Pomme, Melon & Pear

I’m often asked about new combinations of hops that could be useful in designing unique recipes. This week, I’m exploring more intricate notes of melon, stone fruit and pear that may lend to eliciting that “wow I haven’t tasted that before” reaction from your customers.

The following list includes hop varieties that are known for their pear, apple, and stone fruit-forward aromas and flavors:

1. Belma™ Hops: Known for their subtle fruitiness, these hops often exhibit notes of apple, pear, and stone fruits like peach and apricot. They are also known for their slight citrus and berry undertones.

2. Cashmere Hops: Cashmere provide a unique blend of melon, apple, and pear flavors, along with tropical fruit and citrus notes.

3. Hallertau Blanc: Originating in Germany, Hallertau Blanc are known for their delicate fruity character, with hints of white grape, apple, and pear.

4. Huell Melon: As the name suggests, Huell Melon have a strong melon character, but they also offer notes of pear, apple, and apricot.

5. Vista: Vista is a newer hop to the market, having been commercialized last November by the USDA, but provides undernotes of pear, melon and sweetness.

Especially in lighter styles, such as a pale ale, or dry hopped pilsner or lager, using a more subtle but yet still powerful hop with these lesser sought-after notes such as melon or pear provide a complex backbone to a beer. Since these are more subdued secondary flavours, they work extremely well in combo with those heavier tropical bombs or other stone-fruit heavy hops. To me, using these hops in the whirlpool, or even in active fermentation can be that slight nuance that keeps your drinker guessing.