Specific Flavors
Grapefruit, Tangerine, Coriander Seed, White Pepper
Impression
Refreshing, Dry, Slightly Bitter
The Ale
Cascade is a hop that everyone familiar with beer recognizes by name. I’ve read from multiple sources that Cascade may be the most popular hop in the world of craft brewing. My 1st experience with Cascade came from purchasing a handful of ingredients for my 1st homebrews. When scanning the bag of Cascade hops, the owner looked at me quizzically & asked why I wouldn’t be brewing with Citra, or any of the other exciting hops that are on the market. He convinced me, of course, & Citra was fantastic, but I thought I’d route back to my instincts & give Cascade a try.
I’m glad I did too, because this is a fascinating hop that shouldn’t be skipped as an option just because it has been used for so long & pleases the masses. I brewed a simple, hop forward ale to allow Cascade’s flavors & aromas to dominate. It pours clear & with a white, pillowy head. The aromas are strong & fruity. The flavor is what surprised me the most. In layers, you can peel each flavor back to let the next come through. At first it comes across fruity, but underneath lies a complex spice profile that I was not expecting given the literature on Cascade. The beer finishes refreshingly dry & bitter.
Positives
The spice profile. Yes, it has grapefruit. Yes, it has tropical fruit. But, that spice profile... Most people might think to brew up a fruity American Pale Ale or an IPA with Cascade, but honestly, I can see it pairing really well in a Belgian or German style too. It seems extremely versatile depending on the hop schedule & dosing weight. I’m understanding why it has been so widely used in American craft brewing!
Next Time
Foremost, I will change my hop schedule for my hop trials. 60/40/20/0 lends to too bitter of a drinking experience & I think favors the flavor & diminishes the aroma. I’d like to try 60/20 then dry hop. Also, though simple 2-Row provides a clean slate for the hops, if the intent was to brew a Pale Ale or an IPA, I’d add some darker kilned base malt or small amounts of specialty malt. I think the support of malt would fill out the beer to make it a more drinkable experience.
