Many chefs are finding the sweet spot for beer and smoked food, managing the level of smoke intake for a more pleasurable meal.
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Many chefs are finding the sweet spot for beer and smoked food, managing the level of smoke intake for a more pleasurable meal.
The post Smoke and a Beer appeared first on CraftBeer.com.
We started this series of IPAs when we opened to showcase our favorite hop varieties. We recently released #22 (Citra-Motueka). All of the batches were 6.5-7.5% ABV, with similar malt bills (American pale barley, chit, wheat, and oats), fermented with an English-leaning yeast, and dry-hopped post-crash at 3-4 lbs/bbl. The table below is the average Untappd score of all batches dry hopped with the variety listed.
Hop | Average |
Motueka | 4.221 |
Nelson | 4.190 |
Azacca | 4.188 |
Citra | 4.177 |
Riwaka | 4.169 |
Amarillo | 4.163 |
Simcoe | 4.162 |
Galaxy | 4.155 |
Mosaic | 4.144 |
Columbus | 4.129 |
Hydra | 4.122 |
Vic Secret | 4.122 |
Strata | 4.107 |
The table below include all 65 "big batch" IPAs and DIPAs we've released that don't contain adjuncts (although I did include Phantasm beers). These are diverse in terms of recipe construction, alcohol strength, and dry hopping rate. As a result, the scores are a bit more prone to bias compared to the Cheater Hops data set.
Hop | Average |
Galaxy | 4.220 |
Hallertau Blanc | 4.220 |
Cashmere | 4.217 |
Nelson | 4.203 |
Motueka | 4.186 |
Mosaic | 4.186 |
Citra | 4.185 |
Simcoe | 4.178 |
Azacca | 4.157 |
Riwaka | 4.150 |
Amarillo | 4.141 |
Vic Secret | 4.131 |
Taiheke | 4.130 |
Columbus | 4.129 |
Strata | 4.113 |
Hydra | 4.096 |
Talus | 4.090 |
Sabro | 4.075 |
Lotus | 4.040 |
Idaho Gem | 4.010 |
Lemondrop | 4.010 |
Sultana | 3.990 |
For some batches you'd expect to see a high rating due to pairing two great hops together (e.g., Nelson/Galaxy or Mosaic/Citra). Both varieties score well across all our beers, so no surprise combing them results in a well-rated IPA. More interesting is sorting by the average standard deviation for the hops included. This shows which combinations rated higher than expected given the average scores for those hops across all beers. Snip Snap (Citra/Galaxy), Cheater Hops #22 (Citra/Motueka), Shard Blade (Mosaic/Galaxy), Cheater Hops #13 (Mosaic/Simcoe), and The Dragon (Nelson Sauvin/Mosaic/Hallertau Blanc) were all in the top-10 "overachievers." These hop blends follow different approaches either "leaning into" a particular flavor (fruity, or winey) or balancing fruity with a danker variety.
Rounding out the top-10 are two all-Simcoe (Cheater Hops #12 and Drenched in Green), two all-Mosaic (Fundle Bundle and TDH Trial #1), and an all-Nelson beer (3S4MP). Certainly a sign that these hops can shine alone compared to Citra and Motueka which are highly rated in blends, but haven't exceled in single-hop beers (despite our best efforts). Of course you need a great lot of hops for this to work; the bottom-10 also includes single-hop beers featuring: Simcoe (Cheater Hops #9), Nelson Sauvin (Cheater Hops #11), and Mosaic (Fumble Bumble)!
Two beers with Galaxy and Nelson (Cheater X and X2) each had a standard deviation close to 0. They still rate well, but no better or worse than expected across all beers with Nelson or Galaxy.
Surprisingly three of the bottom four included three varieties Cheater Hops #7 (Simcoe, Citra, Mosaic) Cheater Hops #6 (Motueka, Mosaic, Simcoe) False Peak (Idaho 7, Sultana, Citra). Blending hops can create a generic "hoppiness." These beers may have been missing a distinct "wow" aroma for people to grab onto.
The high/low scores for different batches brewed with the same single hop variety really drives home how unreliable this data likely is. Without multiple batches hopped with the same hop combination, it is impossible to say with certainty if a beer scored well because of aromatic synergy or a delicious lot of hops. Luckily several of the top-rated combinations are beers we have brewed multiple times.
The data does suggest to me that using one or two varieties for the dry hop is the best bet for making the most appealing IPA unless you have something very specific in mind. Often when breweries use a large number of hop varieties in a beer it is to promote consistency (batch-to-batch and year-to-year). It would be interesting to expand the data set to include beers from other breweries. That would produce data that is less specific to our particular brewing approach, hop sourcing, and customers' palates.
Dozens of U.S. growers supply breweries with high-quality hops. These hop farms are often family-run, and count their acreage in double-digits vs. thousands.
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(Waitsfield, VT) – Lawson’s Finest Liquids is welcoming spring with a first-time distribution of its most sought-after specialty beer — Double Sunshine with Ruby Red Grapefruit. The double IPA bursting with fresh ruby red grapefruit flavor and aroma will be available for a limited time at retailers across Lawson’s Finest Liquids nine-state distribution area (VT, […]
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As if the countless American IPA iterations were not enough to satiate a hophead’s palate, a new one—dubbed Cold IPA—lingers bitterly on the horizon.
The post Is Cold IPA Really a New Beer Style (and Does that Even Matter)? appeared first on CraftBeer.com.
Brewed for that long weekend, the camping trip, the holiday on the coast, or just a weekend at home.
The post Coaster Beer – Undeniably Good appeared first on Beer & Brewer.
Revamped Redback strikes the balance between a sparkling Summer Ale and a Belgian Wheat.
The post Matilda Bay reimagine Redback for Summer appeared first on Beer & Brewer.
Tis’ the season for some craft-beer delight and gathering ‘round a table full of holiday cheer as celebrations begin with family and friends from far and near. Ooof. OK. Let’s pause here for a minute on the Hallmark movies, whole nut displays no one ever eats, and fruit cake. Let’s talk beer. And let’s make […]
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Brewery adds another Japanese beer to its stable after 2011 deal to make and sell Sapporo.
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Headed south to the Gulf Coast? Interstate 65 offers up several great craft beer cities to quench your thirst as you stop for the night.
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(SAN DIEGO, CA) – Ballast Point announced this week the release of its refreshing seasonal specialty beer, simply: Blood Orange Lager. Made in the Pilsner style, Blood Orange Lager is light and crisp with a prominent aroma of blood orange and citrus. This pils is lightly hopped with Motueka hops from New Zealand which balance […]
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From a stout to a Saison with a twist, these are our top Spring beers.
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Hops get all the attention—all the fame, puns and glory while yeast does almost all the work. Hops dominate label space, and varieties like Cascade, Strata and Citra are practically house-hold names, thanks to the seemingly unquenchable demand for every category of IPA. Yet basic beer ale yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is abstract to most people, […]
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