Ordinary Bitter with Motueka?

[tennesseean_87]

I need to get some beer in the pipeline that will finish fast. I was going to brew a stout next, but I don't have it done yet and I think my keg just kicked last night.

I was thinking about an ordinary bitter, so something like it--session strength, and a little hoppy. I also have some motueka I want to try out. Would the fruity, new-world hops clash with 1968 yeast? I like the yeast because it's a lower attenuator which leaves my session beers with some body, but don't want it to clash with some late kettle and DH of something like motueka.

 

[Queequeg]

I think it will be fine, my friend made an ESB with nelson and it worked great. Cloudwater do a similar thing, which I think is pretty nice too.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

In general you don't see brown bitters with New Zealand hops, they tend to be used in blonde beers. Say 4-4.4% near SMaSHes - either just UK 2-row/Otter/Promise with optionally some wheat and/or pilsner. While you're right not to want a really high attenuating yeast, I wouldn't be afraid of the "medium" attenuators if they're giving you the right flavours - if you're taking the northern approach to pale 'n hoppy then they should be reasonably dry. Be reasonably generous with the gypsum too. A decent characterful pale malt like Otter or Promise will do an awful lot of heavy lifting for you in this kind of style.

Another variation on that theme is to use Motueka in a hoppy saison - Fullers did a collab with Marble that did just that, and it was lovely. Albeit reasonably complicated - pilsner, wheat, Vienna, rye and spelt with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Rakau.