Chasing the Aroma-Packed Dream
As a self-proclaimed hop fanatic, I’ll admit that I have an unhealthy obsession with finding the next big thing in the world of aromatic hops. It’s a thrilling hunt, like searching for buried treasure – you never know when you might uncover a hidden gem that completely transforms your perception of what’s possible in a glass of beer.
One such discovery that has me giddier than a kid in a candy store is the captivating Nectaron hop. Initially bred in 2004 by New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research, this hop variety was released for public use in 2020, and it’s been taking the brewing world by storm ever since. As Brulosophy reports, Nectaron is renowned for its ability to impart beers with “pungent notes of pineapple, peach, and grapefruit” – a natural fit for modern IPAs, but with surprising versatility in less hoppy styles too.
I’ve been eager to explore the full potential of this hop, and when I stumbled upon the opportunity to create a single-hop Nectaron pale ale for The Up & Under Pub, I knew I had to jump on it. The challenge was on – could this hop variety truly hold its own and deliver a complex, aroma-packed profile all on its own?
Nectaron: The Hop That Keeps on Giving
As I dove into the technical details, I was instantly intrigued by Nectaron’s impressive stats. With an alpha acid range of 10.5-11.5% and a beta acid content of 4.5-5.0%, this hop packs a serious punch when it comes to bitterness. But what really caught my attention were the essential oil numbers: a total oil content of 15-20 mL/100g, with an eye-popping myrcene concentration of 60%! That’s the kind of aromatic profile that dreams are made of.
The Hop Numbers
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Alpha Acids | 10.5 – 11.5% |
| Beta Acids | 4.5 – 5.0% |
| Total Oils | 15 – 20 mL/100g |
| Myrcene | 60% |
| Humulene | 16% |
| Caryophyllene | 4.5% |
| Farnesene | 0.2% |
| Linalool | Unknown |
| Geraniol | Unknown |
| β-Pinene | Unknown |
Digging deeper, I learned that Nectaron is a daughter of the Pacific Jade hop and a full sister to the equally alluring Waimea. With such a pedigreed lineage, it’s no wonder this hop has captured the hearts and taste buds of so many brewers.
Putting Nectaron to the Test
With all the excitement bubbling up inside me, I decided to put Nectaron to the test in a single-hop pale ale. I wanted to see just how far this hop could go in delivering a complex, aroma-packed profile all on its own.
I started with our standard Hop Chronicles pale ale recipe, making a few adjustments to the kettle hop additions to ensure the right level of bitterness. Thanks to the team at FH Steinbart for hooking me up with the malt – I’m always grateful when I can source quality ingredients locally.
After mashing and sparging to collect the perfect amount of wort, I fired up the kettle and added the Nectaron hops at the appropriate intervals. The brew day flew by, and before I knew it, I had a tank full of aromatic, golden-hued wort ready for fermentation.
I pitched my trusty Imperial Yeast A07 Flagship and let the beer do its thing for a week and a half. When I came back to add the dry hop, I couldn’t help but take a deep breath and savor the explosion of tropical fruit and citrus notes wafting through the air. It was a promising sign of things to come.
Tasting the Nectaron Pale Ale
After a week of conditioning, the moment of truth had arrived. I gathered a group of eager tasters, all of them blind to the hop variety used, and asked them to focus solely on the aromatic qualities of the beer. I wanted to get an unbiased, objective assessment of how Nectaron would perform.
The results were nothing short of stunning. The tasters overwhelmingly reported that the most prominent characteristics in the aroma were tropical fruit, citrus, and stone fruit, with noticeable floral notes as well. Earthy, woody, and onion/garlic descriptors were among the lowest rated, which was music to my hop-loving ears.
When it came to the flavor, the tasters echoed the aroma, with tropical fruit, citrus, and stone fruit taking center stage, accompanied by that alluring floral touch. And get this – the majority of the tasters rated the overall pungency of the hop as strong, a testament to Nectaron’s bold and uncompromising nature.
Nectaron’s Versatility Shines
But the true test of a hop’s worth isn’t just in its ability to dazzle the senses – it’s in its versatility and how well it can adapt to different beer styles. And that’s where Nectaron really shines.
While the tasters agreed that this hop would be a natural fit for modern pale ales and IPAs, a smattering of them also felt it could work well in less hoppy styles, like New Zealand-style pilsners. As I’ve discovered in my own homebrewing experiments, Nectaron’s vibrant tropical and citrus notes can add a refreshing twist to lager-based styles, elevating them to new heights of flavor and aroma.
And let’s not forget the sheer enjoyment factor. When asked to rate how much they enjoyed the hop character, the tasters gave it an average score of 8 out of 10. That’s the kind of enthusiastic endorsement that any hop-loving brewer would be thrilled to receive.
The Hop Whisperer’s Final Verdict
As I sit back and savor the last sip of this single-hop Nectaron pale ale, I can’t help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for this remarkable hop variety. It’s a true testament to the ingenuity of hop breeders, who are constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of beer.
Nectaron’s ability to deliver a complex, aroma-packed profile all on its own is truly remarkable. And the fact that it can seamlessly transition between hop-forward styles and more subtle, lager-based offerings is a testament to its versatility.
If you’re a fellow hop enthusiast like me, I’d highly recommend getting your hands on some Nectaron hops and seeing what kind of magic you can create. I, for one, can’t wait to continue exploring the endless possibilities of this captivating hop variety. Who knows what other hidden gems are waiting to be discovered in the wide world of hops?
