Using Amarillo Hops for Flavour

[terrym]

I have a question about the flavour contribution from Amarillo hops compared to Cascade.

I have a standard beer I now regularly brew which uses Summit for bittering and Cascade (probably US) for 15 and 3 minute additions, so the Cascade is more about flavour than bittering. I have bought some Amarillo pellets to try in this beer as a substitute for the Cascade and I can obviously easily convert my recipe for the Amarillo %AA vs. Cascade %AA. However I am not sure about the different flavour level contribution from the Amarillo since I have read that it can come over a bit strong if not used with care, especially since I am looking for the same level of hop flavours in both the Summit-Amarillo vs. the Summit-Cascade beers. I have looked at the Greg Hughes single hop beers and noticed that the Amarillo and Cascade versions are in direct proportion to their %AA so the flavour contribution of each hop in the late additions is apparently ignored.

So the question is has anyone any experience of Amarillo used as a late addition especially in comparison to Cascade. And I note that I am not a ‘hop head’!

Ta.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Hi Terry I did a wilko brew not long back it came with 15g of Amarillo so I made it up to 30g it was a good beer bot a tad to bitter for me, if I do it again I will put the 15 In, but that's just my taste buds

 

[The Baron]

The Amarillo seems to carry more flavour per gram than Cascade to me Terry. I have done plenty with Cascade and a little with Amarillo as late and dry hops and Amarillo is definitely stronger in flavour

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Don’t know if this is the right term but I find Amarillo an aggressive dry hop compared to cascade etc.... good question Terry.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

I’m a hop head as well ... btw.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I find Amarillo is pretty intense and that it overpowers everything else. I often use flavourful hops like Citra, Vic Secret, Equanot, etc but if I was putting Amarillo in the mix it wouldn’t be more than 10%.

 

[foxy]

Maybe put some of each into water and taste the difference. I discovered recently it isn't flavour it is aroma. It is the olfactory stimuli which tricks our brain into thinking what we are actually tasting, so the nose knows.

 

[northof49]

I have a question about the flavour contribution from Amarillo hops compared to Cascade.
So the question is has anyone any experience of Amarillo used as a late addition especially in comparison to Cascade. And I note that I am not a ‘hop head’!

Ta.

I have a Bell's Two Hearted Clone (cascade and centennial) conditioning and GH Amarillo in the FV right now (added 50 g amarillo dry hop this morning). I used columbus for the bittering hop in both. My impression at this stage is that the Amarillo smells more pungent than the cascade. I'll have more to say in another month or so.

 

[terrym]

Thanks to all who contributed. Some comments seem to bear out my original thoughts that you need to be a little cautious with Amarillo.
My late hop additions (IBU corrected) would have been very modest at 25g each Amarillo at 15 and 3 minutes, but in spite of that I'll reduce the 3 min addition by 10 g (to 15g), which is a 20% reduction overall vs. the Cascade equivalent
I'll update when the brew has been done and I can try it out in few weeks time.

 

[terrym]

Update...
Just opened a very early bottle of the Amarillo beer and compared it to its Cascade equivalent brewed over 3 months back. Really pleased I got it right.
Lots of orange marmalade in there and certainly not overpowering. Hits the spot for me. Definitely a different beer to the Cascade version. I probably prefer the Amarillo version at this stage but its really fresh compared to the the Cascade batch.
It won't last long methinks.
I now need to order some more Amarillo hops to do another one.

 

[The Baron]

thats my conclusion Terry Amarillo is quite intense but to my liking not as grapefruity or pithy as Citra just as intense but more orangy ruby grapefruit in flavour, that beer sounds nice could just drink one tonight

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Amarillo is my joint favourite hop alongside simcoe, lovely orangey flavours but I reckon you could easily overdo it with Amarillo.

 

[An Ankoù]

I find Amarillo a bit coarse on their own, but they go beautifully with other late hops. I'm not sure the relative alpha acid content is the thing to look at with these late additions even if Amarillo can have twice as much as Cascade- this should probably be adjusted for in the early additions. It's probably the percentage and composition of the oils that make a difference to flavour and aroma with late addition hops.

 

[GerritT]

Amarillo is my cilantro. I like cilantro though. But Amarillo, not much.

 

[Winterbournebrewery]

Wonder what a galaxy mosaic Amarillo blend pale would be like ? Or eldorado & Amarillo blend ?

 

[ClownPrince]

Wonder what a galaxy mosaic Amarillo blend pale would be like?

You should give Thornbridge's Green Mountain a try

 

[OldPeculiar]

Hello again, I have an Amber Ale recipe, which calls for Amarillo thorough out the boil - 60 grams ,but I've only got 50 grams. In my hop supply I have 50g of Fuggles left over (pellet), Citra 100grams (pellet) or Centennial 50 grams (whole leaf) - was thinking a Citra or a Centennial split... any thoughts?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Hello again, I have an Amber Ale recipe, which calls for Amarillo thorough out the boil - 60 grams ,but I've only got 50 grams. In my hop supply I have 50g of Fuggles left over (pellet), Citra 100grams (pellet) or Centennial 50 grams (whole leaf) - was thinking a Citra or a Centennial split... any thoughts?

The bittering addition will be less important and you can substitute other hops, just make adjustments for the different alpha acid percentages so you don’t unbalance the beer by making it too bitter (or not bitter enough).

 

[OldPeculiar]

Thank you for the advice Hazlewood Brewery. So with the AA percentages, the recipe is all Amarillo which is between 7% and 11% AA, I've checked the AA's on my Centennial which are between 9.5%~11.5AA. would that be a balance, am I correct? conversely if I used Citra which is 12.4%AA or say Fuggles which at 4%AA would this be an unbalance? or am I completely wrong in my understanding.

 

[ClownPrince]

When i've had Amarillo they've tended to be about 8.5% so I think subbing in some Centennial would be your best bet.