Single Hop Ales

[MarkMayf]

Question for the informed!

Are there any hops that don't work as a single hop ale?

I'm thinking basic grain bill. Pale malt with a 5% crystal malt addition and a touch of torrefied wheat for body.

I have allsorts to use up

Thank you

 

[Nicks90]

My last biab was a plain Maris otter and 5% oats with challenger hops.
That's it!
Simple tasting session beer that went down far too quickly!!!! [Hick]

 

[chub1]

Guess some might be unsuitable,what you got?
Have done a single hop challenger and a bramling x both were nice.

 

[BeerCat]

My last biab was a plain Maris otter and 5% oats with challenger hops.
That's it!
Simple tasting session beer that went down far too quickly!!!! [Hick]

Whats the flavour you get from Challenger? I have used it a lot to bitter stouts but never used it as a late addition. Not sure why, it smells great and its cheap.

 

[Dutto]

I've brewed this a few times (including today!) and it's a delicious drink ...

Vienna Lager
4.50kg Maris Otter
0.25kg Caramalt
0.25kg Crystal Malt
50g Hallertau Leaf
Wilco Ale Yeast
Protafloc Tablet
Yeast Nutrient

I did a number of SMASH brews last year using 5kg of Maris Otter and a variety of hops.

The brews were all mashed, boiled and hopped in the same manner and there was a distinct difference in the flavours.

For me:
1. EKG came out tops.
2. Cascade came in a close second.
3. Citra very closely followed.
4. Saaz was a bit disappointing! (But maybe spilling +/-20% of the original wort from the Mash Tun affected the final taste like it did the ABV which was low at 3.51%!)

None of the above four hop varieties affected the brew so drastically that I couldn't drink it!

 

[Ciaran12s]

I've got an EKG single hop brown ale in the pipeline so I'm rather comforted by it being top of your list Dutto!

 

[MarkMayf]

Let's see, I have..

Simcoe
Mount hood
Centennial
Ahtanum
Saaz
Nelson Sauvin
Styrian goldings (and bobek)
Hersbrucker
Progress
Willamette
Giggles

And a little cascade and EKG!

They're all quite old though.

 

[Dutto]

:thumb:

I've got an EKG single hop brown ale in the pipeline so I'm rather comforted by it being top of your list Dutto!

But remember, when I was a lad the choice of hops was limited to EKG so maybe my preference was set about 60 years ago. :wave:

 

[Saisonator]

:thumb:
But remember, when I was a lad the choice of hops was limited to EKG so maybe my preference was set about 60 years ago. :wave:

Like an old comfortable pair of slippers.

 

[Norfolk79]

I did a Mosaic SMASH (with a dry hop), towards the end of last year. Probably one of my favourite beers that I have brewed. Went down a little too easily over the Christmas period, especially as serving it from a keg meant you didn't realise how much had been drunk, unlike the build up of bottles on the side!

 

[foxbat]

M&S do a lot of single hop ales in bottles which I've felt duly obliged to work my way through in the name of research. Having tried Mosaic, Simcoe and Boadicea so far I'd say that Simcoe was the best all rounder that would easily stand alone as a single hop ale. The other two I thought were flavoursome but lacking in complexity.

 

[jceg316]

I actually find lot of single hop beers, whether made myself or commercial recipes, whilst nice lack complexity. In my experience cascade, simcoe, saaz, ekg, sorachi ace, Jarrylo all go well by themselves. Obviously I've not tried every hop as a single hop but these are ones I have tried. Others I've tried either lacked complexity, or I used a spice or flavourful yeast to add more flavours.

 

[MyQul]

M&S do a lot of single hop ales in bottles which I've felt duly obliged to work my way through in the name of research. Having tried Mosaic, Simcoe and Boadicea so far I'd say that Simcoe was the best all rounder that would easily stand alone as a single hop ale. The other two I thought were flavoursome but lacking in complexity.

I did a simco smash once. It was really nice

 

[MyQul]

Whats the flavour you get from Challenger? I have used it a lot to bitter stouts but never used it as a late addition. Not sure why, it smells great and its cheap.

I did a steam beer once with Challenger as the late hops. Im not good at describing flavours but I would describe it as kind of like crossing a noble hop flavour with green tea

 

[Stephenj]

Currently drinking a Simcoe SMASH with extra pale malt. Really nice but defo more a summers day in the garden beer.

 

[rats_eyes]

I 've tried a few and had good results with..

EKG - in loads of beers, particularly super bitter old fashioned IPAs
Northdown - mostly bittering to be fair, in a strong scotch
Challenger - in bitter, quite herbal, but nice
Saaz - lager and belgian pales
Sorachi Ace - in a light lager

 

[marshbrewer]

Has anyone here tried an single hop ale using Bullion hops? I'm thinking of trying it in a steam beer.

 

[BeerCat]

I did a steam beer once with Challenger as the late hops. Im not good at describing flavours but I would describe it as kind of like crossing a noble hop flavour with green tea

Tasty? I am not sure about green tea flavours in beer or ice cream.

 

[Brew_DD2]

Galaxy works brilliantly. Such a great hop.

 

[MyQul]

Tasty? I am not sure about green tea flavours in beer or ice cream.

Challenger is a really nice hop. Like I say Im not that good at describing hop flavours.Perhaps the green tea is just a note.

I think @Gunge is a big fan of challenger. I cant remember whether he likes it just for bittering or likes it as a flavour/aroma hop too

Edit Rat's_eyes describes challenger flavour as herbal. I'd defiantely agree with that