Simcoe Hops are a favorite among brewers and craft beer lovers. These hops, which are grown in Washington State, have been used to brew some of the most iconic beers in the world, including Pliny the Younger and Heady Topper.
Originally introduced by Yakima Chief Ranches in 2000, Simcoe hops are a dual-purpose hop that is renowned for its unique aroma characteristics. It continues to rise in popularity as one of the top ten varieties in the craft brewing industry.
Origin and History
Simcoe Hops are one of the most popular types of hops in the craft beer industry. Released by Yakima Chief Ranches in 2000, they have become a dual purpose hop that has a smooth bittering quality and also packs a punch of stone fruit, pine, and citrus zest aromas.
They have a high alpha acid content, which is ideal for bittering, and are also used as a late addition to bring out more fruity aromas. They are particularly popular in American India pale ales and double IPAs as a dry hop.
Simcoe has an aromatic profile reminiscent of passionfruit, pineapple resin, and apricot. It contains a mixture of essential oils, including 60% to 65% myrcene, 10% to 15% humulene, and 5% to 8% caryophyllene.
Characteristics and Flavor Profile
Simcoe Hops are one of the most popular types of hops used by brewers in recent years due to their unique combination of floral, fruity and herbal aromas.
They also have a high alpha acid content which makes them excellent for bittering. They are most often used in pale ales, IPAs and American Ales.
The lupulin in the hop cones contain resin and essential oil acids that are responsible for their bitterness, aroma and flavor. Simcoes are very similar to other hops such as Cascade and Chinook, but with a few key differences.
Brewing Uses
Simcoe Hops are a great choice for many types of beer. They are known for their robust flavors and aromas with notes of pine, citrus, and passion fruit.
These hops can be used as a bittering addition to create a strong and intense flavor in many styles of beer. They are also used as an aroma and dry hopping addition to impart additional flavors and aromas to the beer.
Simcoe is a popular dual purpose hop that can be added to any part of the brewing process. Its smooth, clean bitterness, low co-humulone content, and pine-and-citrus aroma and flavor make it a perfect addition to American ales.
Pairing of $ prompt with different beer styles
A hop that is often used in conjunction with other bold hops, Simcoe brings a refreshingly savory, wild, and fruity character to many IPAs. Like Summit, its guava, passion fruit, lychee and stone fruit flavors are easily identifiable, but its pine and floral notes also make it an exciting choice for use in a wide variety of brews.
Pairing beer with food is a multi-step process that begins by understanding key aspects of the beer and food on their own. Typically, this means considering dominant aromas, basic tastes, intensity and mouthfeel sensations.
Availability and Cultivation
Simcoe Hops have become one of the most popular dual purpose hops for both the craft and home brewing industries. Originally released by Yakima Chief Ranches in 2000, this unique variety has become a favorite among brewers for its brewing versatility and aroma characteristics.
Despite a high alpha acid content, this hop is known for its smooth bitterness and fruity aromas of stone fruit, pine, and citrus zest character. It can be used early and late in the boil or as a dry hop during fermentation.
Unlike many traditional aroma hops that are low in yield and susceptible to pests, Simcoe is a robust hop cultivar that grows well in the Northwest US. The 2015 Hop Acreage Report (PDF) reveals significant increases in acreage dedicated to Simcoe.