Why Don't You Like Amarillo?

[Back Yard Brewer]

like in many Sav. Blanc wines, which I also take a disliking to because of that character.

I just love that fresh cut grass / capsicum aroma that a current vintage SAB has.( Barossa of course) Nice sunny spring arvo sitting around with the odd bottle or two, looovely

Amarillo on it's own is a bit like nelson sauvin - over done and a bit too much, I think it needs an earthy/spicy hop to balance it a bit.

Having also used NS I personally would find it difficult to over use Amarillo, gram for gram that is.

BYB

 

[warra48]

I intensily dislike Sauvignon Blanc wines. They taste like what I imagine battery acid tastes like, with nothing positive to compensate for the thin body and lack of acceptable flavour. I'm not one to treasure excessive acidity, grassiness, asparagus, or sickly fruit salad in my wines.

I dislike Amarillo Gold hops for the same reason. Brewed an Amarillo Pale Ale about 3 years ago. Hated it at first. After 6 months in the bottle it was just drinkable when the hop character started to fade.

I guess as I never buy it, there's plenty left for the real fans of it.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I like a lot of beers that I know have Amarillo in them .. So I obviously don't dislike everything about the hop - but I have disliked almost every "all Amarillo" ale a brewer has ever handed me and thank god most people seem to be over that little phase, for a year or two thats all you'd get ... Big grin, "here, try my all Amarillo pale ale... It's awesome!" and i'd die a little inside every time.

To me, in isolation it tastes like weak mandarin cordial would taste if you made it out of mandarins that were about to go on the turn. Something unpleasant behind an insipid citrus fruitiness.

But. Every now and again someone will hand me q beer, it will be great... And it's mostly or even all Amarillo hops... So perhaps that's where the gulf exists between those who love and those who hate - it could just be that it needs to be handled in a particular way, then it's fantastic... And those of us who dislike, just haven't gotten it right or been exposed to many beers that have?

 

[Batz]

I am getting over Amarillo and also Cascade due to over-use,

That's it for me as well, only it happened years ago. There was a run of " try my all Amarillo APA" for a year or two, I have little stints where I use U.S. hops but tend to tire of them quickly.

Batz

I like a lot of beers that I know have Amarillo in them .. So I obviously don't dislike everything about the hop - but I have disliked almost every "all Amarillo" ale a brewer has ever handed me and thank god most people seem to be over that little phase, for a year or two thats all you'd get ... Big grin, "here, try my all Amarillo pale ale... It's awesome!" and i'd die a little inside every time.

Didn't see your post before I posted Thirsty, but it just what I was trying to say

 

[Bizier]

I used to dislike it, but I have since used it a lot more in my IPAs and US browns, but only as either a very late hop e.g. flamout or dry hop. I dislike what it gives as a kettle hop, makes it taste too much like fruit cup crush. I have really come to like what it can do for a mix, and can really enhance aspects of other hops.

My most recent IPA used 45g each Centennial and Amarillo and 35g of EKG as a dry hop regime and I quite liked how it enhanced the the lighter citrus aromas.

 

[AntCoop]

I like Amarillo.

But I like it even more with Simcoe used as a bittering hop (very smooth bittering hop), and used in equal quantities with cascade for flavor and aroma additions.

I've used it with the DSGA recipe and prefer this to the all amarillo version.

Cheers Coops :icon_chickcheers:

 

[Banshee]

I prefer my beers to be dominated by malt thats why I don't like it. These APA's seem to have alot of strong agressive hop perfume aroma. I prefer a delicate Czech saaz aroma or similar.
Ok for the hop heads. Beer was originaly brewed with malt only then I believe the Czechs introduced the hop for a sweet and bitter balance now the yanks have gone with the hop the hell out of it approach.
I do realise that it is a progression but im back with the original idea of complimenting the malt with the sutle hop flavour and aroma.
Also hops are being bred to get higher AA% so less needed in the kettle therefor cheaper to produce the beer getting the breweris attention.

 

[manticle]

I used to be a fan of malt over hop but now I can appreciate both. Some delicious hoppy beers out there (including some UK bitters) and I'm enjoying the APAs that I've been making. Ocassionally it seems that's all brewers think there is and that puts me off a little but only a teeny weeny little.

For the record I like amarillo but over use as a flavour addition can give something not quite right to the brew.

Goes well hopbursted with centennial and chinook though.

 

[zephon]

So I'm drinking a fantastic IPA with a small amount of amarillo in the bill. It reminds me of this flavour I didn't like in one of my own APA's that I am now thinking is part of the flavour profile of Amarillo.

I've read here that a few experienced brewers of hoppy beers don't like amarillo - basically wondering what you don't like about it? I thought I screwed up somewhere in my brewing of it but its looking like thats just how amarillo tastes.

I have also experienced an undesirable flavour when using Amarillo. Initially I thought it was something my process/system had imparted on the brew (this was one of my first beers based on an infamous and highly regarded recipe) but then I tasted the same flavour in another Amarillo based brew brewed by a much more experienced brewer than I was (am?).

I should note that other experienced brewers tasted both of these brews and had nothing but good things to say about both.

Unfortunately I lack the ability to accurately articulate the flavour in words but from memory it was on the end of a mouthful and while subtle it was distinct in both the brews I tasted. It did not ruin the beer but ideally I wouldn't want it there.

 

[Lecterfan]

I must admit (although this thread is meant to be about why I DON'T like it), that as a VERY new AG brewer, using amarillo is a pretty failsafe way to get a beer to taste a bit fancy and a bit different (for those of us in love with hoppy APA's - different from extract and cans of hopped extract). I've done a SMaSH a couple of DSGA-inspired batches, and a combiantion of amarillo and B-Saaz, as well as an amarillo and chinook brew. Sure I'm still very new to the whole thing, but I think it is a great hop for the enthusiastic newcomer like me who just wants to make a beer that tastes like a f*cking awesome beer and not a homebrew (no offence to anyone, that is based purely on MY experiences with MY previous brews and no one elses).

Cheers.

Edit: sorry for all the CAPITAL letters to add EMPHASIS...hee hee, these things happen on a Sunday arvo

 

[jyo]

I am just getting into knowing the hop combos that work for me and I love Amarillo in combination with Cascade, Galaxy or Centennial. However I am currently making my way through a keg of 10 minute AIPA which is all Amarillo and it is a bit much. I can't exactly place it, but it has a mouthfeel that is almost cloying-sweet, like over ripe mango...don't think I'll do it again with this hop.
Definitely in my freezer for matching with above said hops though.

 

[waggastew]

Being about 1 week away from bottling a wheat beer and my first attempt at Dr Smurtos GA ready to go into the fermenter I was a bit shocked to see this thread!

Maybe in a 2 years or so I will be over it but for now if it gets within 1 mile of JSGA I will be stoked. Bring on the fruit salad of hops.

Stew

PS. I split half my wheat beer after 1 week in primary and added 2 mangoes and some passionfruit to 10L. I was seriously tempted to throw some Amarillo in with it but figured the style is low hops. Why do I feel like I am about to go through a 'Amarillo with EVERYTHING' phase? Seems almost everyone on here has been through it, such is the predictable progress of the disease that is Homebrewitis!

 

[MarkBastard]

I've only done one all Amarillo beer but it tasted sort of like that cheap home brand fake orange juice. You know that flavour that is just wrong? That's sort of what I got from it.

 

[Nick JD]

Amarillo.

 

[Bizier]

cloying-sweet, like over ripe mango

Bingo

 

[bum]

Like others in the thread I find it really needs another hop to complement and balance the flavour.
On its own I've discovered over a couple of my own and others attempts that I just don't like all amarillo beers. At least where it is used in any real quantity at least...

+1

One of my favourite aroma hops (when in a hop blend) but reckon it is a dud for bittering and not much chop solo as a flavour addition.

What temp are you drinking your Rexona at, Nick? I don't see it myself - perhaps mine is too cold?

 

[Bizier]

Following that post, I have become a fan of using 'less sweet hops' for flavour additions in hoppy beers, and using the super fruity ones as extremely late only.

Examples from my own backyard organoleptic lab:
For 'less sweet hops' I love NB and chinook anywhere in the process. I have been trying with target to try for the bitter orange vibe, but I am about ready to give up on it for these purposes as it is not giving me what I want. I might start playing with cluster next. Also, I have switched out any cascade from super late additions, and prefer it in the mid-kettle.

Hops like Galaxy, NS, Amarillo and Centennial (though the latter is not really on the same terms) have been removed from bittering and are only used later than 5 minutes and as a lesser part of a blend, esp the NS. I have found that while they have the AA%, it is not the kind of bitterness that I enjoy, and would rather use a different hop for that purpose.

 

[Murcluf]

Personally I'm not a fan of Amarillo mainly because I think it has been done to death, currently finding the marriage between Cascade and Galaxy rather exciting in the APA stakes. Also found Mikkeller single hop range a great way to see how each hop works in the APA format, some perform much better on their own then in with other hops.

 

[juzz1981]

Hmmm... Reading this thread im thinking "shit!"
I am a new AG brewer with about 7 brews under my belt and just made Dr. Smurto's Golden Ale (all amarillo) and thinking maybe I should sub the amarillo dry hopping for cascade...

I know its a little off topic.. maybe I should make a new post..

Just a little discerning when reading this thread ........ considering how the recipe was rated and raved about......... DAMN!

 

[Acasta]

Hmmm... Reading this thread im thinking "shit!"
I am a new AG brewer with about 7 brews under my belt and just made Dr. Smurto's Golden Ale (all amarillo) and thinking maybe I should sub the amarillo dry hopping for cascade...

I know its a little off topic.. maybe I should make a new post..

Just a little discerning when reading this thread ........ considering how the recipe was rated and raved about......... DAMN!

keep going as you are. Dry hopping with cascade this late wont really change the flavor. Stick with all Amarillo so you can decide for yourself if you like it.