Brew Dudes

I brewed a SMaSH beer using Kohatu hops. As we do, we tasted it once it was done to get to the know the variety and state our suggestions for you to use them in your next batch. Click on the play button to see this post’s accompanying video and hear us discuss our Kohatu hops SMaSH beer tasting notes:

Kohatu Hops Brewing Notes

Because the alpha acids in this variety were lower than the varieties that I typically use in my SMaSH beers; that is between 6 and 7%, and it was defined as a dual purpose hops, my addition schedule was as follows:

• 0.25 ounce at 60 minutes to go in the boil
• 0.25 ounce at 15 minutes to go in the boil
• 0.25 ounce at flameout
• 0.25 ounce – dry hop on 7th day of fermentation for 7 days

I think this schedule expressed the hop characteristics really well. You’ll get that notion either watching above or reading below.

Tasting Notes

When Mike started to smell the beer, he stated aloud that he was really digging the aroma. He said it was hard to nail down since it kept changing each time he took a whiff. He said it was really dynamic with some strong floral notes. Then, he revised his thoughts saying it was really perfume-y with a red rose type quality.

After he tasted it, he said the rose-y aspect made its way to the flavor. Other qualities he expressed were related to green mango and maybe a little lime. I said it had a prominent peach component.

Final Thoughts

The descriptors that commercial sources had were pretty vague and had us questioning the validity of tropical fruit descriptions. We think it’s pretty easy to label the hops as tropical but harder to say “hard to nail down because there are many different elements at play here.” We think this variety is complex enough to use on its own, and on the flip side, its complexity is delicate that other hops additions would be distractions and you wouldn’t experience its full glory.

Try Kohatu hops in a blonde ale or something with a light malt background. It is definitely one to try.

Brew ON!

In one of the comments left on our YouTube channel, a viewer asked us to brew a SMaSH beer with Denali hops. I had seen this hop available online so I bought a one ounce packet to try it out.

We have been brewing these one gallon batches for years now, attempting to get to the essence of certain hop varieties. Watch this video as we taste and analyze the flavor and aroma properties of this formerly experimental American hop:

Denali Hops Origin

So, from the Hopsteiner site, this variety is formerly known as Hopsteiner 06277. As I mention in the video, its earlier moniker rolls right off the tongue.

Denali hops were bred from the established varieties of Nugget, Zeus and the unbranded hop – USDA 19058 male.

It is interesting that they note Zeus specifically as this variety has been intertwined with Columbus and Tomahawk, but looking into it – it appears that it is genetically different from those other two, but very similar in aroma and flavor.

Our Tasting Notes

With this SMaSH beer (the malt being American 2-row), I only bittered with a pinch from the Denali hop packet and dry hopped with a quarter of an ounce. The rest of the pellets were added right around flame-out.

With the majority of the hops being added at the end the boil, I was trying to get as much of the less bitter flavors to come through in the finished beer.

Mike picked up a candied pineapple aroma, some apricot and/or under-ripe peach. Those aromas carried through into the flavor. He described candied pineapple again, with some juicy tangerine, and it finished with some grapefruit pith.

I didn’t get as much of the pineapple, candied or otherwise. I found the flavor to be more citrsy with some tropical notes, probably more towards the mango side of things.

When To Use Denail Hops

Of course, you should add this variety to your list of IPA brewing choices. If you can grab a bunch of packets and throw them in at the end of your boil, you’re going to be pleased with the results.

BREW ON!