Hops can be drunk, that's obvious... But to cope with the new heat waves that are descending on us, why not turn hops into a dessert that's as thirst-quenching as it is original?
Which hop variety?
To create your own hop sorbet, you first need to know how to choose the variety and form of hops to use (cone, pellet, extract...).
First of all, when it comes to cooking with hops, you need to choose hops with very low alpha acid levels. Indeed, cooking promotes the isomerization of alpha acids, which accentuates the bitterness found in the finished product. It's hard to achieve a balanced recipe with hops that are too bitter 😉
Source : https://celebrationgeneration.com/hop-sorbet/
So generally look for aromatic varieties with low bitterness. Here are a few examples, depending on the nuances you're looking for.
If you want to preserve a very fresh, herbaceous taste, choose so-called "noble" hops of German or Czech origin, such as TettnangerTraditionor Spalter Select or Styrian Gold. These can be used to make a very thirst-quenching sorbet, or even a tangy one by adding citrus fruit.
The Saphirthe Wakatu or the Sovereign offer subtle, floral notes that can be enhanced with a touch of orange blossom or rose.
The Hüll Melonthe Mandarina BavariaHallertauer or Callista allow you to play with notes of citrus and white fruit (pear, melon or watermelon). Excellent options for tangy, fruity sorbets.
Finally, for exotic fruit notes, you can't go wrong with American or New Zealand varieties such as the Motueka and its notes of papaya, or Wai-ti with its nuances of apricot and exotic fruits. To pair with fruit or other hops, the Cashmere will be the super wing-man with strawberries and melon, underlining the different aromas.
That being said, if you're not thinking of heating your brew, a Aromatic hop with a slightly higher alpha content, such as the traditional Citra Amarilloor even Nectaroncan do the trick! You'll get the aroma without too much bitterness.
Hops, yes, but in what form?
Source : https://celebrationgeneration.com/hop-sorbet/
Hops are available in a variety of formats: fresh cones, dried hops, T90 pellets and liquid extract.
Pellets are the most affordable on the market and generally the easiest to use. You can crush the pellet into a powder and measure the quantities you need in your recipe very precisely.
If you can't find the variety you're looking for in pellet form, the cone can take its place! Simply grind the cone into a fine powder. Note, however, that the oils will be much smaller than in the pellet, and you'll need to increase the quantities a little to achieve the same result.
We don't necessarily recommend hop extract for cooking. Indeed, it is so concentrated that it will be very difficult to handle in such small doses.
How to make citrus hop sorbet
Ingredients :
- 300g caster sugar Organic
- 250ml water
- 1 orange Organic
- 1 lime Organic (juice and zest)
- 1 lemon Organic (juice and zest)
- 700ml orange juice Organic
- 15 grams T90 pellet Organic
As you can see, the ratio of hops to other ingredients is very low (1 tsp per liter of juice). As you know, this is a very powerful ingredient, and one that's sure to get noticed!
If using fresh hops, replace the teaspoon with 30g of crushed hops.
With fresh hops: about 30 grams of crushed cone.
With dried cone: about 10 to 15 grams of crushed cone.
Recipe:
- In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, water and citrus zest.
- Bring to a gentle boil until the sugar has dissolved, then reduce heat to minimum and reduce for 10 minutes.
- Once the liquid has become syrupy, remove from the heat and add the juices and hops. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
- Filter the mixture (using a tea towel, coffee filter or similar) to remove all hop particles.
If you're using very Bittering hops, you can add half a teaspoon of baking powder after filtering the liquid. This will slightly neutralize the acids for a milder taste.
- Leave to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Once cool, blend again in a blender before placing in the freezer.
Your sorbet is ready!
This recipe focuses on citrus fruits, but you can replace the orange juice with pear, strawberry or other juices, and play with hop combinations!
Sources :
https://www.duluthpack.com/blogs/great-recipes-for-cooking-with-hops/
https://thecookscook.com/columns/homemade/cooking-hops-beer-candy/
https://www.foodbloggersofcanada.com/hedonistic-hops-cooking-with-hops/