What I Am Brewing With My Chinese Hops

[arogers]

Just brewed a wild cat to take the Marco Polo for a test drive.

4kg pale
1kg munich
500g wheat

30gm 40mins
30gm 15mins
40gms 0mins

wlp013 london ale slurry from the last IPA

lets see how she goes

just checked this one, its already at 1.018 (from OG of 1.056-ish on saturday night)

was expecting the hydro sample to be more bitter but theres still a lot of yeast floating round so will wait and see how it turns out...

 

[bradsbrew]

One thing I did notice when brewing with the cascade yesterday. was the slight smell of amarillo??

Brad

 

[dr K]

Put down an APA this arv.

3kg Vienna
3kb BB ale
2kg Aromatic
400g carared
250 wheat

30g Chinese cascade FWH
40g Chinese cascade 60min
15g chinese cascade 30min
15g chinese cascade 25min
15g chinese cascade 20min
15g chinese cascade 15min
15g chinese cascade 10min
32g Fuggles 5min
50g chinese cascade 0min

38 litres @ 1050

Doesnt have that big cascade smell but time will tell.

Cheers Brad

Chancing my luck, but is because you actually did not use Cascade?
Jokes aside, its pretty standard knowledge that hops are possibly the most terroir influenced of all, with the possible exception of truffles, we know far more about hops than truffles with regard to terroir so lets leave that discussion for later.
EKG and Fuggles grow above the cliffs of Dover (well in the vicinity), an area well proved for its hopability, take some cuttings from Zatec or the Hallertau Valley, of course they will flourish but with considerably different results from their source, as indeed EKG planted in Zatec would produce an entirely different profile.
Of course NZ has done very well with research institutes over past number of decades developing unique triploids based on european and american hops, as well as their own varieties. Now I am not saying that China cannot do the same in the future or indeed have not done so already, the only comment I make is..when was the last time the kiwis executed their chief of the FDA for allowing massive fraud, shoddy practices and whatever else just to get foodstuffs, agricultural product and drugs on the market?? Or for that matter the Americans, the Czechs, the Germans, the British or even the Aussies....
I am not knocking the hops btw, I am sure they are fine, just the influence a name may have.
K

 

[MarkBastard]

One thing I did notice when brewing with the cascade yesterday. was the slight smell of amarillo??

Brad

Oh no! Better ask for a refund :lol:

 

[bradsbrew]

Chancing my luck, but is because you actually did not use Cascade?
Jokes aside, its pretty standard knowledge that hops are possibly the most terroir influenced of all, with the possible exception of truffles, we know far more about hops than truffles with regard to terroir so lets leave that discussion for later.
EKG and Fuggles grow above the cliffs of Dover (well in the vicinity), an area well proved for its hopability, take some cuttings from Zatec or the Hallertau Valley, of course they will flourish but with considerably different results from their source, as indeed EKG planted in Zatec would produce an entirely different profile.
Of course NZ has done very well with research institutes over past number of decades developing unique triploids based on european and american hops, as well as their own varieties. Now I am not saying that China cannot do the same in the future or indeed have not done so already, the only comment I make is..when was the last time the kiwis executed their chief of the FDA for allowing massive fraud, shoddy practices and whatever else just to get foodstuffs, agricultural product and drugs on the market?? Or for that matter the Americans, the Czechs, the Germans, the British or even the Aussies....
I am not knocking the hops btw, I am sure they are fine, just the influence a name may have.
K

I think you are on the money in regards to it not tasting like US cascade but hopefully it has some C hops qualities in regards to flavour and aroma.

Oh no! Better ask for a refund :lol:

I like amarillo but usually refer to it as " smells like cats piss"


Cheers Brad

 

[Bribie G]

Chancing my luck, but is because you actually did not use Cascade?
Jokes aside, its pretty standard knowledge that hops are possibly the most terroir influenced of all, with the possible exception of truffles, we know far more about hops than truffles with regard to terroir so lets leave that discussion for later.
EKG and Fuggles grow above the cliffs of Dover (well in the vicinity), an area well proved for its hopability, take some cuttings from Zatec or the Hallertau Valley, of course they will flourish but with considerably different results from their source, as indeed EKG planted in Zatec would produce an entirely different profile.
Of course NZ has done very well with research institutes over past number of decades developing unique triploids based on european and american hops, as well as their own varieties. Now I am not saying that China cannot do the same in the future or indeed have not done so already, the only comment I make is..when was the last time the kiwis executed their chief of the FDA for allowing massive fraud, shoddy practices and whatever else just to get foodstuffs, agricultural product and drugs on the market?? Or for that matter the Americans, the Czechs, the Germans, the British or even the Aussies....
I am not knocking the hops btw, I am sure they are fine, just the influence a name may have.
K

Fuggles are not grown in Kent, but in the UK West Midlands in Herefordshire. If they tried to grow them in Kent, however, I agree that they would probably taste different, in much the same way as NZ Fuggles are similar, but different to, Herefordshire Fuggles.

 

[Ross]

Fuggles are not grown in Kent, but in the UK West Midlands in Herefordshire. If they tried to grow them in Kent, however, I agree that they would probably taste different, in much the same way as NZ Fuggles are similar, but different to, Herefordshire Fuggles.

Mainly grown in the Midlands these days Bribie, but originated in Kent.

"Fuggles Hops - The Fuggle was propagated in Kent by Mr. Richard Fuggle of Brenchley in 1875, the plant having first been noticed in about 1861, growing at HorsmondenIt became the most widely grown hop in England (in 1949, it made up 78% of the English hop acreage) until Verticillium Wilt made growth impossible in much of Kent and Sussex.

Now it represents only about 9% of the English crop, being grown chiefly in the West Midlands. Brewing character: Perhaps the most famous and revered of English hops. Fuggle has typical English flavour, frequently blended with Goldings to improve "drinkability" of the beer, and adding roundness and fullness to the palate. This robust hop contributes all the essential characteristics of flavour, aroma and balanced bitterness to ales, particularly as its relatively low alpha acid content requires a high hopping rate to achieve desired bitterness levels. Sometimes used as a distinctive dry hop."

Cheers Ross

 

[///]

Fuggles .... Sometimes used as a distinctive dry hop.

Rocks when chucked in late or mixed with other hops of similar parentage in a lighter ale ... the old is not dead, just has some competition!

Scotty

 

[dr K]

Bribie
you are no doubt correct with your locale of the current and much diminished Fuggles crop, for whilst it's origins and fame are Kentish , fungal growth made it commercially un-viable above those white cliffs and the comparitively small remaining crop comes indeed from Herefordshire where it has, certainly since at least pre-war, grown acceptably well.
so yes, I take your advice fuggles (big red letters) are not grown in kent.

K

edit: Ross beat me to it!!..

 

[Bribie G]

I bow to your learned references - didn't realise they originated in Kent, having lived in Wales they were the mainstay of the beers there. Yes the UK crop isn't what it was, some members on the UK forums report that Europe is paying Kent farmers to plough in their hop yards to grow Canola etc. Maybe Chinese Challenger and Northdown next.

 

[dr K]

there has, for many years, been a grey area as to which came first, is or was Fuggles a variety of Goldings (and lets not get into cadastre) or Goldings of Fuggles ( an interesting chocken and egg debate given the origin of our current word fowl) but there is no doubt both were from Kent.

K

 

[Bribie G]

Just hopped in 50g of Cluster in my UK Midlands style Bitter - the pellets were quite resiny with a bit of 'cat piss' as I've heard it described - and after an initial burst the aroma has dissipated and become a bit grassy, so not a lot going on there. However I'm using them on this occasion as a workhorse bittering hop, like you would do with Newport etc, (edit: in an APA) and finishing the boil off with 20g of UK Northdown at 10 minutes.

Gunna be an interesting tasting evening at BABBs in January

 

[breaky]

( an interesting chocken and egg debate )
K

What ! Easter already??

 

[clarkey7]

My IPA will be ready to keg on thursday night after the 72hrs contact time with the (dry) hops..

Starting to wish that I'd gone for a smaller beer and it would have been ready by now. <_<

Has anyone else got one pumped out yet?

PB

 

[winkle]

My MP APA has about 2 days left to run (should be kegged and chilling Thursday) - initial impression from the hydro sample are pine needles, grapefruit and high up-front bitterness.
Promising at this stage

 

[dr K]

What ! Easter already??

No, just a reference to fuggles, fowls, and chickens

 

[daemon]

My IPA will be ready to keg on thursday night after the 72hrs contact time with the (dry) hops..

Starting to wish that I'd gone for a smaller beer and it would have been ready by now. <_<

Has anyone else got one pumped out yet?

PB

Yep, cheated a bit and carbonated one bottle quickly, results are on the previous page of this thread. Will keg the remainder in the morning, need to get the fermenter / fridge free ASAP to finish the xmas brews off.

I'll be interested to see how you go with the IPA, my thoughts are that the flavour would be a bit too overwhelming as a single hop. Then again, I have plenty of Cascade to use so if it turns out ok I'll brew one in the new year

 

[breaky]

No, just a reference to fuggles, fowls, and chickens

'an interesting chocken and egg debate"

CHOCKEN - egg - easter - get it??

Sheesh, forget it

 

[winkle]

OK finally kegged up my Marco Polo #1 test batch ( a basic APA - single hopped to 72 IBUs).

NOTE: This beer still needs conditioning and filtering/getatine treatment - I collected one PET bottles worth when kegging, and crash chilled then force carbonated the PET because I was quite interested in the result and impatient.
The initial impressions of the hop are-
Aroma - initially pine needles and citrus (think grapefruit & lime). Odd note in the background seems peppery to me. I suspect with a bit of time, this will prove to be a pretty reasonable aroma hop (read American hop substitute).
Flavour - Pine and citrus rind with a distinctive pine-like hop resin hit at the back of the palate. I'll give it some time before making my mind up if its suitable as a single hop beer. Not unpleasant.
Finish - in these early days its a bit harsh up-front (not surprising). It gives a smooth resinous bitterness with an underlying strong bitterness. With its strong level of AA it'll be a good bittering hop.

I guess I'm giving it the thumbs up as a bittering hop, a cautious yes as a aroma hop and not sure just yet about the flavour profile, although I'm sure it would go well in a big hopped beer (IPA, AIPA, IIPA or American Brown) in combination with other hops.

I'm currently crash chilling the keg and will hit it with gelatine this weekend (unless someone has a gravity filter they want to bring over) and will provide a more detail appraisal when the beer is ready if anyone needs it.

 

[clarkey7]

OK finally kegged up my Marco Polo #1 test batch ( a basic APA - single hopped to 72 IBUs).

NOTE: This beer still needs conditioning and filtering/getatine treatment - I collected one PET bottles worth when kegging, and crash chilled then force carbonated the PET because I was quite interested in the result and impatient.
The initial impressions of the hop are-
Aroma - initially pine needles and citrus (think grapefruit & lime). Odd note in the background seems peppery to me. I suspect with a bit of time, this will prove to be a pretty reasonable aroma hop (read American hop substitute).
Flavour - Pine and citrus rind with a distinctive pine-like hop resin hit at the back of the palate. I'll give it some time before making my mind up if its suitable as a single hop beer. Not unpleasant.
Finish - in these early days its a bit harsh up-front (not surprising). It gives a smooth resinous bitterness with an underlying strong bitterness. With its strong level of AA it'll be a good bittering hop.

I guess I'm giving it the thumbs up as a bittering hop, a cautious yes as a aroma hop and not sure just yet about the flavour profile, although I'm sure it would go well in a big hopped beer (IPA, AIPA, IIPA or American Brown) in combination with other hops.

I'm currently crash chilling the keg and will hit it with gelatine this weekend (unless someone has a gravity filter they want to bring over) and will provide a more detail appraisal when the beer is ready if anyone needs it.

Ditto Winkle,

I've just kegged my 60min IPA - 7.1 % Calcs as 73 IBU but beersmith doesn't differentiate < 5 min intervals.
(could be more) , have PET bottles chilled and carbonated and I am currently testing them.
Dry hopped with 60g 3 days ago.

Have a couple of pics for you guys:



I'm extremely happy with the results. Perhaps not as much aroma as I anticipated with all those dry hops.

I think Winkle and I are tasting resin because we put a shed load of hops in our beer and some are still floating around in it.

Cheers,

PB