Working late - choosing five to represent hop
American hop qualities.
I’m trying to get my head straight. I have 21 beers in front of me begging to be tasted and I'm calling it work.
The challenge on my to do list is to pick 5 beers to represent the breadth and diversity of American hops and their use in American craft brews for a presentation I'm going to be involved in. The task that has been looming was to assess (i.e., taste) 21 different beers and choose 5. Not a very easy task.
I've put my seat belt on and started cracking open bottles of beer. Assessing aroma, flavor and hop bitterness. I've come up with a final 5 that will likely make the final cut in representing American hops and American craft beer at a hour long presentation at the international beer and beverage trade show called BRAU BEVIALE, held each year in November in the city of Nuernberg, Germany.
Here's a brief description of my premise:
- Seeking diversity of hops used and their evidence in aroma, flavor and their unique contribution to bitterness
- Emergence of interesting character
- Bitterness for bitter sake and beers too strong or ale-like fruity were generally avoided for this tasting
Here are my choices:
Rogue's Brutal Bitter -Berry like fruitiness; approaching a European grown noble hop type hop flavor and bitter character . 100% Crystal hops.
Steamworks Colorado Koelsch - Sweet floral almost honey-like character of Mt. Hood in aroma and flavor; smooth bitterness. 100% Mt. Hood hops
Firestone Walker's Pale 31 - Floral/ Citrus notes. Tangy crispness of hops. Brewed in wooden oak fermenters. All hops are hybrids of Cascade. Chinook, Centennial, Cascade hops.
Odell IPA - Strong and distinctive fruity aroma of Amarillo (tangerine-like), earthy Simcoe, citrus Centennial and not distinguishable (to me) Horizon hops.
Left Hand Jackman's American Pale Ale - Centennial and Cascade hop foundation but not assertive; emphasis of Mt Hood in flavor and aroma; mildly sweet / honey floral from Mt. Hood.
The saddest moments of my evening task was having to dump the majority of the beer down the drain. My wife helped me sip through some of the remainder, but tomorrow is another work day with plenty more to do. Beer is my business and I'm working late.... and able to write this posting.
Comments
Charlie...I guess you're picking beers for a German and European audience. But aside from Rogue, it looks like you went for fairly bland, except for Rogue. Did you try beers like Green Flash IPA or Lagunitas or Port?
I agree with Mr. Brand- Although I love Brutal Bitter, and it's emphasis on Crystal hops, where is the Green Flash- that to me is the quintessential West Coast IPA, or even Sierra Nevada's Anniversary Ale with its heavy emphasis on Cascades?
You guys are right. German and European brewers will not think my choices are "bland" by their standards. Purpose is not to assault their palates with hop character, but to remark on different hop characters and how they can be integrated with beer balances they are already familiar with and comfortable with. Odell IPA will finish up the tasting and that will give them insight as to what American brewers are up to. There are many other beers, including several IPAs and imperial IPA's that will be available for tasting at the Hop Growers of America exhibit/booth. So if I can introduce them to characters that they aren't familiar with, they may come to the booth to get a taste of more hop intense characters.
When and where is going to be the 2009 World beer cup?
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