aurora hop opinions?

[robsan77]

Hi all,

Im about to try a single hop brew with aurora in a 3.8% beer using 50;50 lager malt and maris otter (plus a little wheat)

but this morning the citra hops I ordered have just arrived.

I know citra is a safe bet but ideally I want to use them in a stronger brew with loads of Vienna. (ive almost finished mashing the above brew)

So if anyone thinks aurora is a bad idea speak up now and ill use the citra.

What do you think?

 

[Svarrogh]

You can't compare those two hops! Citra is full of oils and has a huge aroma, something like fruit salad. I like it a lot. On the other hand Aurora is earthy, floral and if you use it in large quantities it can be very earthy which I personally don't prefer. It's you choice. Cheers :

 

[robsan77]

right. after sniffing, ive decided that ill use the aurora for bittering and use some of my other styrians (bobek, celeia, savinjski) Late. Seems like a better plan, they don't smell as earthy and more floral.

 

[cab01942]

You can't compare those two hops! Citra is full of oils and has a huge aroma, something like fruit salad. I like it a lot. On the other hand Aurora is earthy, floral and if you use it in large quantities it can be very earthy which I personally don't prefer. It's you choice. Cheers :

This is the sort of comment that is the most helpful in these situations. I have been brewing over 41 years and the number of self appointed 'experts' who do not indicate the two things that your respondent did are endless. A preference is proffered and this is made clear, as is the appendage to choose for yourself - well said! It is a pity that many leading authors on the subject of brewing fail to take into account their own bias and lose objectivity. One that instantly springs to mind is the remark denigrating what we refer to in the vernacular as lager, referring to it as 'sweet fizzy stuff' if memory serves. That 'sweet fizzy stuff' is the first choice of billions of drinkers spanning every continent: apparently they have no taste and have got it badly wrong, that's certainly the way it comes across to me.

My mantra is 'experiment, experiment, experiment'. I have poured no more than half-a-dozen brews down the drain over the years, but I have had far more happy accidents: beers that did not turn out as they were intended but were fantastic to sup regardless. As I supped through them with friends I would whinge about how the character of the beer should have been - but few tears were shed if you are curious, try it. Unlike the cat, I am sure you will survive the result