Since the earliest of days, KBC has been using New Zealand (herein NZ) hops in our beers. However, after a conscious decision to try and source as many of our materials as direct as possible and actually put a face to the people who help produce the raw materials we need to make our beers, we not only upped the amount of NZ hops we use but we shifted our hops to be sourced from Freestyle and Eggers.
So what’s the hoopla with NZ hops? Let’s break it down:
Q1. how do NZ hops compare with hops from other regions?
A1. NZ grown hops, like all hops, are defined by their terroir. The southern hemisphere growing conditions lend the hops down there to develop a soft, but juicy tropical flavour. Tropical and exotic fruit flavours are commonly associated with hops grown in this region. While North American citrus flavours and even European herbal and floral flavours can still be present in these hops, the rich bouquet of tropical fruit flavours is not only the most common, but the defining signature these hops are known for.
Q2. why has the industry fallen in love with them?
A1. The signature character of these hops is why so many brewers have fallen in love with them. In a world dominated by hazy IPA’s where “juicy”, “tropical” and “fruity” are the most sought-after flavours, these hops are right at home. NZ hops offer a level of tropical hop character that is nearly impossible to match from either of the two (US, Europe) other major growing regions.
Being grown in NZ has also made sourcing these hops in America more of a challenge, so the exclusivity of these hops also added to their alure. In the case of Japan, given our closer proximity to NZ, not to mention the weakening of the JPY, has further raised the attractiveness of these hops beyond just their wonderful flavour and aroma.
Q3. why are they somewhat polarising in opinion? (ie. some people like them, others seem to hate them)
A3. The soft tropical flavours often found in NZ hopped beers are a newer IPA trend. Along with this, beers have become less bitter, increasing their drinkability and broader audience appeal. Some Classic craft beer drinkers may find this lack of bitterness and unfamiliar hop profile too far from what they are used to drinking. Also, while the intense tropical flavours for NZ hops are quite tasty, the overall range of flavours these hops can offer tend to be more limited. It can be impossible to replicate the earthy and herbal character of European beer styles, or the resinous pine and pithy citrus North American hops can offer. This can lead to NZ hopped beers often tasting similar or lacking some overall depth of flavour.
Q4. how has KBC been using them?
A4. KBC has been using NZ hops in a wide variety of ways. Sometimes leaning into that tropical fruit flavour more directly, often in our NZ focused beers. However, to avoid too much flavour overlapping across our beers, we often pick a specific flavour (ex: guava) or two (passionfruit and citrus) and target those flavours from a couple of directions.
For anything tropical, NZ hops are often a first choice, but from there a blend of hops can sometimes round out or give depth to a flavour that hops from one region couldn’t achieve on their own. When not showcased upfront, sometimes the NZ tropical flavour can be a fresh take on a classic style, adding a layer of fruit flavour to a beer style that struggles to achieve those flavours with traditional hops alone.
Q5. What is Freestyle and Eggers?
A5. A lot of hop farmers that grow hops are part of a collective where the farmers can focus on growing their hops and then when harvested, can pass those hops off to a collective for processing and selling. Traditionally, what this means is that hops are collected from a variety of farms and then combined. On one hand, it guarantees consistency. On the other, if looked at in a different manner, it means that hops that could be in amazing condition could be mixed in with hops that are not in the best condition given a variety of different factors.
Places like Freestyle Hops have their own pelletizer and can process their hops in a much more precise manner. Early Nelson Sauvin can give off wonderful white wine like notes whereas late Nelson Sauvin can deliver deep tropical intensity. Early Motueka can give off lemon/lime-like notes whereas late Motueka eschews the citrus character to give off more papaya and mango notes.
The dedication that Freestyle has to harvesting their hops when the time is right is unparalleled and the amount of resources they have put into their infrastructure and R&D is a testament to their dedication.
Speaking of dedication is Eggers. They are a multi-generation farm and when Freestyle decided to get off the ground in the early 2010s, Freestyle bought their original farm from the Eggers’ family. While Eggers does grow a few NZ varietals, the newest generation have decided to focuse predominantly on growing Riwaka, distinct for its passion fruit and pink grapefruit character. Not only do they grow standard Riwaka but have spawned many different sub-varietals and similar to Freestyle, they harvest micro-lots to express the differing aroma/flavour that brewers crave to create interesting beers.
The different philosophies that both farms approach to their hop programs is why we love using both of their hops.
US hops are great in that they vary in quite a big manner; however, it is hard to have any direct relationships with the farmers directly growing them as the scale of hops grown in the US is mind-boggling and the manner in which the industry was setup over there.
On the flip side, our relationships with who we source our hops from in NZ is much more intimate and relatable. We can actually talk to the farmers that are growing them and processing them.
I think it’s for this reason that we have such a strong affinity for hops grown in this region and why KBC will continue to use them for many years to come.
