We are back with another SMaSH beer experiment. This time we focused on Helios hops. As always, the goal is simple. One malt, one hop, clean yeast, and let the hop speak for itself. We brewed a one gallon batch to isolate the aroma and flavor. Then, we let Mike break it down on camera.

SMaSH Recipe & Process

As we do, we followed our standard SMaSH format.

Batch Size: 1 gallon

Ingredients
Water: Spring water (2 gallons, no sparge)
Grains: 2 pounds Rahr 2-row pale malt
Hops: 1 ounce (28 grams) Helios (17% alpha acid):
Yeast: US-05 (3.5 grams)

Instructions
Mash: 60 minutes
Boil: 60 minutes
Fermentation: 2 weeks at 72°F
Hop addition schedule:

  • 3.5 g at 60 minutes
  • 17.5 g at flameout
  • 7 g dry hop after one day of chilling

Our Thoughts On Helios Hops

Helios is a dual purpose hop from the Hopsteiner breeding program. With alpha acids around 17%, it has strong bittering potential. The low cohumulone content should create a smoother bitterness.

On the aroma, Mike picked up cucumber right away. There was also an herbal, earthy component and a hint of stone fruit, like peach. As it opened up, the aroma became more intriguing.

On the palate, the herbal note was more pronounced. There was a savory quality and a dry overall profile. The peach did not carry through strongly, but subtle cucumber and possibly green melon notes remained. The hop sat right on the edge of pithy. Not overly harsh, but close.

Flavor descriptors for Helios include resin, grapefruit, melon, citrus, and light floral spice. We could see some of that. For us, the green melon leaned more cucumber than sweet fruit.

Helios works well as a bittering hop. The high alpha acids make it efficient and firm. In an IPA, it could provide a solid bitter backbone.

As an aroma hop, I would be cautious. On its own it is interesting. Paired with lower quality lots of other hops, it could amplify pithy or vegetal notes. With strong fruit forward hops like Citra or Galaxy, it might add complexity.

Overall, Helios is intriguing. I would reach for it in American ales when I want to change up my standard bittering hop. As a SMaSH, it gave us a clear picture of its character.

Brew ON!