Zeus Hops

[DaYooper]

Seems one of our growers went out and planted a boatload of Zeus without really looking at the market. I know they are easily a bittering hops but that really limits the market as most crafts use much more flavor and aroma, especially since Zeus has relatively high alpha, but that high alpha just goes to limit quantity even more. Does anyone have any good Zeus recipes out there. I have this:

11.5 # 2Row
3 # Munich
2 # Biscuit
1.5 # Crystal 15
1.5 # corn sugar

Mash @ 152 for 60 minutes

Boil for 90 minutes
1 oz Zeus (FWH)
2 oz Zeus (20 minutes)
1.5 oz Zeus (10 minutes)
1.0 oz Zeus (10 minutes)
1.0 oz Zeus (5 minutes)
1.0 oz Warrior (5 minutes)
1.0 oz Zeus (5 minutes)
1.0 oz Zeus (0 minutes)

113 IBU
1.079 OG

Ferment with Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Now, I am also trying to convince the grower to send me some pro bono to try things out. If I can I will see how much I have and post if anyone would like to experiment and share their results. Had a ton of Nugget one year and was able to put together a nice Nugget IPA so show around and gather some interest so was hoping to do the same thing with Zeus. Brewers sometimes get stuck in their mindset and need a taste "outside the box" to get them to try something different if not just a pilot.

[mashani]

Look for any recipe that uses Columbus or Tomahawk. As far as I know they are all the same hop with different names. If there is any difference. But they are great as a hop in any kind of APA/IPA added at any stage, by no means would I consider them just a bittering hop. My favorite latitude 48 deconstructed beers (single hopped version of the SA latitude 48 IPAs) was the Zeus.

[BlackDuck]

+1 to mashani. The openly published Pliny clone recipe from Russian River calls for CTZ (Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus) hops at the 90 min and 45 minute additions. And also for the 12 day and 5 day dry hop additions. The three types of hops are almost the same.

[duff]

I was able to sample a DIPA made entirely with Columbus. The brewer said the grain bill was mostly 2-row with a little Crystal 40 and Munich Malt thrown in. I think he also added some sugar. It was very hoppy and I thought the taste and smell were wonderful however 2 of the people at the table with me when I opened it thought that it smelled like cat piss.

[John Sand]

I made two SMaSHes, both Maris Otter, one Cascade, the other Columbus. I liked the Columbus better.

[DaYooper]

My favorite latitude 48 deconstructed beers (single hopped version of the SA latitude 48 IPAs) was the Zeus.

I looked all over for that to no avail. That was brilliant of Sam Adams to offer the same base beer with different hops to be able to learn the differences. Once again a day late and a dollar short. When did it come out so I can keep my party store dude in the loop to grab me some?

Columbus and Tomahawk are the same and were just labeled differently due to a trademark dispute. Zeus has the same characteristics but most recently it was learned that it truly is a different strain. Learned midweek when talking to some reps from Willamette Valley Hops at the agri-convention.

With it being so similar to Nugget (which I also found out), and my Nugget SMaSH is one of SWMBOs favourite, I guess I wont be too afraid to SMaSH it although I may want to couple with something else for flavor. Thanks all!

[mashani]

It was a year+ back when I had it. I don't know if they ever did the lat 48 deconstructed again.