday arvo its like someone emptied an ash tray into the fermenter. But! its not at all undrinkable, you can still drink it and after a couple of swigs its just another beer. Then after your taste buds are familiar I now taste the malts that are yummy. So all in all. Its a high AA hop with a unique flavor profile. A good bittering hop with upfront earthy character.
:chug:

 

[Yob]

one of my cubes today was a NZ hopped pale

83L
OG:1055
Base Bittering: Chinook 30g


Cube 1/3
Wimea 50g
Riwaka 50g
Kohatu50g

Im looking forward to it, I think its a 'plays well with others' sort of hop, from what I recall, similar brews a few years ago were delish.. we'll see if it stacks up nowdays

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Ok, have to rereport this Waimea Ale again. 15 days cold carbed in the keg now and total mellowing of that harsh dirty flavor. Its still earthy but so much nicer now. Maltyness is coming forward now. I've never had such a dramatic flavor change like this before but just proves that patience is best. An awful tasting green beer at first. Improving every week and now I feel the second (unrefridgerated keg) will be something to look forward to when time comes hmmyaaa. B)
I almost ditched it in haste.