2021 has seen the induction of the Eclipse (AU), Talus (US), and Nectaron (NZ) hops into the arsenal of brewers all over New Zealand. And with the technological advent of cryo-hopping, New Zealand brewers will potentially be able to brew Fresh Hop Hazy IPA's all year round! What a great start to the year! There will definitely be some incredible NEIPA's coming out of this year because of these two factors. Jason Franssen, the Master Brewer at Brew Union Brewing Co., with 10+ years home-brewing experience, speaks on what hops have taken 2021 by storm, and which forgotten hops might be revived back into the brewing scene:
L: Which hops have really boomed in popularity this year that you've experienced as a brewer?
J: "In the last year we've seen massive uptake on new varieties from New Zealand, notably Nectaron and HORT9909. These are both what we call New Age Hops. They are more bred for aromatics and flavour vs bittering. However, in saying that, there has also been massive growth with overseas hops. Some that I've seen whilst at Brew Union are Galaxy, El Dorado, Equanot, Idaho 7, Sultana, Sabro, among others."
L: What hops would you like to see breweries utilise more of, or which hops do you think are missed out on and underrated?
J: "I think it's very subjective to the brewer and brewery, so it's likely you'll get different answers from different people. For me NZ hops that are underrated are definitely Southern Cross, Waimea, and Moutere. We use Southern Cross in our Ripper NZPA as a dry hop, but it was originally bred as a high alpha acid hop generally used in the kettle as a bittering hop. The other two, we just don't see much at all apart from seasonal beers, or one-offs."
L: How well do exported hops, like American hops, compete with New Zealand varieties? Is there a greater demand by brewers for newer hop varieties like Nectaron, Eclipse, and Talus over the classic, essential bittering hops like Cascade, Columbus, and Centennial?
J: "US hops are a little different. We have just got Cascade which is a classic American hop that I don't believe is used much anymore in NZ. Brewers and drinkers alike are looking for the next big thing, the next boundary push. But sometimes the classics like Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Willamette are just as good, they're just forgotten."
Here are the top ten newest and most popular hop varieties in NZ as of 2021:
Talus
Type: Aroma hop (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 8.1-9.5%.
Grown: USA.
Aromas: Pink grapefruit, citrus rind, dried rose, pine resin, tropical fruit, sage.
Styles: American Lager, Pale Ale, IPA.
Eclipse
Type: Dual purpose hop (all boil additions)
Alpha rating: 15.7-18.7%.
Grown: Australia.
Aromas: Sweet mandarin, zesty citrus peel, fresh pine needle.
Styles: NEIPA, IPA.
Nectaron
Type: Aroma hop (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 9.5-11.5%.
Grown: New Zealand.
Aromas: Pineapple, passionfruit, peach, grapefruit.
Styles: IPA, NEIPA, Strong Pale Ale.
HORT9909
Type: Experimental hop (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 9-10%.
Grown: New Zealand.
Aromas: Lemon, lime, sweet hay, spice.
Styles: XPA, Pale Ale, New-World style Pilsner and Lager.
Galaxy
Type: Dual purpose (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 11-16%.
Grown: Australia.
Aromas: Passionfruit, peach, citrus.
Styles: NEIPA, Pale Ale, APA, ESB.
El Dorado
Type: Dual purpose hop (all boil additions)
Alpha rating: 13-15%.
Grown: USA.
Aromas: Pear, watermelon candy, stone fruit.
Styles: NEIPA, Lager, Blonde Ale, APA, Cream Ale.
Equanot
Type: Bittering hop (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 14.5-15.5%.
Grown: USA.
Aromas: Melon, berry, citrus, apple, papaya, green pepper.
Styles: APA, IPA, Saison, American Wheat Beer.
Idaho 7
Type: Dual-purpose hop (all hop addition)
Alpha rating: 13-15%.
Grown: USA.
Aromas: Zesty orange, tangerine, Earl Grey tea.
Styles: IPA, Pale Ale, NEIPA,
Sultana
Type: Dual purpose hop (all boil additions)
Alpha rating: 13.4%.
Grown: New Zealand.
Aromas: Pineapple, citrus, pine.
Styles: APA, IPA.
Sabro
Type: Aroma hop (late boil addition)
Alpha rating: 12-16%.
Grown: USA.
Aromas: Tangerine, coconut, tropical fruit, stone fruit.
Styles: APA, IPA.
By Lucas Barker, a budding craft beer enthusiast of 2-3 years. 15/09/21
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