Beer Forum

Anyone used zythos hops? I picked up a pound of them from Nikobrew during their black Friday sale. I'm thinking I'll dump a bunch of it in a pale ale, not sure if I should put some other hops with it or just strait up. Other hops I have kicking around in the freezer are Cascade, Columbus, Mt. Hood, Aurora, Ultra, and a hopshot extract dose.

I was thinking maybe an oat pale ale along the lines of:

5lb Maris Otter
5lb 2-row
2lb oats
0.5lb C40

1oz zythos @ 10
2oz zythos @ 0
2oz zythos @ dryhop

Wyeast 1968

but I'm really wondering if I should have other things mixed in there. Maybe adding some columbus to the dryhop, and/or cascade at 10min or 20min. I'm not totally sure what the zythos mix is made of, but I imagine some portion of it is cascade and columbus anyway.

It's kind of a generic C hop flavor/aroma. Great hop to get that nice citrus American hop flavor and aroma, but I wouldn't want it by itself.

Zythos is actually an American C-hop blend isn't it?

Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure what I should pair with it. The descriptions of it are all over the place. Ranging from Amarillo substitute (YCH hops) to super dank and that is it (homebrew forum posts). I could do the "add more of the same type" hops or try to go with something complimentary but that is hard to pick since I don't know what I will get from the zythos. Maybe some equinox with it, or go the simcoe route? I really don't know.

I have made a series of SMASH APAs using various hops, and still make them when I get a new hop variety. It's instructive.

The procedure (10 gal, SRM 8, OG 1.054) is to use enough Northern Brewer to hit 40 IBU considering the late additions (usually 10 grams). Then add an ounce of the test hop to the boil at 20, 15, 10, 5 and 0 minutes. Rack to secondary when fermentation is substantially complete, and add two or four ounces of the test hop to the secondary.

I'm using leaf in the boil and pellets in the secondary because that works best with my equipment. I don't know if I've learned anything except how to wing a recipe without using Beersmith. lol

Charlie

From what I remember the last time I brewed with them, I think Citra would pair well. Equinox would too. Zythos blend is not super fruity beyond the classic citrus thing. More earthy, floral, citrusy, slightly dank IIRC. So complementing with a tropical, fruitier hop would be good. An addition of Galaxy would also be pretty damn tasty!

When isn't an addition of Galaxy tasty? I put it in a berliner weisse with and then scooped a couple passion fruits in at the end of the ferment...just awesome.

It's a great compliment hop. It's not overly strong in any flavors.