The Hop Chronicles | Riwaka (2022) Pale Lager

Creator: Jordan People

As a range with Saaz in its lineage, Riwaka is broadly thought of a quintessential Kiwi hop that imparts beer with a nice mixture of citrus and candy together with hints of natural noble-like traits. Whereas seen primarily as an aroma selection, Riwaka’s average alpha acid content material makes it a superb match for quite a lot of beer types.

Alpha: 4.5 – 6.5%
Beta: 4.0 – 5.0%
Cohumulone: ​​34 – 38% of alpha acids
Complete Oil: 1.2 – 1.7 mL / 100g
Myrcene: 65 – 70%
Humulene: 8 – 10%
Caryophyllene: 2 – 6%
Farnesene: 1%
Linalool: unknown
Geraniol: unknown
ß-Pinene: unknown
Parentage: Cross of “Previous Line” Saaz with specifically developed New Zealand breeding alternatives

I like New Zealand hops and have used Riwaka a number of occasions over time, although it’s at all times been at the side of different varieties. I used to be curious how this comparatively novel selection would play by itself in a subtly hopped pale lager and brewed up a batch for The Hop Chronicles.

| MAKING THE BEER |

Beginning with our normal Hop Chronicles pale lager recipe, I made changes to the kettle hop additions to make sure a correct stage of bitterness.

Riwaka Pale Lager

After accumulating the total quantity of water, adjusting it to my desired profile, and getting it heating up, I weighed out and milled the grain.

When the water was correctly heated, I integrated the grains earlier than checking the mash temperature.

In the course of the mash relaxation, I ready the kettle hop additions.

As soon as the 60 minute mash was full, I eliminated the grains and proceeded to boil for 60 minutes, after which I chilled the wort then took a refractometer studying.

1.046 OG

After transferring the wort to fermenter and putting it my chamber to proceed chilling, I used a small quantity of remnant wort to make a vitality starter of Imperial Yeast L13 World.

With the beer at my goal fermentation temperature of 64°F/17°C, I pitched the yeast then let it ferment for every week earlier than taking a hydrometer measurement confirming FG was reached.

1.006 FG

At this level, I cold-crashed the beer for twenty-four hours then pressure-transferred it to a CO2 purged keg, which was positioned in my keezer and burst carbonated in a single day earlier than the gasoline was decreased to serving stress. After every week of conditioning, it was able to serve to blind tasters.

| METHOD |

Individuals had been instructed to focus solely on the fragrant qualities of the beer earlier than evaluating the flavour. For every aroma and taste descriptor, tasters had been requested to write-in the perceived power of that exact attribute on a 0-9 scale the place a score of 0 meant they didn’t understand the character in any respect and a 9 score meant the character was extraordinarily robust. As soon as the information was collected, the typical score of every aroma and taste descriptor was compiled and analyzed.

| RESULTS |

A complete of 20 folks participated within the analysis of this beer, all blind to the hop selection used till after they accomplished the survey. The common aroma and taste scores for every descriptor had been plotted on a radar graph.

Common Scores of Aroma and Taste Perceptions

The three traits endorsed as being most outstanding by individuals:

The three traits endorsed as being least outstanding by individuals:

Subsequent, individuals had been requested to charge the pungency/power of the hop.

Tasters had been then instructed to establish beer types they thought the hop would work properly in.

Lastly, individuals had been requested to charge how a lot they loved the hop character on a 1 to 10 scale.

My Impressions: I perceived this beer as having a noticeable inexperienced apple/pear character with some supporting lime and perfumy floral character, which was properly balanced by a bready pilsner malt taste.

| CONCLUSION |

Commercially launched by the New Zealand Plant & Meals Hop Analysis Centre in 1997, Riwaka rapidly earned a optimistic popularity for each its agronomic and organoleptic qualities. Whereas sure usages can pull out its Saaz lineage, the first traits related to Riwaka are candy fruit and citrus.

The outstanding aroma and taste traits famous by tasters of a pale lager hopped solely with Riwaka had been tropical fruit, apple/pear, and citrus, which aligns relatively properly with present descriptions of this selection. Furthermore, much less fascinating notes of onion/garlic and dank/catty had been among the many lowest rated traits. Regardless of the decrease hopping charge, a majority of tasters felt the hop pungency on this beer was average to robust, and an equal quantity felt it work simply as properly in pale lager as hoppier IPA/APA.

Having used Riwaka previous to this Hop Chronicles, I had some thought of what to anticipate, and I felt the hop character on this pale lager was pretty complicated, particularly for a way lowly hopped it was. I loved how the fruity and floral notes melded with the bready pilsner malt, my private opinion is that it actually shines when used alongside varieties like Nelson Sauvin, Mosaic, and Nectaron. Whether or not alone or together with different hops, Riwaka is a range I really feel has a spot in quite a lot of types, and I’ll definitely be utilizing it extra sooner or later.

Riwaka hops can be found now at Yakima Valley Hops, get some when you can! If in case you have any ideas on this selection, please be at liberty to share them within the feedback part under.

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