American brewers on the frontier of hopping beer

U.S. hops in U.S. craft beers at the Salone del Gusto
at Slow Food's Salone del

“Americans do it bitter.”  This was the name Slow Food gave my presentation.   As I began my presentation I clarified that bitterness was not necessarily the primary concern of American craft brewers.  Rather it is the balance of bitteness, flavor and aroma that can be lovingly managed out of hops.   I would say that Americans do it better.  They are on the frontier of hop utilization – and it isn’t just about being bitter.
    The Salone del Gusto is an event that happens every two years in Turin, Italy.   This is my 6th time in attendance and participation as a workshop presenter in the 10 years of my involvement.  The beer presence at this massive culinary experience has grown from my two initial beer presentations in 1998 to overflowing presence of dozens of Italian microbreweries and beers from Europe’s beer producing countries.  This at an event that was once exclusively about food and wine.
Photo: International beer enthusiasts toast American beer and hops.

   It’s a 5 day show, open to the public.  About 150,000 attend to support Slow Food’s mantra “Good, Fair and Clean” philosophy – and buy/taste really cool stuff. 
    I presented 6 American craft beers to a sold out workshop of 80 international beer enthusiasts and those with a becoming beer fans.   My goal was to explain hops, how they’re utilized in beer making.  I was particularly intent on discussing different flavor and aroma characters.  
    Here’s where we went in one hour.  Alaskan Golden Pale Ale is a beer with a distinct honey/floral aroma and flavor of American grown Tettnanger hops.   100% Cascade hops are used in Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale; early hopped, late hopped and dry hopped – citrus grapefruit/lemon.  Flying Dog’s Snake Dog India Pale Ale seems to be all about an emphasis of the bitterness from Warrior and Columbus hops– Grapefruit peel oil aroma emerges.  Maui Brewing Co.’s Big Swell IPA is big on aroma and flavor character; earthy herbal Simcoe/Columbus hop with tangerine, pine, citrus, passion fruit character of Amarillo hop.  Finally Odell’s IPA is a Simcoe/Columbus accented with herbal/earthy flavor/aroma.  Fruity flavors and aromas of Amarillo continue with its NOT neglected bitterness.   Caldera IPA was a bonus beer brewed with Simcoe, Centennial and Amarillo hops, similar in character to Odell, but with added citrus of Centennial.
    For the novice, all this may seem like a language spoken on the planet Mars.  Emphasizing the values and opportunities hops can play in creating interesting beers was more important than names and brewing details.   By all measures American small brewers are on the cutting edge of using hops and creating masterpieces.  This has been one of the frontiers American brewers have been pioneering.   International beer enthusiasts were eager to learn and experience these.

     If this sounds like another story I did last week, you're right.  Different beers and different audience.  Same purpose.