Comet Hops

[BlackDuck]

Anyone have any experience with Comet hops? It's one of the types I'm considering buying and growing.

Here is its description from the website: "Aroma: unique zesty grapefruit, with pineapple & orange notes."

Ant that sounds like its perfect for the types of IPA's and Pale Ales that I like to make.




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[Kealia]

Hey Chris, without sounding like a tool here - check out the search results here for "comet". It brings up a number of threads from a few people that have used them.

At a quick glance, what I saw was:
"This brew has a ton of pineapple flavor upfront and quite a bit of orange/tangerine at the finish. It's a sweetish beer, because I really don't use alot of hops for a bittering charge. Everything I read about the Comet hops was they were extremely bitter, but I'm finding they aren't nearly as bitter as advertised."

Sorry, I haven't used them myself so I can't offer any hands-on advice.

[Beer-lord]

Comet hops were some of the few I had available when I first started brewing in the late 70's and 80's and then they disappeared. I only had access to leaf hops then but I don't remember anything good or bad about them.
Remember the hop room at Sierra Nevada? I grabbed a hand full of Comet and they smelled nice but I can't offer anything other than that......I'm too old to remember.

UPDATE: Just found this:

Origin: USA. Comet is a cross of English hops with a wild American variety and was first released in 1974. Commercial production actually ceased in the 1980s as it was phased out in favor of new super-high alpha varieties, but it has enjoyed a comeback thanks to its unique profile.

Usage: Intended as high-alpha bittering hop when first release, Comet has found a second life as an aroma variety in IPAs, wild ales, farmhouse beers, and other cutting-edge craft styles.

Aroma & Flavor Characteristics: Dominated by citrus zest and fragrant grassy character, with undertones of wild forest fruit and old-school earthy bitterness.

Botanical Classification:
Family: Cannabaceae
Genus: Humulus
Species: Lupulus

[BlackDuck]

Hey Ron...it did kind of sound toolish. Just kidding. I know, I should have searched first, but I was at the Nissan dealership getting a little work done and I didn't have a ton of time. So I thought I would just come right out and ask. Excuses, excuses right.

I'll check out the search. But thanks to both of you for the info you've posted.

[John Sand]

I haven't used them, but this thread piques my interest.

[BlackDuck]

John, check out this thread.. It has a great looking recipe in it too.

It came up in the search that Ron rightly chided me to do. Interestingly enough, I actually commented that the recipe sounded awesome.

[Beer-lord]

I pulled out my old recipes from 1981 and it appears I've only used Comet twice but next to Comet in parenthesis I have written in my sloppy handwriting, (wild americana). I've no idea what that's about and until I saw the name at SN, I didn't even recognize it was a hop.
The more I read about it, the more the reviews seem to be 50/50. Someone else try them and let me know.

Chris, maybe you should brew with it before spending the time growing them though yours would be different just due to your soil.

[Kealia]

I dunno, based on the description they sound good. If you do go for it, hopefully your tastes don't change in the next 2-3 years! (It's year 2 that you get cones, right?)

[BlackDuck]

Not if you buy the plant (not the rhizome) from the site I linked to in the other thread. They might give you cones the first year since they have already grown.

I would probably brew with it once before buying a plant though. Or maybe not, might just take the dive into the deep end.

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[bpgreen]

Not if you buy the plant (not the rhizome) from the site I linked to in the other thread. They might give you cones the first year since they have already grown.

I would probably brew with it once before buying a plant though. Or maybe not, might just take the dive into the deep end.

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I wouldn't count on getting a lot from those plants the first year. They're plants, but they're pretty small. I suspect that'll still spend the first year establishing.

[BlackDuck]

Here is a short article that references Comet hops.

Comet has taken on the industry nickname of “Citra’s little sister.”

If that's the case, I'm sure I'm gonna love them!!

[Beer-lord]

I'll get some of these the next time I order hops for this year. Be awhile before I use them but to me, for very few do I actually get what the description notes. Might just be my palate.

[mashani]

MoreBeer has them, so next time I order from MoreBeer and need to get up to 59 for free shipping I'll add some and try them too.

[Beer-lord]

I placed my first hops order in more than 4 months and got 8 oz of Comet hops and 4 oz of Vic Secret to try out. Not sure when I'll have time as my life has gotten busy for a spell but I'm not even sure what I'll brew with these and whether they'll be used in the boil or just dry hopped (or both).

[1919]

I grow Comet. 2020 will be my third year with them. Zone 8a. Last year's yield was light and so was the flavor. The harvest was weird. A few here and there. Some would look like they needed a lot more time, but then be past their prime five minutes later. Big cones with scant lupulin. Maybe this year will be better.

I've also grown Cascade. They did better, until they drowned. I've since gone to slightly raised beds.