![]() ![]() When I first started sampling this beer a few days after it was kegged, I wasn’t quite sure what to think, likely because the good majority of beer I drink is hopped with modern fruity hops. It’s possible the standard hopping rates we use for The Hop Chronicles explains this result, as usage in classic British Ale is a bit more restrained. While generally said to impart spicy, floral, and herbal characteristics to beer, tasters who evaluated a Pale Ale hopped solely with EKG reported tropical fruit and citrus as being the strongest aromas, with floral and apple/pear being most perceived in the flavor. In addition to using EKG as the feature variety in styles like Mild, Bitter, and Stout, many brewers like to use it in combination with newer hops to balance pungent fruitiness and provide a fuller sensory experience. | CONCLUSION |Įast Kent Golding (EKG) is hop that has unarguably stood the test of time, with brewers using it to craft authentic British Ale since the late 18 th century. Like the blind tasters, I also perceived a bit more fruit than I expected based on existing descriptions, though floral notes and a mushroom-like earthiness were just underneath. My Impressions: To my palate, this single-hop EKG beer had a milder hop presence than I’m used to, but it was really quite pleasant. Tasters were then instructed to identify beer styles they thought the hop would work well in.įinally, participants were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the hop character on a 1 to 10 scale. When asked to rate the pungency/strength of the hop, most tasters perceived it as being mildly to moderately pungent. The 3 characteristics endorsed as being least prominent by participants: Aroma The 3 characteristics endorsed as being most prominent by participants: Aroma Average Ratings of Aroma and Flavor Perceptions The average aroma and flavor ratings for each descriptor were plotted on a radar graph. As such, temporary adaptations were made.Ī total of 20 people participated in the evaluation of this beer, all blind to the hop variety used until after they completed the survey. | RESULTS | Due to social distancing practices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, data for this Hop Chronicles was unable to be collected in our typical manner. Once the data was collected, the average rating of each aroma and flavor descriptor was compiled and analyzed. For each aroma and flavor descriptor, tasters were asked to write-in the perceived strength of that particular characteristic on a 0-9 scale where a rating of 0 meant they did not perceive the character at all and a 9 rating meant the character was extremely strong. Participants were instructed to focus only on the aromatic qualities of the beer before evaluating the flavor. After a week of conditioning, I began serving it to blind tasters. The filled keg was placed in my keezer and burst carbonated overnight before I reduced the gas to serving pressure. I brewed the standard Hop Chronicles Pale Ale recipe, adjusting the hop amounts to achieve the desired level of bitterness. With a bag of this age-old variety sitting in my freezer, I was excited to see how a beer made solely with it would turn out! I’ve been brewing and drinking beer long enough to have a decent amount of experience with EKG, though it’s not a hop I’ve ever focused much on due to my preference for modern hoppy styles. Parentage: unknown selected from a garden of Canterbury Whitebine hops in the late 1700s While versions of this classic variety are grown in other regions, it’s widely accepted that the most sought after unique floral, herbal, and spice characteristics come only from those originating from Kent, England. Viewed by many as being the quintessential English hop variety, East Kent Golding (EKG) first hit the scene in 1790 and continues to be used by brewers of British Ale the world over. Mosaic Of Change IPA by House Of Pendragon. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |