Unfashionable NZ Hops

[Richard Deeble]

I'm intrigued by brewing with some of the less popular hops we have in New Zealand, particularly with high demand for things like riwaka and sauvin. I'm sure there is a good use for these hops beyond bittering in boring mass market lagers.

In particular, I'm interested in people's experiences with the flavour, aroma and bittering quality of hops like sticklebract, super alpha, green bulllet and pacific jade. I've used super alpha as a late addition along with some frutier NZ varieties and it went down really well in an English IPA I did but I have no experience with the others. I love Southern Cross as a late addition too, although I guess that is more widely used.

[Mark]

Found an old hand-written beer plan for an English Best I did years ago when I was still partial mashing. I used NZ Willamette and NZ Fuggles and the hops were outstanding. I've not been able to reproduce that flavour with imported/other varieties so I'm going to have a go replicating what I did many moons ago. After years of hammering the fruit bomb hops I'm getting quite into the old-world style again!

[Ian Rushton]

Likewise.   Brewed a few ESB's with NZ Fuggles/Goldings in the past.  Currently have a partial-mash Best Bitter down using sticklebract.  Last time I used that hop (cones) was in 1984! 

[David R]

Both beers I mentioned earlier are on tap now, the ESB is fantastic but I wish I'd added a good whirlpool of the Fuggles (I was trying to show some restraint, not usually my forte when it comes to hops!) even though it would have made it more of a pale ale than bitter. The Willamette/Cascade pale ale is good but I think it'll get better as it ages a little and although I'm not unhappy with it I think I'd prefer it mixed more like 50/50 with something a little fruitier.