We continued our SMaSH beer series by brewing a one gallon batch featuring Lórien hops from Indie Hops.  This experimental format keeps the malt bill simple, allowing one hop variety to show its full character.

Lórien was released in 2021 and was bred from Sterling and a German male hop variety.For this tasting, we wanted to determine what Lórien contributes when nothing else competes for our attention.

For this batch, I used our standard small SMaSH approach, producing roughly one US gallon of finished beer. The recipe used two pounds of malt, one ounce of Lórien hops, and two gallons of water. I also pitched about three grams of US-05 yeast, then fermented the beer for roughly two weeks.

Lórien SMaSH Beer Recipe

Batch Size:
Approximately 1 gallon

Malt:
2 pounds malt

Hops:
1 ounce Lórien hops

Water:
2 gallons

Yeast:
Approximately 3 grams US-05 dry ale yeast

Here’s What We Thought

Mike first noticed a distinctive aroma that was difficult to identify, although it was not unpleasant. He initially compared it with polyurethane, then refined that impression toward perfume, wildflowers, and a delicate floral character. The flavor brought subtle fruitiness, underripe blackberry or raspberry impressions, and a tannic quality rather than ripe fruit. He also found tea-like notes, including bergamot, white tea, chamomile, sweet hay, and soft meadow-like aromas. As the beer warmed, the floral character became clearer, with honeysuckle joining the delicate fruit and fresh-grass impressions.

Overall, we thought Lórien had enough fruit to stay interesting without becoming aggressive or overpowering. Mike especially liked its potential in crisp lagers, where quality Pilsner malt could support the hop. He also suggested pairing Lórien with Sterling for a modern lager showcasing delicate floral and fruity hop character.

What We Learned

Lórien was one of those hops that became easier to understand as the beer warmed in our glasses. The initial aroma was unusual, but continued tasting revealed wildflowers, sweet hay, tea, honeysuckle, and restrained fruit. I think its delicate profile makes it especially useful for lagers, pilsners, blonde ales, and lower-alcohol beers. It can add character without dominating the beer, which appears to be exactly what Lórien was bred to accomplish. For us, this was another interesting hop worth revisiting in a clean, malt-focused lager recipe.

BREW ON!