We Brew Dudes are curious, a little reckless, and always ready to wander into the unknown with a brew kettle.

That’s why we brewed a single-hop, single-malt beer (SMaSH) using the Erebus hop variety (formerly labelled HS16660), to figure out what aromas and flavors it would bring to a beer.

Let’s see if this hop actually delivers on what the commercial descriptors claim.

Brewing With Erebus Hops – The Recipe Breakdown

For this SMaSH beer experiment, we kept things simple. Here’s how it shook out:

Batch Size: 1 US gallon
Water: 2 gallons of Spring water for a no-sparge mash
Malt: Rahr 2-row Pale Malt
Yeast: US-05 dry yeast
Hop Schedule: 1 ounce of Erubus hops (28 g)

  • 60-min boil: ~3.5 g Erebus (for a touch of bitterness)

  • Whirlpool @ ~185 °F with 17.5 g

  • Dry Hop: 7 g Erebus after primary fermentation

Process Notes:

  • Ferment for about one week with US-05

  • Cold crash after fermentation

  • Dry hop during cold conditioning

What We Perceived From The Glass

From the glass, the aroma had our brains doing weird memory dives.  We perceived key lime candy meets that bubblegum. I actually said “Blueberry Bubblicious” out loud. Mike registered strong key lime and a herb-like ginger-lemongrass vibe on the nose, with maybe a hint of green grape lurking in the background.

This hop really flexes its high oil content and geraniol profile. You can almost smell floral and rose-like qualities that aren’t typical in most pale ale hop bills. On the palate, it’s crisp, citrus-leaning, with an almost candied fruit finish that’s strange and delightful. If you’re looking for a “classic” citrus hop, this one is not exactly it. If you want something that punches with a weird, invigorating character into a simple beer, Erebus does it beautifully.

Our conclusion? Thumbs up from these Dudes. This hop delivers a compelling sensory experience. It’s not just citrus-fruit, but candied and floral that stands up in a simple beer and begs for more experimentation. I’d even try it in a dry, rice-driven lager or lighter style where the hop can really sing on its own.

Brew ON!