Nick Carr on June 26, 2020 0 Comments In the 1960s Al Haunold was approached by Anheuser-Busch about developing a replacement for Fuggles, which had never done well in Oregon, but was one of the main stars for many industrial brewers. Haunold agreed and came back in the 1970s with six different varieties for Anheuser-Busch to choose from. A tasting panel agreed to go with a variety called Columbia, but they were overruled by their chief of brewing, Frank Schwaiger who, believing another variety was closer to Fuggles profile, went with Willamette. In this turn of events a large plot of good Columbia hops were destroyed on Goschie Farms and the variety was relegated to the backwaters of the brewing world. That is until 2010 when Indie Hops took an interest in the down-on-its-luck Columbia after a 2006 AB led second Columbia planting turned into a bust; this time because of the Belgian InBev buyout. Indie Hops wanted a chance to bring the Columbia variety to light. To do this they asked Gayle Goschie about the hop and if she might still have any plants. Turns out she found a few plants still kicking in the farm’s experimental plot. At least she thought they were Columbia. When the cones were harvested and dried they realized the Columbia hops were far different in profile than Willamette. If this was a close sister it should have had its differences, sure, but it really should have been more similar than it was. They sent samples to be chemically tested and sure enough it wasn’t Columbia. It seemed to have some similarities to Glacier, but that wasn’t quite right either. It was by all turns something new. But not just new; its profile was striking and beautiful too. The new variety, only known thus far as cultivar w12244, needed a name. They decided to name it Meridian after the county road that runs next to Goschie Farms, where the plant was first discovered. Of course Indie Hops was very excited about the discovery, saying, “We’re excited over here, about as excited as anyone should be allowed to get over the discovery of a “sexy” new hop plant.” But this discovery of a “sexy” new hop means that poor Columbia has, for the third time, been denied its time in the emerald green hop spotlight. However Indie Hops still intends to bring the intrepid Columbia to the brewing world, it may just be a few more years. How to Brew With Meridian Hops If you plan on growing hops in your backyard, we would make a few recommendations to help you in your endeavors. Before you choose the variety you want to grow, it is a good idea to talk to other local growers or possibly someone at your local homebrew supply store. They may be able to point you toward varieties that grow well in your area. Meridian is a registered variety, making rhizomes and plants unavailable to the public for home gardens. But don’t worry too much. There are plenty of other varieties that are available to the home growing enthusiast, including Columbia, the hop Meridian was mistaken for. Be sure to check out our other hop profiles for more hop planting possibilities. General Characteristics: Origin- Goschie Farms, Oregon (USA) Year Released- 2011 Growth Rate– Not Available Yield– Not Available Cones– Not Available Maturity– Not Available Susceptible to– Not Available Resistant to– Not Available Ease of Harvest– Not Available Storage– Average Patented or Public- Patented ACID COMPOSITION BREAKDOWN Note: Hop oil composition will vary between harvest years and where the hop was grown. The numbers below are meant to be an average only. Alpha Acid: 5 – 6.5% Beta Acid: 7 – 9% Co-Humulone: 45% OIL COMPOSITION BREAKDOWN Total Oils: 1.1 – 1.4 mL/100g Myrcene Oil (% of total): 30% Humulene Oil (% of total: 8% Caryophyllene Oil (% of total): 3.8% Franesene Oil (% of total): <1% B-Pinene Oil (% of total): Not Available Linalool Oil (% of total): Not Available Geraniol Oil (% of total): <1% Aroma & Sensory Description: Meridian’s profile is a clean, crisp mix of citrus, berry, and fruit. The fruit is sometimes described as fruit punch-like and/or tropical, often having tones of stone fruit like apricot or peach. Along with the whispers of blueberry and citrus in the vein of sugary lemon or lemon pie, comes a possible low note of wood and earth. Availability: Meridian hops aren’t too difficult to find, though your local homebrew shop may not stock them. They are available online through hop suppliers and the bigger homebrew stores. As usual pellets are the easiest form to find. However, cones will likely be available depending on the time of year you’re looking. There is even a single hop Meridian 5 gallon kit available for those looking to dive right in and see what this hop is really about. Use: Meridian isn’t often used in bittering additions especially as a single hop show, but it can work. I could see it being fantastic as the single hop in a wheat or certain lagers. Most of Meridian’s work comes later in the boil, as a flavor/aroma hop. It is here where more of the berry/fruit/citrus can stay to play. Add it in the last minutes of the boil to catch the full effect, or better yet drop some in as dry hopping. Many brewers have noted it plays nice with Belgian yeast, so your next Saison or Belgian Blond may be calling its name. It’s been noted that Meridian seems to combine particularly well with many other hops varieties. The right combination can brighten a note, or two notes might merge together and create a wholly amazing and new aroma/flavor song. Can Substitute With/For These Hops: Glacier Citra Centennial Common Beer Styles Using Meridian Hops: Blonde Ales IPAs Pale Ales Wheats Lagers Saisons Belgian Ales Commercial Examples: To help you gain a better idea of this hop’s aroma and flavor I would recommend you sample as many of these as you can find. This research will deepen your understanding of how Meridian works in different beer styles and give you a better idea of how to use it in your own homebrewing. Uses Only Meridian: Adnams Broadside from Adnams Brewery (UK) Uses Meridian With Other Hop Varieties: Pale Ale from Ground Breaker Brewing Company (USA)- Also uses Cascade (Gluten Free) Hop Shovel IPA from Bear Republic Brewing Company (USA)- Also uses Mosaic and Denali Red Riot from La Cumbre Brewing Company (USA)- Also uses CTZ, Mosaic, Chinook, Centennial, Nelson Sauvin Brux IPA from Rushing Duck Brewing Company (USA)- Also uses Azacca, El Dorado, and Mosaic Rose IPA from Bridgeport Brewing Company (USA)- Also uses Mosaic and Citra
