Writer: Drew Jackson
New Hops to Brew With
Hop breeders have been busy introducing brewers to new releases featuring aromas and flavors designed for specific beer styles. If you’ve blinked over the past couple of years, there’s a good chance you missed a few. Let’s look closer at some of the coolest new hop varieties.
New Realm Brewing Co.’s Elani Cold IPA clone
This is the first recipe Geoff Belcher, Head Brewer at New Realm Brewing Co.’s Charleston, South Carolina, location brewed with Elani® as it provides a clean slate for the hop. The resulting beer is bursting with citrus and stone fruit flavors and aromas.
Logboat Brewing Co.’s Rocket Shark Vista Flyer clone
This was the fifth iteration of Logboat’s rotating IPA Rocket Shark Series in which the brewers wanted to explore and experiment with Vista. “Rocket Shark Vista Flyer is a juicy IPA featuring a unique blend of hops for a layered taste experience. Vista, Nelson SauvinTM, and Huell Melon hops contribute notes of bright tropical fruit, white wine, big strawberry, and subtle gooseberry. An Ideal IPA for those who love a big, fruity beer with depth and nuance,” said Jason Woody, the brewer who designed the recipe.
Those Who Came Before
A homebrewer reminisces about how he started in the hobby 15 years ago and the man he credits for teaching and inspiring him. As he’d later find out, that man, Byron Burch, was a legend in homebrewing circles.
Smocadh (Bamberg-style rauchbier)
This rauchbier recipe is courtesy of my brewing partner, Fernando López Angulo. The smoked malt adds a smoky complexity without overpowering the other flavors. While Fernando uses a smoke gun and a variety of tinctures and oils to dial in his smoke profile, this recipe is a good starting point. If you are new to brewing smoked beer, experimentation may be needed to dial in the smoke level for your particular palate. Due to the large percentage of smoked malt, this recipe does not translate well to extract-based brewing.
Aussie-Style DIPA
This dip-hopped double IPA is one of the most unusual flavor profiles I have ever made. The dip hop mix produces flavors very much like white wine.
Get the Most from Kveik Yeast
Kveik yeast is unlike any other species of brewing yeast. It ferments clean at hot temperatures even if underpitched, and it can easily be dried at home with no noticeable impact. An author with about 50 kveik-
fermented batches under his belt shares how to get the most from these yeasts, including advice on propagating, harvesting, drying, and reusing kveik.
Simple Temperature Control
In a hobby where so many pieces of equipment serve a single purpose, it’s satisfying to find items that can serve many functions. With a heat mat and temperature controller, the opportunities are aplenty.
Pen Pal Brewers
The camaraderie and sharing of knowledge is one of the best aspects of having a brewing partner. But what if that partner is located halfway around the world and doesn’t speak your language? Somehow, these pen pal brewers make it work.
A Friendship Mushrooms: Brewing brothers from different mothers
One of the great things about modern technology is our ability to connect with like-minded individuals no matter where they live. Two homebrewers thousands of miles apart connected over their interest for brewing with candy cap mushrooms.
