When we asked our viewers on YouTube to vote for hops for us to brew with, the third place winner of our SMaSH beer brewing schedule was Galaxy hops. The supporters of this variety shouldn’t feel bad about its place in the voting – Waimea got no votes at all. Eventually we’ll brew with the unpopular Waimea hops, but until then, let’s dive into this Galaxy hops SMaSH beer tasting video!
Galaxy Hops SMaSH Beer Tasting Notes
First off, this Australian hop variety packs a strong aroma. It smelled really great right out of the package. Although they weren’t as pungent as Equinox hops, the Galaxy hops were bolder than both Jarrylo and Mandarina Bavaria.
In the finished beer, we picked up a big floral mixed with a mango aroma. Mike picked up some darker fruit aromas before finally specifying it as being reminiscent of a very ripe mango.
As we tasted the SMaSM beer, the flavor hit us as a powerful tropical bomb with slight citrus notes. Even though we bittered with this hop as a part of the recipe, the bitterness was not sharp nor did it stick around for a long time in the aftertaste.
Mike called the hop profile as soft. When I asked him what he meant by that, he said that the oils of this hop were not harsh and not clingy. They were very much focused on the flavor of the beer.
Final Thoughts
Galaxy hops are a variety that is all about the flavor and aroma of the tasting experience. Because of that, we fully understand why people adore this hop. Tasting one of the last bottles from this batch, the darker fleshy fruit flavors, the passion fruit flavors are really coming through.
This variety is a great one for use in a single hop showcase. At first glance, we felt that Equinox is a similar hop but Galaxy does not have a green pepper aspect that Equinox does, which can be unpleasant in high doses.
Check out Galaxy if you haven’t already. Try them as a late addition in an IPA. In big doses, the hop really expresses itself well.
Thanks for reading and please comment below. We hope you learned something from our Galaxy hop SMaSH beer tasting – Brew ON!
brewella deville
I’ve been enjoying these tasting notes for newer hop varieties. Looks like I’m going to need some Galaxy hops soon.
The Brew Dudes
Thanks Brewella – this hop was a great one. More to come.
brewella deville
You know what, I take that back. Looking over my notes I did use Galaxy in an IPA. I tried to get a jump start on all that hop aroma and opened it up a little too early. It wasn’t until I had a bottle that had properly conditioned that that fantastic fruit came through. I see now that you’ve used it in a pale ale, and I can’t wait to do the same.