It is a sad rarity that Lemon Drop hops are not as widely used as they should be. I think they are one of the best hops available, mostly because they are absolutely delicious.
They’re kind of delicate, though, and you can’t really pair them with a lot of other hops or adjuncts as they would kind of get lost in the shuffle.
What you need is a crisp, clean, easy to drink beer so you can stand back and let them go. You need a beer like Solstice (Lager, 4.7% ABV) from Fort Myers Brewing.
I was happy enough to get some Solstice when I was there to record an episode of the Florida Beer Podcast and believe me, it is one of the highlights of a afternoon that was filled with highlights.
Solstice is a very simple, very easy to drink lager that has a very light, pale yellow color and an aroma that touches on the delicious qualities of the Lemon Drop hops just enough to be present and enjoyable, but not overpowering like a lemonade would be. That continues on to the flavor with a nice light candy quality that the hop brings to the beer.
It’s not a overly bittering hop by any stretch of the imagination, so there’s no bitterness to really have to work with, and the malt bill is light enough to where it almost has a wheat ale-like softness. They definitely wanted something that was very clean and drinkable, and that is exactly what they got with this beer. It’s a beer that is unassuming, but definitely difficult to make due to the delicate nature of how it will finish.
I will never stop hoping for some collaboration with a brewery so I can continue to push the joy of the Lemon Drop hop far and wide. In the meantime, I shall continue to consume and continue to be amazed by such a simple but effective beer as this.
Drink Florida Craft,
Dave
@floridabeerblog
[email protected]
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