19 replies to this topic

[neddles]

Curious to hear your experiences. I know what a clean hop @60 tastes like in the final beer. And I have used Chinook @60 a handful of times and know just what to expect from it. But I have never used Colombus @60 and have heard/read mixed things about it. Some say it is clean while others say it has a defined character of its own that it carries into the end product. What do you guys get from it?

[realbeerguy]

Columbus to me has a harsh bitterness.  Ok if used with restraint.  Too many people overdo it.

[johnpreuss]

Columbus to me has a harsh bitterness.  Ok if used with restraint.  Too many people overdo it.

 

What do you consider over done?  I like it anywhere between .5-1 oz at 60... but I'm curious what you mean.

[Humperdink]

What do you consider over done?  I like it anywhere between .5-1 oz at 60... but I'm curious what you mean.

Fer what size?

[positiveContact]

I've never found it to be harsh.  chinook on the other hand I think can be harsh if you use too much.

[Steve Urquell]

I've used CTZ in everything from 1.000FG light lagers to continental golden lagers at 60 or FWH and haven't noticed any character from it. Cheap IBUs for me.I used Summit @FWH once for an American Std Lager once and it smelled/tasted like goat/armpit right out of the fermenter. Scared the crap out of me but it didn't taste like that after bottle conditioning. I think it was the munge ring in the fermenter giving that character.

Edited by chils, 22 November 2014 - 05:33 AM.

[BarelyBrews]

I've never found it to be harsh.  chinook on the other hand I think can be harsh if you use too much.

 

Yes .This is true for me too. I love its clean ability. Use it at 60 quite often.

[HVB]

Yes .This is true for me too. I love its clean ability. Use it at 60 quite often.

Agree,seem clean to new when used early and great when used late too.

[SchwanzBrewer]

DCRIPA is Columbus at 60. Works great. I love Columbus.

[neddles]

What do you consider over done?  I like it anywhere between .5-1 oz at 60... but I'm curious what you mean.

 

Fer what size?

Yeah good question. I think John usually does 10 gallon batches.

[Big Nake]

On this German Hell melon APA I made last week, I used a small amount of Columbus at 60 (like .35 ounces) and then another ¼ ounce at 20 and then two ounces of the German Hull melon late in the boil. The Columbus has always come across cleanly for me and I would agree with Chils on the "Cheap IBUs" thought and also with Evil Morty on the Chinook thing. Chinook seems much more coarse to me than Columbus. But I will say this, the Columbus seems to have some character to it when you drop it in the boil... it's slightly fruity or citrusy unlike something like Magnum which seems to be much cleaner. That is not to say that Columbus is not clean, it just has some character to it but I would doubt that the character I'm describing would be offensive to any homebrewer.

Edited by KenLenard, 22 November 2014 - 07:32 AM.

[positiveContact]

I agree you can tell when it's columbus at 60 mins.  it's just not harsh or anything. 

[Big Nake]

I agree you can tell when it's columbus at 60 mins.  it's just not harsh or anything.

Right. Magnum is sort of clean/grassy/crisp while Columbus is more like clean/slightly fruity but I don't know that it's very detectable at 60. I think I told this story once before but I went to the LHBS and my bud was working in the back. He saw me and waved me back there and when I got to the back room, it was filled with this awesome hop aroma. There was a giant metal bowl of pellets on the table and he was packing them into 1-oz bags. I said, What on Earth is that awesome smell? and he held up one of the labels, Columbus! I bought a few ounces on the spot!

[denny]

I've used CTZ in everything from 1.000FG light lagers to continental golden lagers at 60 or FWH and haven't noticed any character from it. Cheap IBUs for me. 

 

THIS^^^^

[johnpreuss]

I personally like Columbus because of the Cheap IBUs but also because it is multipurpose for me.  I like what it brings late as well.

[neddles]

Some say it is clean while others say it has a defined character of its own that it carries into the end product.

Seems from the responses this is still the case.

 

I'm going to use it at 60 in an upcoming APA and mix it late with some Cascade and Centennial in the whirlpool and dry. It's high on the long list of hops that I would like to get to know better.

[MakeMeHoppy]

Yeah my standard house APA/IPA is an ounce of Columbus at 60, 15, 1 and dry hop. Works out great also that I get 4 batches even from a lb of hops. I'll work other C hops or Amarillo in for the flame out or dry hop additions to mix it up a little.

[Steve Urquell]

Right. Magnum is sort of clean/grassy/crisp while Columbus is more like clean/slightly fruity but I don't know that it's very detectable at 60. I think I told this story once before but I went to the LHBS and my bud was working in the back. He saw me and waved me back there and when I got to the back room, it was filled with this awesome hop aroma. There was a giant metal bowl of pellets on the table and he was packing them into 1-oz bags. I said, What on Earth is that awesome smell? and he held up one of the labels, Columbus! I bought a few ounces on the spot!

It always makes me think the same when I'm measuring it out. Smells fantastic. I've never used it late. Need to change that soon.

[Big Nake]

It always makes me think the same when I'm measuring it out. Smells fantastic. I've never used it late. Need to change that soon.

It's actually one of my favorite parts of brewday... opening a bag of hops and getting a good whiff and checking to see if they're fresh, dark green, vibrant, aromatic, etc. Dropping them into the wort is awesome too because (as nettles mentioned), you get a better feel for them when they hit hot wort. The Columbus hops I opened up last weekend smelled excellent and the last .4 ounces (or whatever it is) is slated for some work in another pale ale I have coming up whenever I have the chance to brew again.A snip from the guys at BEER LEGENDS...

Columbus Hops is one of the Three C's, including Centennial and Cascade. This variety also has other names including CTZ, which stands for Columbus, Tomahawk, and Zeus. Tomahawk is the exact same variety, while Zeus hops is so bitterly close that it gets lumped in. The naming struggle has to do with copyrights and patents between Yakima Chief, Inc, and Charles E. Zimmerman who originally produced the variety. This resulted in a joint venture going by the name of HUSA-CEZ, LLC between Charles and Hopunion USA.With the confusing history put aside, Columbus Hops makes a great dual purpose hops in beer. It brings both a bitterness kick to the table as well as strong dreamy aroma. Columbus brings a 14%-16% alpha acid rating to the table, making it ideal for laying the bitter foundation for beers such as Pale Ales, India Pale Ales, Stouts, and anything Imperial. In the same capacity this variety is commonly used for late-boil or dry hopping for its herbal, earthy character. The aroma is pleasing and citrus notes may be found in fresh batches.The oil content within Columbus Hops is moderate, and the essential oils are relatively balanced. It is a moderate yielding plant edging towards the higher side, and is grown widely in the U.S. This variety produces medium to large compact cones, and the lupulin is on the paler side of yellow. Some of the most forward looking breweries in the U.S. are using Columbus to flavor their American Style Ales.

Edited by KenLenard, 22 November 2014 - 04:30 PM.

[realbeerguy]

What do you consider over done?  I like it anywhere between .5-1 oz at 60... but I'm curious what you mean.

Around .5 is ok.  Maybe it's just me, but CTZ in more than 1 oz has a sharp bitterness to me.  Now, one of the MALTS members made a Belgian IPA with .5 oz CTZ @ 60 and it was just right.