Hop Profile:
Sorachi Ace
During the hop crisis of 2008, brewers were delighted to discover a newly available high alpha hop - Sorachi Ace. Originally developed in Hokkaidō, Japan for Sapporo Breweries in the late 1970s, the hop wasn't commercially available until 1984 and not available in the US until 2006.
Known for its intense lemony flavors, Sorachi Ace also runs the gamut from white flowers, dust, and tea, to bubble gum, dill, and coriander. This hop is ideal for IPAs, saisons and wheat beers. In fact, we chose it for the spicy version of our Jalapeño Saison (recipes available in Brooklyn Brew Shop's Beer Making Book: 52 Seasonal Recipes for Small Batches).
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Origin
Named after its developers, Sorachi Subprefecture, Sorachi is the product of combining Brewer's Gold and Saaz hops. Originally made for Sapporo Breweries in the late 1970s, the hop was grown in Japan and China for many years, becoming commercially available in 1984. In the early 2000s, US hop grower, Darren Gamache of Virgil Gamache Farms, picked Sorachi Ace out of the USDA Hop Cultivar Collection and started to cultivate it, making it commercially available in the US in 2006.
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Characteristics
Sorachi Ace hops are mainly used as a bittering hop, but with their intense lemon flavor and aroma, as well as light dill, tea, and coriander notes, some brewers use them for flavor. These hops are great in saisons, IPAs and wheats, although the extreme lemon makes them ideal for any summer beer.
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Vital Statistics
Typical Use: Bittering Alpha Acid: 10.7-12.2% Country: Japan Flavors: Lemon, Dill, White Flowers Styles: Saison, IPA, Wheat Beers
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Beers To Try
Brooklyn Brew Shop - Jalapeño Saison Spicy New Belgium Brewing - Dig Pale Ale
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