Nelson Sauvin
Punchy Nelson Sauvin hops.
Named to honour its home, Nelson Sauvin hops have a similar flavour profile to the equally “made-famous-by-New-Zealand” Sauvignon Blanc wine grape. Passion fruit, gooseberry, peach, and lime flavours abound. Some brewers detect hints of Kiwi and Passionfruit.
Due to its complex hop oil profile, Nelson Sauvin™ can work its magic as an aroma hop, a flavour hop or even for bittering.
Ideal for American style Pale Ales, with punchy hoppy character, through to more delicate Lagers.
FLAVOUR
Tropical Fruit, Berry, Earthy, Herbal
2023 Specs
ALPHA: 11.2 - 13.81%
BETA: 6.17 - 6.71%
OIL (mL/100g): 0.57 - 2.4
Nelson Sauvin Brewing
A hop that may require judicious application in the brewhouse, this truly unique dual-purpose variety can be used to produce big punchy Ales as well as subtle aroma driven Lagers. The fruitiness may be a little overpowering for the un-initiated, however those with a penchant for bold hop character will find several applications for this true brewer’s hop.
Nelson Sauvin Applications
Very much at home in the new-world styles such as American Pale Ale and IPA’s. This hop is considered by some as being extreme and it certainly makes it presence felt in speciality craft and seasonal beers while having gained a considerable international reputation in recent times.
Nelson Sauvin™ Brand 85-03-06 is a triploid variety bred from the New Zealand variety “Smoothcone” and a selected New Zealand male. Developed by New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research and released in 2000, the essential oil profile displays characteristics of “fresh crushed gooseberries” a descriptor often used for the grape variety Sauvignon Blanc, giving rise to this variety’s name.
Described during selection as “breathtaking” Nelson Sauvin™ has the unique ability to impart a distinctive cool climate white wine “fruitiness”. The complexity of the oils profile has seen selectors stretched looking for descriptors to document this unique new world variety.
Nelson Sauvin Tasting notes
By far the most popular and widely used variety of Kiwi hop, Nelson Sauvin is named for the town of Nelson, the epicenter of New Zealand’s hop growing region, and the sauvignon blanc grape, the primary wine variety grown there. It’s aromatic and fruity, imparting a distinctive cool-climate white wine character, with notes of peach, honeydew, gooseberry and apricot.
Perhaps the most popular of the Southern Hemisphere hops is New Zealand’s Nelson Sauvin, so named for its similarity in flavor to Sauvignon Blanc wine grapes. Passion fruit, gooseberry, peach, and lime flavors abound.
Nelson Sauvin’s name is derived from the Sauvignon Blanc wine grape to which many agree has similar flavor and aroma characteristics. Developed in New Zealand and released in 2000, it is considered too wild for many major brewers. Despite this, Nelson Sauvin has found significant use among craft breweries and home brewers for its eccentric characteristics.
They variety has gained popularity in American-style Pale Ales but is definitely a hop that requires prudent and discerning application in brewing. Nelson Sauvin’s oil profile is complex and fortunately works well as an aroma hop, flavor hop and also for bittering. Low cohumulone is responsible for its smooth bittering qualities. It is descended from Smoothcone.