Brew Dudes

This hop variety was thought to be another hop variety but it was a mistake.  Let’s learn more about Meridian hops, shall we?

The fine folks at Indie Hops in Oregon made a plan to revive Columbia hops, which were bred from Willamette. They got the fields going and were planning a grand re-introduction of the variety to the public.  After closer examination, they realized they didn’t have what they thought they had.  The hops were brought into a lab for more tests and deduced that they did not have Columbia, but a completely new breed.

With their discovery, they needed a new name.  They branded this variety Meridian because of the name of the rural road that runs past where the hops were grown.   Even though the cones were exactly that they were looking to grow, they were pleasantly surprised and went with it.

Origin: USA – Goschie Farms in Oregon

Aroma/Flavor: Sugary lemon, fruit punch, clean, crisp

Alpha Acid: The pellets I have seen for sale had an AA percentage of 6.7%

Typical Usage: Wheat beers are a good candidate for Meridian hops. The sweet lemon flavors blend well with the grainy, dry taste of a well brewed wheat beer.  May the wheat beer be American, German, or Belgian in style, these hops will be an excellent addition.  Of course, these hops would work in all American pale ales.

With all of these new American fruity hop varieties, I wonder how well they would work in a braggot or honey/malt beverage.  If adding fruits to mead is acceptable, what if you made a mead with hops that impart a fruit punch flavor or other exotic tastes like tropical fruit or white wine?  I can imagine that this combination would make a very tasty beverage.  I will save that idea for another day.

In 2012, Polaris hops were released to the world to be used in excellent beers. This profile examines this new variety and some of its interesting characteristics.

This variety is known as a flavor hop.  Flavor hops are a fairly new concept or maybe more appropriately a new label to the brewing world.  When it comes to hops, I think bittering and aroma.  The idea of flavor is one I am trying to get my head around.

Does it refer to when it is added to the boil?

Does it refer to the bold flavors it imparts to a beer?

How much should be used in a 5 gallon batch?

Should it be used with other varieties?  If so, how should it be used?

No matter the answers to those questions, there is one fact that ties the descriptor of flavor to Polaris hops.  They bring a boldness of taste to your brew.

Read the details below:

Origin: Germany – The Hop Research Institute in Hüll

Aroma/Flavor:  The first description I see in sources is a strong fruit flavor.  The other one describes the intense minty note that Polaris brings to beer.  “Glacial mint” was the phrase I kept seeing over and over.

Alpha Acid: 19.0 – 23.0%  It is also interesting to see the total oil that they have which is in the 4 milliliter range per 100 grams of hops.

Typical Usage: Reading the forums and just from my own sense of how these hops would work, I think they would be good to use late in the boil.  Although they have high alpha acids, notes on them used as a bittering hop have been mixed.  I think the minty/fruity notes would be pronounced and pleasant if you dropped the Polaris hops at the end of the boil or dry hopped with them.

Beer Styles: Darker styles would be a good match for this variety.  I am dreaming of a milk chocolate stout with some minty tones in the aftertaste.

When doing the research on El Dorado hops, I found out that this variety actually has its own Facebook page. Yes, it’s just that special.

The variety appears to be the premier variety from CLS farms in the Moxee Valley of Washington State, USA. Officially released to the public in 2010, I have started to see it available at a few of the online homebrew shops that I frequent. From the rave reviews that I have read from homebrewers and craft beer enthusiasts, this dual purpose hop variety is one to learn more about and to start considering for your next excellent beer recipe.

Check out the specifics of El Dorado hops:

Origin:  USA – but more precisely a northern part of the Yakima Valley known as the Moxee Valley

Aroma/Flavor:  There are plenty of great descriptions about the aroma and flavor. Lots of tropical fruit flavors. Some notes of pear, watermelon, and stone fruits like peaches/plum.

Alpha Acid:  Average has been in the 15% range.

Typical Usage: Dual Purpose. I think El Dorado would be a good one to use for a single hop brew to really get to know the variety.

Beer Styles: With the tropical fruit flavors being the calling card of this variety, an American IPA is the first style that comes to mind. A big, bold American style saison might also be a good fit for El Dorado hops. I think using the variety in smaller amounts throughout the boil in an American wheat beer would also be a great way to showcase it in your homebrew.

The newest varieties are pushing the boundaries of what flavors and aromas hops can deliver. I wonder if all classic styles will eventually have subcategories that will include using the bold American hops as the prominent flavor characteristic.  Then again, maybe new styles will be born of these new hop flavors.