Presenter: Andreas Gahr, Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH
& Co. KG, Train-St. Johann, Germany
Coauthor: Adrian Forster, HVG
Hopfenverwertungsgenossenschaft e.G., Wolnzach, Germany
The brewing properties of new hop varieties, once registered,
are mostly evaluated empirically, although systematic trials
are often missing. This applies also to four new German
varieties, the so-called “flavor hops”: Mandarina Bavaria,
Polaris, Huell Melon, and Hallertau Blanc. The 2012 crop is
the first crop to provide hops from the four new varieties from
mature plants harvested using standard picking methods. These
were used to conduct all malt lager brewing trials with brews
of 2 hL each together with established varieties. Apart from
an extensive analytical characterization of all hop-relevant
ingredients in hops and beers, sensory evaluations also were
performed. The results cover the following principal points:
the general brewing properties of the hops, particularly their
influence on bitterness and the flavor of single-variety beers;
the character and suitability of the varieties for dry-hopping
and comparison to their late-hop aroma; comparison of aroma,
flavor, and bitterness of the new varieties to their established
counterparts (late- and dry-hopping); the stability of late- and
dry-hop aroma; and the transfer rates of aroma substances and
polyphenols from hops to beer (late- and dry-hopping).
Andreas Gahr was trained on the job as a brewer and maltster
at the Augustiner Brewery, Munich, Germany. He received
a brewmaster degree from the Technical University Munich-
Weihenstephan in 1994 and worked for another four years at
the university for the Chair of Brewing Technology I. Since
1998 Andreas has been the head of the Research Brewery
St. Johann, which belongs to the hop processing company
Hopfenveredlung St. Johann GmbH & Co. KG and deals
with all kinds of hop-related brewing trials and product
development, as well as technological and raw material trials
for suppliers and the entire brewing industry. Together with
his co-authors he received the MBAA Inge Russell Best Paper
Award in 2010.
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