Belma hops!

[philm00x]

Hops Direct finally has Belma leaf hops available on a 1-pound-per-customer basis. Current pricing is $7.55 for a pound of whole leaf with 11.6% alpha acid.

For those of you not familiar with this hop variety, here's the description from HD's site:

Hops Direct, LLC and Puterbaugh Farms is excited to introduce a brand new and very unique hop of our very own. Over the past few years we have nurtured and developed a NEW hop variety "Belma™" exclusively grown here at Puterbaugh Farms.

Dr. Shellhammer from OSU tested Belma™ and created a Pale Ale Malt. He noted the following description:

A very clean hop, with a very orange, slight grapefruit, tropical pineapple, strawberry, and melon aroma.

I've been anxiously awaiting the return of these hops since catching wind of their description and LOW price! Pellets of this hop will be coming soon this month, with the site listing 9.8% alpha and just $5.65 per pound (also limit one pound per customer).

I intend on getting a lb of pellets and using them in wheat beers and maybe a Belma Belgian pale ale using the same grain bill from the Calypso one I did a while back. Can't wait!!

[JimH]

Belma hops sound amazing! If I can get some I may have to give them a try as a sub for Falconer's in the 'Murican Wheat. I bet SWMBO would love it!

[philm00x]

I thought the exact same thing, Jim.

[jhough]

Phil, did you try any ?

[philm00x]

Not yet, J. I'm waiting for them to become available in pellets.

[philm00x]

Pellets were just released, so I went on the site to price a pound out with shipping. Shipping costs more than the hops themselves! Just under 20 bucks for a pound, which still works out to about $1.23 per oz, which is not bad at all. Adding a second pound of hops, the shipping goes up by two dollars more than for shipping on one pound, totalling out to just about 30 bucks, or about 91 cents per oz, which is a great deal.

[yankfan9]

Wow those sound interesting, please let us know how they turn out when you use them

[philm00x]

Certainly will. After a long debate with myself, I pulled the trigger and ordered a pound.

[philm00x]

It's here! My pound of Belma!

[Inkleg]

There's nothing finer than a man with a pound of hops , you're just all kinda fine now aren't ya.

Ok sorry, that was awkward. I kinda got carried away by the picture.

[ssorck]

Any C&C on those belmas yet?

[philm00x]

C&C ??? please elaborate..

[ssorck]

Sorry - comments & criticism

[philm00x]

OHH!! Lol. Thanks for the clarification.

I've used Belma in two very different beers. First, in my Bubs' Pale Ale, and second, in a SMaSH steam lager with Belgian 2-row.

The pale ale is definitely an excellent showcase for the aromatic properties of Belma. When young, it's a nose full of tropical pineapple and strawberry, with a mild melon flavor. With age, the pineapple disappears almost completely, and strawberry and melon flavor is dominant. Not overwhelming, very refreshing. Having used it in just late additions tames the bitter bite you may typically get from using any high alpha hops in any quantity for a bittering/first wort addition.

The steam lager turned out really crisp, a lot like a pils, and I feel I could have used some more in the aroma addition. However, I don't think that Belma is a clean bittering hop for a 60 minute addition. It has a little twang on the finish. Not like PoR, but just... I guess "not a clean bitterness" is the best way I can describe it. It's a nice session beer, best consumed on a hot day, but I would definitely keep Belma as a flavor/aroma hop and not for bittering. That said, I feel like this hop may actually fare well in a sour ale/saison with the bite it has from bittering.

[haerbob3]

I have a pilsner that is happily bubbling away. Brewed exclusively with Belma hops. A 90 min boil with one oz Belma as a first wort hop. One oz as a 30 min hop whirlpool at 140. The smell as it boiled was fantastic as was the taste of the sweet wort.