This is how Hopsteiner introduces its new Lupulin Pellets
Trends shift, fashions change. Reading @StanHieronymus’s latest hops newsletter about development of new hops and I began to wonder if fruitiness will continue to dominate preferences. Spice and herbs have a long, august history in hopping. Might they become the next big thing?
— Jeff Alworth (@Beervana) November 18, 2020
In case you can’t read Jeff Alworth’s tweet (above) from Wednesday, this is what it says:
“Trends shift, fashions change. Reading @StanHieronymus’s latest hops newsletter about development of new hops and I began to wonder if fruitiness will continue to dominate preferences. Spice and herbs have a long, august history in hopping. Might they become the next big thing?”
As is often the case, it takes some clicking around (start by hitting the date) to follow all the comments, but there were some people agreeing with Joe Stange (“Selfishly, hedonistically, I hope so”) and some interested in taking the conversation in another direction.
This set the stage for some evening reading when Martyn Cornell expanded on what he said last week during the Beer Culture Summit. A quick summary: “From a 21st century point of view, the surprise is how small a role hops played in the development of British beer styles before the 20th century.” Now go read it.
Then Thursday morning, Brülosophy provided an in depth look at East Kent Golding.
Serendipity.
And as long as we are talking about all the aromas and flavors hops may provide, the American Society of Brewing Chemists Sensory Subcommittee compiled 107 unique terms to describe them. The list is posted elsewhere on the site, but I will save the trouble of clicking:
Fruity – Citrus
Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Tangerine, Mandarin
Fruity – Tropical
Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, Banana, Lychee, Guava, Passion Fruit, Coconut
Fruity – Berry
Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Blackberry, Concord Grape, White Grape, Gooseberry, Black Currant/Catty, Red Currant, White Wine
Fruity – Stone Fruit
Peach, Apricot, Nectarine, Cherry, Plum
Fruity – Melon
Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Cucumber, Watermelon
Fruity – Pomme
Apple, Pear
Floral
Geranium, Rose, Lavender, Jasmine, Elderflower, Potpourri
Woody
Pine, Resinous, Cedar, Tobacco, Sandalwood
Herbaceous
Black Tea, Green Tea, Mint, Rosemary, Bergamot, Dill, Thyme, Basil, Sage, Cannabis, Skunk, Menthol
Grassy
Fresh Cut Grass, Lemongrass, Green Leaves, Hay
Spicy
Black Pepper, Clove, Licorice/Anise, Ginger, Coriander, Cardamom
Sweet Aromatic
Caramel, Chocolate, Vanilla, Bubblegum
Medicinal
Plastic, Rubber, Burnt Rubber, Smoke, Petroleum, Diesel
Dairy
Cheese, Cream, Waxy
Earthy
Musty, Soil, Marsh, Moss
Vegetal
Onion, Green Onion, Garlic, Green Bell Pepper, Celery, Asparagus, Cabbage
Plenty of fruit, but lots beyond that.