Jester Hops

[Tarmac]

Jester Hops.

Can anybody give me their opinion on Jester hops? I’ve just received 200gms and will be brewing with them soon. Done a bit of Googling but only snippets of info. Unfortunately don’t ever recollect drinking a pint with them in.

[WalesAles]

Tarmac,
Did you find this......
https://www.britishhops.org.uk/varieties/jester/
I`ve never used them, so I can`t comment.

WA

[orlando]

Tarmac,
Did you find this......
https://www.britishhops.org.uk/varieties/jester/
I`ve never used them, so I can`t comment.

WA

They're a joke, don't bother.

[k1100t]

I've had a few beers brewed with Jester in the past, the one that springs to mins was the Adnams single hop one. Perfectly pleasant, but could've done with a few more hops...

[Tarmac]

There’ll be plenty of late hops going in, am sure it will be a good brew. Probably bitter with challenger or northdown, then a few Jester at 30 mins, the rest at 10, 1 & steep. Dry hop.
4kg Extra Pale Maris Otter.

Have read the hop descriptions, seen a couple of YouTube tasting clips but going to try them. Will update soon. Thanks for the replies.

[Northern Brewer]

They seem to be one of those hops that are rather variable, perhaps depending on vintage - I had one of the first beers ever made with them using an early Farams sample that was very mango-y but never really got that since. There was a real outburst of commercial single-hop golden ales a couple of years ago, but they've faded a bit although M&S usually has one (by Adnams, not the greatest example but at least reasonably easy to find). They tend to have a vague tropicalness and a bit of gooseberry or something like that, sometimes quite blackcurranty underneath, not nearly as intense as the big-name US hops but still quite pronounced by British standards and work quite well with cask styles. They work quite well as single-hop, but as so often it wouldn't hurt to mix in a bit of Goldings or something.

I'd have a little more in the grist than just extra pale - maybe a splash of carapils or similar.

[Tarmac]

Thanks NB. Good to hear your take on them. Really looking forward to commenting on the Jester, from opening the packet until tasting. I like Nelson sauvin, citra etc and use them fairly often. But enjoy equally brews with northdown & cascade or northdown, cascade, fuggles, challenger. To use a British hop, reasonable price and get a bit more flavour associated with the tropical hops intrigues me to want to use it.

I won’t be going for a high IBU - 22-25, so should get some sweetness, may add a smidge of other malts but minuscule.

[guypettigrew]

I like Nelson sauvin, citra etc and use them fairly often. But enjoy equally brews with northdown & cascade or northdown, cascade, fuggles, challenger.

Go on, admit it, you just like almost any sort of beer! Good on you!

Guy

[k1100t]

To use a British hop, reasonable price and get a bit more flavour associated with the tropical hops intrigues me to want to use it.

Stocks Farm grow some experimental varieties each year, which depending on your point of view, are generally more interesting. Like GP75 Experimental; Aromas- very pungent grapefruit, lime & citrus.

[Tarmac]

Thanks for that link, will have a look.

Guy,

Yes, got a good stock of them to use.

[orlando]

To use a British hop, reasonable price and get a bit more flavour associated with the tropical hops intrigues me to want to use it.

Stocks Farm grow some experimental varieties each year, which depending on your point of view, are generally more interesting. Like GP75 Experimental; Aromas- very pungent grapefruit, lime & citrus.

Interesting. Bought some to make a Golden Ale with.

[Northern Brewer]

To use a British hop, reasonable price and get a bit more flavour associated with the tropical hops intrigues me to want to use it.

I won’t be going for a high IBU - 22-25, so should get some sweetness

Don't expect Citra/Nelson levels of intensity, it's maybe a bit more than say Bramling Cross but not much. Or UK Cascade, she's a daughter of Cascade so you can get some grapefruit

Personally I'd go for more like 30 IBU, or at least BU:GU>0.8, I think some bitterness helps set off those fruit flavours.

[Meatymc]

I'm a big fan of Citra/Amarillo/Mandarina etc but keen to support UK hop growers and developers so when I first heard of Jester and claims as to it's aroma qualities last Summer bought a batch - could only get leaf not pellet.

Didn't really get the promised citrus hit on opening but went ahead with an IPA - usual home grown First Gold for bittering, then a 50g late hop addition and finally 50g dry hop 3 weeks later. Result - underwhelmed.

So did the same brew again but upping the dry hop to 75g and then 100g but frankly no improvement.

Since then I've used the batch up as late additions but falling back to my Citra or Mandarina for dry hopping.

It could of course have been a poor batch but then again, we are talking about personal preference - and what do I know.

I do recall reading an article on Jester in late Autumn - can't remember where except it was a serious article in either a trade or 'scientific' journal rather than a micky take. The story went that on one of the regular exchange trips between US and UK growers, the US group visited Faram's who promoted their 'breakthrough' UK grown citrus style hop. Their reaction to the claim resulted in the name!

[Tarmac]

Well, brewing tomorrow in sunny DL7. Can’t take the suspense anymore. Varied reviews but thanks for everyone’s take. One part of me says, if they were good, there’d be more noise about them, another part says if it’s naff just dry hop with Nelson or Citra.

MeatyMC, I live off St James - there’ll be a plume of steam over town.

[orlando]

One part of me says, if they were good, there’d be more noise about them, another part says if it’s naff just dry hop with Nelson or Citra.

Sometimes it can just be a "bad" batch. I've had Citra that's been spectacularly good and comparitvely poor. My single experience of Jester led me to giving them away. But Citra's Crown is still likely to stay in place.