Mike and I continue our small batch SMaSH series. This time, we brewed with Karma hops!

We brew these simple beers to try to isolate hop flavor and aroma.  We think these beers help us understand what a single hop variety actually brings to the glass.

Karma hops caught my attention after an email from Hops Direct announcing their limited availability. They are a dual purpose variety developed by Puterbaugh Farms (via Hops Direct LLC) in the USA and Charles Faram & Co Ltd in the UK. Although I had to purchase eight ounces (typically, I buy the smallest packs – either 1 or 2 ounces) I grabbed a pack and put one ounce toward this experiment.

Brewing and Tasting the Karma Hop SMaSH Beer

This was a standard one gallon SMaSH setup using two pounds of grain and one ounce of hops.
 We fermented with a neutral yeast (Fermentis SafAle US-05)  to keep the hop character as clean as possible.

Karma Hop SMaSH Recipe
Batch Size: 1 gallon

Grain Bill:
2 pounds of Rahr 2-row pale malt

Hops:
3.5 g at 60 minutes
17.5 g at flameout
7 g dry hop

Yeast:
US-05 (3 grams)

Water Volume:
2 gallons of spring water

What We Learned from Karma Hops

On the nose, we picked up subtle berry notes, leaning toward blueberry skin rather than sweetness. There was also a light vanilla-like aroma with a noticeable savory, herbal character.

The flavor followed the aroma closely, staying restrained but layered and balanced. We noticed mild earthiness alongside berry impressions and a green, leafy note reminiscent of bay leaf.
 It was not loud or aggressive, but it stayed interesting throughout the sip.

Compared to the producer description, the berry and creamy vanilla elements lined up well. We did not get much citrus, though the vanilla could hint at an orange Creamsicle impression.

Karma hops are subtle, balanced, and lean more complex than expressive. They feel well suited as a supporting or blending hop rather than a standalone powerhouse. We both agreed this hop could work well alongside bigger varieties like Mosaic or Galaxy. It may also shine in styles like witbier, saison, or experimental hybrids with herbal additions. This SMaSH confirmed Karma hops bring quiet depth and savory intrigue when handled gently. It is a hop I am excited to explore further in future batches.

BREW ON!