Not sure which hops to use for your next brew? Try out these hop bills for a flavor-centric beer.
Hop bills are a crucial component in brewing beer as they contribute a wide range of flavors and aromas, making them essential for IPAs and hop-forward beers. Brewers often blend anywhere from two to four different hop varieties to achieve greater complexity in their beers.
As with any brew, more goes into the beer than just hops. Factors such as malt selection, yeast choice, temperatures, usage, and ratios also play a significant role in the final product. But when looking at which hops to include in your next brew, it’s best to look at whether you want to compliment, amplify, or supplement.
When it comes to El Dorado®, its versatility allows it to pair well with almost every other hop. So, if you're wondering which hops to combine with El Dorado®, we've got you covered.
Alexandra Nowell – former director of brewing operations for Three Weavers Brewing and technical advisor for CLS Farms – has been a longtime El Dorado® user. As an early adopter, she has accumulated years of experience experimenting with various hop combinations.
To help you target specific flavors in your brew, we've compiled a list of two-hop combinations recommended by Nowell:
El Dorado® x Mosaic® - watermelon, raspberry, stone fruit
El Dorado® x Cashmere - red cherry, strawberry, melon, lime
El Dorado® x Comet - pineapple, pear, sweet lime
El Dorado® x Simcoe® - grapefruit, mango, candied lemon
El Dorado® x Strata® - pineapple, passion fruit, red currant, bubblegum
El Dorado® x Citra® - tangerine, mango, pineapple
El Dorado® x Nelson Sauvin™ - white grape, sweet lemon, watermelon
El Dorado® x Motueka™ - lemon, lime, candied pineapple, peach
As a note, hop aromas can vary year-to-year. These combinations are meant to guide you as you think about your next beer and which flavors you want to achieve.
El Dorado® can be used throughout the brewing process, giving you greater flexibility. In the kettle, it imparts a smooth bitterness while brighter aromas of citrus come through in the whirlpool. Of course, a heavy hand of El Dorado in the dry hop will give your beer all the delicious stone fruit and tropical flavors.
Interested in brewing with El Dorado® or would like a sample? Email Claire Desmarais at claire@clsfarms.com.