Wakatu Hops facts for kids
Wakatu Hops are a special type of hop plant. Hops are used to give beer its unique taste and smell. Wakatu hops are grown in a beautiful place called Nelson, New Zealand.
These hops are called "dual purpose" because they can do two jobs in beer making. They can add a bitter taste, and they can also add a nice smell.
The name "Wakatu" comes from a word in the Māori language, Whakatu. This is the Māori name for Nelson. Sometimes, people might call Wakatu hops "Hallertau hops" because they are related to a hop called Hallertau. Because they are so similar, you can often use them in place of each other when making beer.
History of Wakatu Hops
The Wakatu hop plant was created by scientists in New Zealand. They worked at a place called HortResearch. Their goal was to make a new hop that smelled really good.
To create Wakatu hops, they took a female Hallertau hop plant and mixed it with a male hop plant that was native to New Zealand. This process is called breeding. The new hop plant they created turned out to be great for both bittering and adding aroma. It was officially released in 1988 from their research center.
How Wakatu Hops are Used in Brewing
Wakatu hops are known as "dual-purpose" hops. This means they can be used to add both bitterness and flavor to beer. They work very well in recipes where only one type of malt and one type of hop are used. This kind of recipe is sometimes called "SMaSH."
These hops have a good balance of aroma and bitterness. Their bitterness level, called "alpha rating," is usually between 6% and 9%. This means they are not as bitter as some other hops that are only used for bitterness. But the great thing about Wakatu hops is that they also add wonderful smells and flavors to the beer. Hops that are only for bitterness usually don't add much flavor.
Wakatu hops contain a special natural oil called myrcene. This oil makes up a big part of their scent, sometimes as much as 35% to 59%. This oil gives Wakatu hops a fresh, citrusy taste, especially like lime.
