Wychwood’s Hobgoblin IPA took over the new Oxford Circus store of JOVOY Parfums Rares to launch the robustly-hopped addition to its family of beers.
Hobgoblin IPA is a bold brother to Hobgoblin Ruby, Britain’s second best-selling premium bottled ale, and to the pale zesty Hobgoblin Gold, which was launched in 2014. Hobgoblin IPA is already listed by ASDA, Morrisons and Co-op, with wider on and off-trade distribution for 2018.
The event showcased the know-how of perfume educator, Odette Toilette, and of hop guru Simon Yates, of Marston’s Brewery, as they investigated the cross-over between the essential oils used in perfumes and in beers.
Oils made with Hobgoblin IPA’s seven hops — Citra, Centennial, Mosaic, Chinook, Styrian Goldings, Goldings and Fuggles —had been paired by Jovoy to seven of their perfumes.
Guests were challenged to create a hop perfume for a 40-year-old man from any selection of the seven hops. The most popular hops chosen for this role by women were Styrian Goldings, Fuggles and Centennial/Chinook; whereas the order for men ran Fuggles, Styrian Goldings and Mosaic. The competition was judged by Oli Marlow of JOVOY, and mirrored the consensual preference for Fuggles as their base.
Hop expert and brewer, Simon Yates, said: “Brewers used to treat hops merely as a preserver of beer and as a condiment. We had insufficient awareness of what each hop could do, its own unique capability in the brewhouse and its own flavour. But by brewing so many single-hop varietal beers, our brewers at Marston’s have gained awareness of how each hop needs to be treated so as to make it dance, and the essential oils in each hop are a major part of this.
“In the past, brewers just talked about hops being high alpha acid, aroma hops (low alpha) or dual purpose, but we now realise that this classification was naïve. The JOVOY tasting with hops and perfumes has taken us to new heights.”
