This hop variety was thought to be another hop variety but it was a mistake.  Let’s learn more about Meridian hops, shall we?

The fine folks at Indie Hops in Oregon made a plan to revive Columbia hops, which were bred from Willamette. They got the fields going and were planning a grand re-introduction of the variety to the public.  After closer examination, they realized they didn’t have what they thought they had.  The hops were brought into a lab for more tests and deduced that they did not have Columbia, but a completely new breed.

With their discovery, they needed a new name.  They branded this variety Meridian because of the name of the rural road that runs past where the hops were grown.   Even though the cones were exactly that they were looking to grow, they were pleasantly surprised and went with it.

Origin: USA – Goschie Farms in Oregon

Aroma/Flavor: Sugary lemon, fruit punch, clean, crisp

Alpha Acid: The pellets I have seen for sale had an AA percentage of 6.7%

Typical Usage: Wheat beers are a good candidate for Meridian hops. The sweet lemon flavors blend well with the grainy, dry taste of a well brewed wheat beer.  May the wheat beer be American, German, or Belgian in style, these hops will be an excellent addition.  Of course, these hops would work in all American pale ales.

With all of these new American fruity hop varieties, I wonder how well they would work in a braggot or honey/malt beverage.  If adding fruits to mead is acceptable, what if you made a mead with hops that impart a fruit punch flavor or other exotic tastes like tropical fruit or white wine?  I can imagine that this combination would make a very tasty beverage.  I will save that idea for another day.