What do Enigma hops taste like? SMASH Beer Experiment

This week, we taste a SMASH beer with Enigma Hops!
You will see in this video that Mike has a hard time pulling quality descriptors for this hop (quite enigmatic!). It was an interesting hop with a pretty high alpha acid content. Enigma has descriptors of white wine and berries. The pedigree is a blend of Tettnang and a North American hop of unknown detail.
We found this to be a pleasant hop but not terribly pungent. Maybe with its high alpha, it would do better as a smooth bittering hop to support more fruity additions later in the boil.
Let us know your experience with ENIGMA HOPS!!!
CHEERS!
Check out our blog:
www.brew-dudes.com

[@copsarebastards]

Yakima should sponsor you guys! :D

[@BrewDudes]

That would be sweet. - John

[@blink4711]

Hi Guys. I use Enigma all the time in my Irish Red ales.. and find it unbelievable. Not used early in boil but later usually 20 min boil, and then in whirlpool and dry hop. Great aroma and flavour. As someone else has stated not sure using the yeast you did does it justice. I used Irish Ale Yeast WLP004 and found it works for me.

[@BrewDudes]

Great feedback. I think they would be great in a Red Ale. - John

[@Mortagleus]

do you try to match the bu/gu for the ale, or just add same amount of hops each time regardless of AA?

[@mrwereprawn]

I've used it quite a bit and have found it to be quite strongly flavoured and more mango/pineapple used in whirlpool and much more wine like when used as a dry hop. I'm an Aussie so its possible I'm getting these hops when they're a bit fresher too. It also takes a couple of weeks in the keg for Enigma to really shine. Cheers.

[@BrewDudes]

Thanks for the insight! That's great stuff. - John

[@tcr94]

Love these SMaSH Hop showcases...please keep them coming!

[@BrewDudes]

We will. Thanks for your support! - John

[@davidhall158]

I have some whole Enigma from ‘22 harvest which I dried and froze and didn’t use until yesterday.
I’ve nominated 18% AA for these but I don’t remember how I came up with it. Maybe got the number from HPA.
I made an APA style wort, bittered to around 20 IBU with Chinook, then 10g Enigma for 15 minutes,15g for 5 minutes, and 35g at flameout. It takes me a while to chill the wort with a standard issue Brewzilla IC so I think the flameout addition works ok.
The gravity sample was nice. Definitely plenty of flavour but I couldn’t really pin down the flavour elements. The aroma I was getting from the hops indicated they were still in good shape even after a year in my freezer.
I think I still have enough for one more batch.

[@liberwill]

I think you gotta watch out for these type of hops with higher % Co-Humulone Composition, galaxy, vic secret, enigma. Talked to a brewer he recommended keeping them away from boil, and just whirlpool and dry hop with them.

[@BrewDudes]

Yeah, I use just a tiny bit with 15 minutes left to go in the boil. Just enough - not too much in the boil. - John

[@jesseh9600]

Enjoy the video as always gentlemen. Just a suggestion... Since you're buying the 2oz. package of hops anyways, maybe try throwing that extra oz. into the dry hop or split it between dry hop & whirlpool. Might get those aromas to be a bit more pronounced. Cheers!

[@BrewDudes]

Typically, I brew with 1 ounce to keep it consistent. Maybe I will try that. - John

[@WreckedBrewery]

I love watching these SMaSH reviews. Gives us guys who never used this type of hop and idea what it will do before actually trying it. Cheers!

[@BrewDudes]

Thanks! That's the basic premise of the series. - John

[@DadwhoBrews]

Brewed a 1 hop challenge using enigma, week into fermenting. Now watching this video. Curious to how itll turn out,

[@randallcooper4399]

Love you guys. Never stop!

[@BrewDudes]

Well, we can't, and we won't, and we don't stop.

[@TheBigdaddy1068]

What strain of yeast are you using for these SMASH beers? Are you treating the yeast strain as a control or does it vary with the hop style?

[@BrewDudes]

Always US-05. I keep that consistent. - John

[@crackajack50]

Have you guys heard of Summer/Summer Saaz and would you be interested in giving that a shot for a SMaSH?

[@BrewDudes]

Yes, I have heard of Summer - I can add it to the list. I have brewed with it before along with other hops. I haven't seen it at my local store, but if I see it, I will buy it. - John

[@CircleBrewery]

Is it like a tanic feeling / flavor ? When u say like chomping down on the seeds just curious 👍🏻

[@BrewDudes]

Yeah, it was more of a flavor to me. It tasted like blackberry seeds. - John

[@Chad20109]

Love your vids!

[@BrewDudes]

Thanks!

[@paulhunter445]

Safe space . Started peeing my pants me . STOP BEING political. Stick to the drink . Love it .

[@BrewDudes]

😁