Tag Archives: hops

Rogue Ales Hop Family IPA Series

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Hops are the spice of beer. The provide bitterness to balance the sweetness of malt. Their many essential oils bring seasoning flavors and aromas that range from bright citrus and juicy tropical fruits to thyme, spices and flowers. The sheer numbers of hop varieties and the limitless possibilities for combining them gives brewers and extraordinary palette to work with.

Rogue Ales brewmaster John Maier has concocted a project to explore a small corner of this palette. The Hop Family Series of IPAs uses different combinations of the eight hops grown on the Rogue Farms – Liberty, Newport, Revolution, Rebel, Independent, Freedom, Alluvial, and Yaquina. In Maier’s words, “It’s the entire Rogue hop experience in four bottles.”

Each of the beers – 4 Hop, 6 Hop, 7 Hop and 8 Hop – is a specially formulated recipe to showcase the unique hop blend. I conducted my tasting of the series blind, in order to focus more fully on the differences in hop character. The differences in the beers though are so pronounced that the blinding proved pointless. I quickly knew which beer was which. Personally, I think the experiment would have been more interesting if the base beer were the same and only the hops changed, but tasting them all is a fun trip nonetheless.

I attempted to find descriptors for the hops used. Most of them are proprietary to Rogue Farms and I was unable to come up with any information. I got tired of searching. I have listed the beers in order according to preference. My tasting notes are unedited.

Here’s my notes:

Color Lightest to Darkest: 4 Hop, 6 Hop, 8 Hop, 7 Hop

Body Lightest to Fullest: 4 Hop, 6 Hop, 8 Hop, 7 Hop

Perceived Bitterness Lowest to Highest: 7 Hop, 8 Hop, 4 Hop, 6 Hop

Hop Complexity Lowest to Highest: 6 Hop, 4 Hop, 8 Hop, 7 Hop

Favorite to Least Favorite: 8 Hop, 7 Hop, 6 Hop, 4 Hop

8_Hop_IPA8 Hop IPA
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon
Style: American IPA
Serving Style: 22 oz. bottle
8.88% ABV
80 IBU

Aroma: Hop dominated. Melon is lead. Tropical fruit and kiwi. Orange. Cooling. Herbal. Huge floral notes when held away from nose. Soap. Low biscuit malt. Low esters.

Appearance: Moderate white head with poor retention. Deep gold/orange and slightly hazy. Third lightest color.

Flavor: Follows aroma. Pithy bitterness is high and lingering. Hop flavor is dominated by fruit – grapefruit, tropical fruit, strawberry, melon. Floral notes are strong – geraniums or tomato vines. Malt is secondary. Low sweetness with light caramel and biscuit flavor. Low alcohol. Finish is dry with lingering fruit, floral, and bitterness. Lingering bitterness has a slightly harsh edge.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation. Low astringency. Not creamy or warming.

Overall Impression: Perhaps the best balanced of the four. Just the right level of bitterness vs. sweetness. Malt character is there. Bitterness is a bit more refreshing. Hops have a nice blend of tropical, citrus and floral. My favorite of the bunch.

Hop Varieties: Liberty, Newport, Revolution, Rebel, Independent, Freedom, Alluvial, Yaquina

7_Hop_IPA_new7 Hop IPA
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon
Style: American IPA
Serving Style: 22 oz. bottle
7.77% ABV
76 IBU

Aroma: Hops lead. All fruit. Tropical and citrus. Medium floral. Juicy. Low biscuit malt.

Appearance: Light amber and hazy. Moderate off-white foam with poor retention. Darkest color.

Flavor: Fuller malt. Mango, guava. Tropical fruit hop flavors are high. Darker tropical fruits. Juicy. Lemon/lime highlights. Grapefruit slice. Malt sweetness is medium – higher than 8 Hop. Bitterness is high, but better balanced by malt. Malt has low caramel and biscuit character. Floral hops are medium, but blend with other hop flavors. Low alcohol. Finish is just off-dry with lingering tropical fruit and bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Not astringent. Not creamy. Low warming.

Overall Impression: Complex blend of hop and malt. Hop flavor is definitely favored over bitterness. Better balanced than the others. Great blend of citrus, tropical and floral hops. I like that the malt component wasn’t entirely forgotten. Almost has the feel of a DIPA. A little bit sticky. Goes just a little over the top to nudge it out of first place. Close though.

Hop Varieties: Liberty, Newport, Revolution, Rebel, Independent, Freedom, Alluvial

6-Hop-IPA6 Hop IPA
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon
Style: American IPA
Serving Style: 22 oz. bottle
6.66% ABV
87 IBU

Aroma: Citrus hops dominate. Low floral, not as intense as 8 & 7. Grapefruit. Pineapple. Strawberries. Low biscuit malt.

Appearance: Dark gold and brilliant. Moderate, white foam with poor retention. Second lightest color.

Flavor: Bright hops dominate with high bitterness. Bitterness is high and lingering. Emphasis is on bitterness over flavor. Hop flavors are primarily bright citrus and citrus pith – grapefruit, lemon. Low floral notes. Sweetness is low. Very low malt flavor with neutral grain character. No alcohol. Finish is dry with lingering bitterness and lemon peel.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation. Low astringency. No warming or creaminess.

Overall Impression: Bright and lively, but feels and tastes thin. I want more substance and less emphasis on bitterness. This is more of an American Pale Ale than an IPA. A bit one-dimensional in comparison to 8 & 7.

Hop Varieties: Liberty, Revolution, Independent, Freedom, Alluvial, Yaquina

4_hop_ipa4 Hop IPA
Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon
Style: American IPA
Serving Style: 22 oz. bottle
4.44% ABV
55 IBU

Aroma: Super-fruity hops. Tangerine, melon. Juicy. Grapefruit slices. Low biscuit malt.

Appearance: Medium Gold and brilliant. Moderate to low, white head with poor retention. Lightest color.

Flavor: Hop flavor dominates with moderate-high bitterness. Bright citrus notes are there – grapefruit, citrus pith and lemon. They are joined by some juicy tropical fruit – guava or yuzu. Bitterness is high and lingers, but less than #3. Malt is almost non-existent. Low sweetness. Low, neutral grain malt flavor. No alcohol. Finish is dry with lingering bitterness and lemon peel.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light to light body. Medium carbonation. Low astringency. Not warming or creamy.

Overall Impression: A lightweight. This really does feel like it’s moving into APA range. Thin and one-dimensional in comparison to 8 & 7. Refreshing yes. Some interesting hop flavors – yuzu. But overall disappointing.

Hop Varieties: Rebel, Freedom, Alluvial, Yaquina

Hop Aged Cheese. Do Try This At Home.

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hop-aged-cheese2Affinage is a French term that describes the aging and maturing of cheese. During this period of ripening, cheese develops its final set of flavors and textures. Each cheese has its own set of requirements. Temperature, humidity, and treatments such as washing, brushing, or turning all come into play.

In a workshop at the recent Midwest Craft Brewers Conference held at the University of Wisconsin Stout, beer and food writer Lucy Saunders introduced an extension of the affinage concept that hooked me at first bite – aging cheese on hops. She fed us pieces of goat cheese and butter that both had a delightfully bright citrus and floral aroma and flavor, which really stood out from the untreated sample. Saunders used dry hops for her demonstration, but this being hops harvest season it seemed a good time to try it at home with fresh.

I have two bushy bines of Cascade hops intertwining on top of the pergola in my back yard. They are prolific cone producers, but as I haven’t brewed beer at home in over three years they are mostly ornamental. They look pretty through the summer and then dry on the bine to provide some winter interest in my perennial garden. Armed with this new idea though, I decided to put some of them to use.

The process is simple. Line the bottom of a container with hops. I used plastic, food-storage containers. Using fresh hops I got the best results by tearing and rubbing the cones to crush the lupulin glands for better release of the aromatics. I surmise that you might want to do the same using dried cones. Once the hops are in, cover them with parchment paper. Cap that with the cheese, seal it up, and pop it in the refrigerator. Saunders recommended leaving it for no more than five to seven hours, but I achieved good results leaving it over night before removing the hops.

I have tried this technique with butter, chèvre, and sharp cheddar. All three were delicious. Lighter flavors work better, as the hop aromatics, though obvious, are easily overwhelmed. Chèvre worked the best. The flavor is light and the lactic acid tang of the cheese melds nicely with the citrusy side of the hops. It’s great spread on crackers and crusty bread, but I also enjoy it on sliced, fresh tomatoes. The butter brightens a batch of popcorn with a subtle hoppy zing and is also tasty spread onto a chunk of crusty bread. The cheddar is good eaten all by itself. Its stronger flavor yields a subtler, but still noticeable effect. It’s reminiscent of pairing the cheese with a refreshing American pale ale.

Hop aging cheese is easy to do and so tasty. There is no good reason not to do this. Maybe next time I’ll try some non-American hop varieties.

What other goodies could I infuse with the zesty aromas of hops? Hmmmmm….

step-1

Step 1: Line the container with torn-up hop cones.

Step 2: Cover hops with parchment paper.

Step 2: Cover hops with parchment paper.

Step 3: Put in the cheese, seal, and refrigerate.

Step 3: Put in the cheese, seal, and refrigerate.

Cooking Spring Hop Shoots

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New Spring Hop Shoots

Spring is finally here and the hops in my back yard are crazily sprouting. It can take three years for hops to really establish and mine are in their third year. These bines were pretty productive last year. The sight of bright green cones dangling from my pergola was beautiful. This year the early shoots are much more vigorous and numerous that in the past, so I am expecting great things from them come September.

When growing hops it’s common practice to snip off the first growth and go with the second. The initial bines grow super fast and can end up hollow and weak. They can be less productive and less able to withstand the winds that can whip them around on their string trellises. I’ve not snipped mine for the past two years, but with them coming on so strongly this year, I decided to do it right.

Now, I hate to see anything go to waste. I could have composted the sprouts in my backyard bin, but lately I’ve been reading quite a lot about eating them. I’m an adventurous eater and I love to cook, especially new vegetables. And hop shoots supposedly taste like asparagus, one of my absolute favorite veggies. Why not give it a go?

Chopped and Ready

One recommendation I have read was simply to sauté them with a little garlic and butter. This sounded quick, easy, and delicious, so that is the route that I chose. I clipped my bines, chopped them into smaller chunks and got to work melting butter and chopping garlic. Into the pan they went.

Into the Pan

I had let a couple of the bines get a bit too long, I think. They were woodier and more fibrous than the shorter shoots. In order to soften these up a bit I opted midway to braise. After tossing them in the garlic butter for a few minutes, I added a quarter cup of water, covered the pan, and lowered the heat. I let them simmer there for five minutes and then cooked off any remaining liquid. I added a bit of salt and pepper and they were done.

After the Braise

The bright green shoots looked great on the plate. I served them with a mashed mix of red and sweet potatoes and simple grilled chicken thighs made the way my dad used to make them – cooked over coals and brushed with a butter/Worcestershire glaze.

And onto the Plate

Those who say that young hop shoots taste like asparagus are right. They are lightly sweet with that vegetal/chlorophyll flavor that makes asparagus oh-so delicious. From the texture of the raw shoots, I expected them to be more fibrous and prickly. With the exception of the couple that I let grow a little too long, they braised up nice and tender. And not a prickle in the bunch. The tougher ones though did suggest that it’s better to cook them earlier than later. I would recommend not letting them get more than four or five inches long before you snip and eat.

I only have two plants, so cooking hop sprouts is a one-meal deal for me. But I can say with confidence that I will do it again next spring.

Malty vs. Hoppy Flavors in Beer

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When doing Perfect Pint beer tasting events I am frequently asked to clarify the difference between “malty” flavors and “hoppy” flavors in beer. Nearly every day someone stumbles upon this blog with the search query “malty beers vs. hoppy beers.” I find that people can often describe the flavors they taste, but aren’t necessarily able to attribute those tastes to one or the other source ingredient. As malt and hops form the base of the beer flavor triangle (yeast being the third point), it seems to me that some attempt at clarification would be useful. We should begin with a basic description of what each of these ingredients actually is.

Malt – Malted cereal grains are the meat and potatoes of beer. They provide the sugars that are fermented by the yeast to create alcohol and CO2. They are the primary source of beer color and contribute significantly to flavor and mouthfeel. The most common of the malted grains is barley malt. Others include wheat, rye, and oats. In addition to the malted grains, some unmalted cereal grains are used in brewing including corn, rice, wheat, rye, oats, and sorghum. Malting is a process of controlled sprouting and kilning of the grains. The sprouting activates enzymes within the grain that begin to break down the hard, starchy insides into simpler carbohydrates, making them accessible to the brewer. Kilning gives the grains differing degrees of color and flavor. There are four categories of brewing malt. Base malts receive the least kilning. They are the lightest malts and make up the bulk of any beer recipe. Crystal or caramel malts are made by allowing enzymes in the grain to convert complex carbohydrates into simple sugars before kilning. Kilning then caramelizes the sugars in the grain. Crystal malts range in color from light to dark with correspondingly intense flavors. Toasted or kilned malts are dry-kilned to a range of colors and flavors. Roasted Malts are kilned at the highest temperatures until they are very dark brown or even black.

Hops – Hops are the spice of beer. They provide bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt, as well as flavors and aromas ranging from citrus and pine to earthy and spicy. Hops are the cone-like flower of a rapidly growing vine (a bine actually) in the cannabis family. Waxy yellow lupulin glands hidden within the leaves of the flower contain the acids and essential oils that give hops their character. Bitterness comes from alpha acids that must be chemically altered through boiling in order to be utilized. Hop flavors and aromas come from essential oils that are easily dissolved into hot wort, but are also highly volatile. Flavor and aroma hops must be added late in the boil or these properties will be lost with the steam. Hops more than any other brewing ingredient are subject to the phenomenon of terroir, as different growing regions produce hops with different flavor and aroma characteristics. The chief hop growing regions are the Northwestern US, Southern England, Germany, Czech Republic, and China.

So what is the flavor of malt? To begin with, it is helpful to repeat that malt is the source of fermentable sugars in beer. But not all malt sugars are fermentable, some are left behind. Thus any sweetness perceived in beer is the product of the malt. It is also helpful to remember that malt is grain. Think of other products that are made with grain, like bread, crackers, pasta, or polenta. The grainy flavors found in those foods are also found in beer and come from the malt.

Beyond these basic flavors, each type of malt brings its own particular set of flavors. Base malts are logically the most basic and give beer the most basic and grain-like flavors. Common descriptors would include grainy, corn, bready, saltine cracker, and husky. The crystal or caramel malts bring a range of caramelized sugar flavors. Common descriptors for these flavors include caramel, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, and burnt sugar. The darkest of these malts can impart rich dark fruit flavors like plum and prune. When maltsters toast malt the same chemical reactions occur as when you toast bread. The flavors of the toasted malts are correspondingly similar to those of toasted bread and include toast, biscuit, nutty, graham cracker and bread crust. The roasted malts are the darkest of the brewing grains and are responsible for the flavors associated with stouts and porters. They are kilned nearly to the point of becoming charred and have strong roasty and char flavors. Descriptors for these grains include roasted, burnt, smoky, chocolate, and coffee. The roasted grains also give beer bitterness like that found in a cup of espresso.

Aside from the espresso-like, roasted grain bitterness mentioned above, bitterness in beer comes from hops. For people who say they don’t like beer, hop bitterness is the most commonly identified reason. The level of bitterness depends on the alpha acid content of the hops, the amount of hops used, and the length of time the hops were boiled. Bitterness can range from very light, as in Scottish ales and German wheat beers, to aggressive as in American double IPAs.

The hop flowers added to beer contain a large amount of leafy vegetative matter. The flavors associated with hops tend to be correspondingly plant-like. The particular flavors of hops vary with variety and growing region. Hop flavors and aromas tend to fall into one of seven broad categories, Floral, fruity, citrus, herbal, earthy, piney and spicy. More specific descriptors include perfume, rose-like, geranium, current, berry, grapefruit, orange, minty, grassy, woody, resinous, spruce, licorice and pepper.

One great way to help yourself better identify the flavor contributions of malt and hops is to smell and taste the raw ingredients. If you live near a homebrew store or brewery, stop in and taste some grains. The flavors released as you chew are the same ones that will show up in beer. While I wouldn’t recommend chewing on raw hops, you can smell them. Rubbing a hop flower between your fingers releases the essential oils. What you smell is what you get. Some malt-forward beer styles to try are Scottish ale, doppelbock, Vienna lager, and English barleywine. Some hop-forward styles are pilsner, American pale ale, India pale ale, and Double IPA.

Hoppy Beers Event

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There is still room to sign up!

Hmmmm...hoppy beers!There is still room and time to sign up for the Hoppy Beers event of the Twin Cities Perfect Pint Beer Club. It will be a fun event showcasing hops in all their variety and wonderful bitterness. We’ll explore the difference between English, American, and Continental hop varieties. We’ll taste beers with different levels of bitterness and talk about how that happens. It’s a great group and we’ll have a great selection of beers including pale ales, IPAs, Altbiers, and much much more.

The cost is only $20, which includes beer, light snacks, and information from the Twin Cities only Certified Cicerone. You must be a club member to attend.

Click here for more information or to join and RSVP.