"I don't think you can really overpower it because it's just such a great hop and pairs really well with a lot of other tropical or fruity hops."

In partnership with HPA, Australia's leading hop grower, we've created a series of podcast episodes – an Aussie Hop Series – looking closely at some of the country's most recognised and impactful hop varieties.

Over the course of the series, we're speaking with leading brewers from across Australia and abroad, as well as experts from HPA, discussing their experience with these iconic hops, what they've learned along the way, as well as some technical tips and tricks to maximise the impact of these hops in their beers.

For this, the penultimate episode in the series, we chatted to Philter head brewer Max Hämmerle and Michael Capaldo from HPA, about Eclipse. The hop, renowned for its mandarin and citrusy qualities, was formally commercialised and given the name Eclipse in 2020 after appearing in beers for a number of years as HPA-016.

Max and Michael chat about its impact on beers, how and when it’s used by Philter, Eclipse in Spectrum liquid hop form, as well as a teaser about the latest experimental variety HPA are sharing with brewers.

For more information on HPA and their range of hops, visit hops.com.au.

To find out more about featuring on The Crafty Pint Podcast or otherwise partnering with The Crafty Pint, contact [email protected].