[Click on chart to visit site, enlarge]
HPA (previously known as Hop Products Australia) has unveiled another way to look at hop flavor (or flavour in Australian), which of course includes aroma: the Hop Flavour Spectrum.
The emphasis is on the end result, that is a drinker’s sensory experience.
It’s not an exact science. This Hop Flavour Spectrum is not based on data generated from a comparative tasting of experimental beers, nor is it based on analytical and technical descriptions, the hops chemical profile or growing conditions.
It comes from our experience. In our view we have found chemical analysis alone provides limited understanding or direction of how the hop will impact beer flavour. How and when hops are used in the brewing process ultimately impacts on the dominant flavour profile.
Read that again. It’s not an exact science. That’s a good thing. How and when hops are used in the brewing process ultimately impacts on the dominant flavour profile. Definitely.
No surprise, the chart features hops grown in Australia, including the currently fashionable variety Galaxy. I particularly like this sentence: “A protagonist in her own right, Galaxy is not to be mistaken for Citra.”
Ringwood hops?
I’ve heard of the yeast, of course, but not the hop variety.
That’s Pride of Ringwood (and Super Pride is a higher alpha version). Pride of Ringwood was once the highest alpha hop you could buy. Did well because it was a less expensive way to get bitterness.
The Ella variety sounds interesting. Hopefully there are options for homebrewers here in the States to purchase an ounce or two.
Try http://www.farmhousebrewingsupply.com, They may still have it listed under Stella (its old name – you can probably guess why they had to change it).