Progress Hops

[Dave S]

I haven't used them yet but am about to this weekend. I'm doing a Black Sheep Ale which uses challenger, progress, fuggles and goldings. Sounds yummy.

Bump again.

I brewed a dark mild with Challenger and Progress, perhaps my favorite hop combo yet for dark beers anyway. I'm still curious what other brewer's think of Progress. Frankly, I can't understand why it isn't widespread.

Dave, how'd that beer turn out? The Progress might've been somewhat buried, but what did you think overall?

Hi Seymour

Yeah it turned out OK. Had problems with clearing but hop-wise was tasty. I need to do a few more to get a proper handle on things. Come to think I still have an unopened bag of Progress, so maybe the next brew, or at least soon.

[Swoonara]

I did an all-Progress pale ale 2 years ago which was okay if not spectacular. I got a subtle flavour - a bit Fuggley but with a hint of lemon. I've a feeling they might work well in some sort of Belgian Pale.
Hence I planted a couple of Progress bines last year and got about 120g (dry weight) off them, which I'm using tomorrow in this...

Code: Select all

Pilsener Malt      2.5 EBC	 16 lbs. 6.1 oz	7430 grams	85%
Munich Malt        20 EBC       1 lbs. 5.9 oz	  620 grams	10%
Jaggery	        30 EBC        0 lbs. 15.5 oz	  440 grams	5%
 
Progress	Whole	5.5 %	 90 mins	 0 lbs. 1.1 oz	30 grams	25%
Progress	Whole	5.5 %	 30 mins	 0 lbs. 1.8 oz	50 grams	41.7%
Progress	Whole	5.5 %	 15 mins	 0 lbs. 1.4 oz	40 grams	33.3%

Final Volume:	38	Litres
Original Gravity:	1.055	
Final Gravity:	1.011	
Alcohol Content:	5.7%	ABV
Total Liquor:	53.2	Litres
Mash Liquor:	21	Litres
Mash Efficiency:	77	%
Bitterness:	28.9	EBU
Colour:	15	EBC
Yeast:      wlp500

[seymour]

OH MAN, THAT LOOKS TASTY!

[gnutz2]

Black sheep do a progress brew called "Progress".

I've had a pint on cask and it was a little heavy for a bitter, my mate thought the same too so not the best showcase for progress. From the comments on here it sounds a decent hop.

[seymour]

Black sheep do a progress brew called "Progress"...

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. BS_Rat was planning to brew a clone in this thread. I wonder if he did?

...I've had a pint on cask and it was a little heavy for a bitter, my mate thought the same too so not the best showcase for progress. From the comments on here it sounds a decent hop.

What do you mean by "a little heavy for a bitter"?" Was Progress too spicy or something? Are you saying it would be better saved for bigger/darker beers? I'm just curious.

[gnutz2]

What do you mean by "a little heavy for a bitter"?" Was Progress too spicy or something? Are you saying it would be better saved for bigger/darker beers? I'm just curious.

It was a while ago but yes, it was a little spicy and had good body, not an outstanding beer and too heavy for a session beer.

[seymour]

Interesting. Black Sheep's Yorkshire Stone fermentation setup is relatively lower-attenuating, right? I wonder if that's part of it.

[gnutz2]

Interesting. Black Sheep's Yorkshire Stone fermentation setup is relatively lower-attenuating, right? I wonder if that's part of it.

Well I'm not sure it is Seymour, Paul theakston wanted his beers (black sheep) to be different to his brothers beers so he chose a fairly high attenuating yeast, producing a dry beer unlike his brothers (theakstons) beers.

If you listen to, "can you brew it", the riggwelter episode, the head brewer reveals the yeast they use and the FG's of the beer.

[seymour]

Ah, I see.

[Pudding]

Hobsons Best Bitter uses Progress hops.

The Cyclops description for this beer is:
See: Auburn
Smell: Hops
Taste: Rich, Bitter

Recipe according to The Real Ale Almanac Roger Protz (1997):
Maris Otter Pale Malt 92%
Crystal Malt 8%
Challenger for bitterness
Progress for aroma (and dry-hopping)

O.G 1038
ABV 3.8%
35 IBU

I would describe the flavour of Progress as sweet and fruity, and nothing like fuggles!

geoff

[FuzzySteve]

Hobsons Best Bitter uses Progress hops.

I'm drinking an AG clone of this as I type. It's a cracking brew, and was easy to make. I've just finished another AG Hobsons Town Crier today as well, which uses Progress for aroma.

[seymour]

...I've just finished another AG Hobsons Town Crier today as well, which uses Progress for aroma.

You know, I've wondered about that recipe before: OG 1043, ABV 4.5%, 99% Maris Otter and 1% Crystal, with Goldings and Progress.

I hear it's a tasty bitter, but can you even tell the Crystal is there? What IBU did you shoot for? Did you dry-hop?

[barney]

I am making this at the weekend with some Progress, its supposedly a McMullen & Sons Country Bitter Clone

Mash 90 mins 1042 OG
76.5% golden promise
13.5% Maltose added in boil
6% flaked maize
5% crystal

25 IBU Progress 90 mins
5 IBU Progress 15 Mins

[FuzzySteve]

You know, I've wondered about that recipe before: OG 1043, ABV 4.5%, 99% Maris Otter and 1% Crystal, with Goldings and Progress.

I hear it's a tasty bitter, but can you even tell the Crystal is there? What IBU did you shoot for? Did you dry-hop?

There is a slight nutty hint in the genuine article, possibly even a slight touch of caramel. I personally think that the crystal is there for colour more than anything, and even then, its so subtle you could almost go without!

My recipe for a 40 litre batch (taken from another forum recipe and hops with an increased AA % used) was as follows:

7.19kg Bairds Maris Otter
0.76kg Crystal Malt at 145 EBC
28.5g Fuggles (5.17% AA) Boil 60 mins
28.5g East Kent Goldings (6.45 AA) Boil 60 mins
10.7g Fuggles (5.17% AA) Boil 30 mins
10.7g East Kent Goldings (6.45 AA) Boil 30 mins
21.4g Progress (7.89% AA) Boil 15 mins
42.71g Progress (7.89% AA) Boil 2 mins
Nottingham Ale Yeast (Lallemand)

EDIT: Not that it makes too much difference, but the boil was 90 minutes

As it stands the recipe (according to Beersmith) runs to 30.1 IBUs, which is admittedly high for what is described by Protz as a lightly hopped ale. The genuine article is, in my opinion, not lightly hopped, but is rather malty and the progress does stand out. Due to the high IBU, I have opted not to dry hop on this occasion.

Previous attempts to clone Town Crier have been with one extract and one AG, both of which were way off the mark, so I have a lot of hope and faith in this recipe. It's in the FV as we speak, and first impressions with regard to colour is pretty spot on, other impressions will have to wait a while.

I'm down in Leominster this weekend, so hopefully I'll manage to pop in to The Little Shop and stock up on Town Crier, Manor Ale and Twisted Spire!

[seymour]

You know, I've wondered about that recipe before: OG 1043, ABV 4.5%, 99% Maris Otter and 1% Crystal, with Goldings and Progress.

I hear it's a tasty bitter, but can you even tell the Crystal is there? What IBU did you shoot for? Did you dry-hop?

There is a slight nutty hint in the genuine article, possibly even a slight touch of caramel. I personally think that the crystal is there for colour more than anything, and even then, its so subtle you could almost go without!

My recipe for a 40 litre batch (taken from another forum recipe and hops with an increased AA % used) was as follows:

7.19kg Bairds Maris Otter
0.76kg Crystal Malt at 145 EBC...

But that looks like 9.56% Crystal Malt, right? Do you think my notes about 1% Crystal are incorrect (it's definitely possible, you would know better), or are you intentionally going for something much more caramelly?