Nelson Sauvin and Motueka in New Zealand pale ales

New Zealand hops grow in a small corner of the South Island

Most New Zealand hops are grown around Nelson and the Tasman region at the top of the South Island. New Zealand's government-funded hop breeding programme released many of the varieties brewers know today. Our guide to new world hops from New Zealand and Australia covers the wider group.

Because the crop is small and demand for the best-known varieties is high, popular New Zealand hops are often in short supply. For homebrewers in India, that means buying when you see them in stock.

Nelson Sauvin tastes of white wine

Nelson Sauvin was released in 2000. Its name refers to the Nelson region and to Sauvignon Blanc, the white wine grape the region is famous for. The aroma really does recall that wine: gooseberry, passion fruit, white grape and a slightly sulphury, flinty edge. Much of that character comes from thiols, sulphur-containing aroma compounds also found in Sauvignon Blanc.

Nelson Sauvin is high in alpha acid, around 12 to 13%. It is also powerful. A little goes a long way. Too much can taste harsh or catty. Many brewers use it as one part of a blend rather than on its own.

Motueka brings lime and spice

Motueka was released in 1998. It is a cross of Saaz with a New Zealand selection, so it carries some noble hop spice. On top of that sits a bright citrus character: lime, lemon and a hint of tropical fruit. Alpha acid is moderate, around 6.5 to 7.5%.

Motueka is gentler than Nelson Sauvin. It works well in lagers, wheat beers and pale ales where you want citrus without overpowering the malt. In a New Zealand Pilsner, it gives a crisp lime note over a clean lager base.

Together they make a classic New Zealand pale ale

Nelson Sauvin and Motueka complement each other. Nelson gives the wine-like fruit. Motueka adds citrus and a light spicy backbone. A New Zealand pale ale is usually pale, dry and clean, with the hops front and centre.

A 20 litre recipe at original gravity around 1.050, final gravity around 1.010, about 5.2% ABV and 35 IBU:

• Pale ale malt: 4.1 kg (92%). Our guide to Weyermann pale ale malt covers one option.
• Light crystal malt: 0.18 kg (4%)
• Wheat malt: 0.18 kg (4%)

Hops:

• Nelson Sauvin, 10 g at 60 minutes for bitterness.
• Motueka, 20 g at 10 minutes.
• Motueka 30 g plus Nelson Sauvin 20 g in the whirlpool at about 80 °C for 20 minutes.
• Motueka 40 g plus Nelson Sauvin 20 g as a dry hop, around 3 g/L, for three days.

Adjust the bittering addition to the alpha acid on your packet.

Clean yeast and soft water let the hops show

Use a clean American ale yeast and ferment at 18 to 19 °C. Fruity esters from a warm fermentation clash with Nelson Sauvin's wine character. In an Indian summer, keep the fermenter in a water bath or a temperature-controlled fridge.

Moderate water works best. Heavy sulphate makes Nelson Sauvin taste harsher. A light, balanced mineral profile lets the fruit come through. For a New Zealand Pilsner, use Pilsner malt, lager yeast and Motueka as the lead hop.

Fresh hops matter most for fruity varieties

Thiols and fruity hop oils fade quickly. Old Nelson Sauvin loses its white wine character and can turn dull or cheesy. Store packs frozen and use them within a few months of opening. Check the harvest year on every pack. Remember that the New Zealand harvest happens in March and April, the opposite season to the northern hemisphere, so new-crop hops arrive at a different time of year from European and American ones.

The floor detail we would insist on: open a pack, smell it and decide on the spot whether it goes in the dry hop or the bittering. Your nose is the best freshness test you own.

Learning hop character is learning chemistry

Why does one hop smell of white wine and another of lime? The answer lies in oils, thiols and how yeast changes them during fermentation. Understanding that chemistry is what lets you design a hop blend on purpose rather than by trial and error.

Smell them before you brew

Rub a few pellets of Nelson Sauvin and Motueka in separate palms. Note the white wine against the lime. Then brew the recipe above and taste how they combine in the finished beer.

Common questions

What does Nelson Sauvin taste like?

White wine, gooseberry, passion fruit and white grape, with a slightly flinty edge. The name refers to Sauvignon Blanc.

What does Motueka taste like?

Lime, lemon and a hint of tropical fruit over a gentle noble hop spice inherited from Saaz.

Is Nelson Sauvin a strong hop?

Yes. It has around 12 to 13% alpha acid and a powerful aroma. A little goes a long way.

When is the New Zealand hop harvest?

In March and April, the opposite season to the northern hemisphere harvest.