Mad_Scientist,
I see you have brewed with Sterling quite a bit... From doing a forum search, looks like you are using Sterling hops for your brew based on Rogue's Dead Guy Ale. (Rogue says they use "Revolution & Independent" hops...not sure where you would get them; never heard of these hops before...except seeing the signs in front of the hop bines when I drive up to Rogue Farms...about 10 miles away from my home "as the crow flies").
Recently I bought 8 ounces of Sterling Hops from MoreBeer (as noted in the post above). Sterling is supposed to be the US hop that fairly closely mimics the taste of Saaz, and I was intrigued with how it would taste. Brewed two brews with it, a "Czech Pilsner" that I just kegged last weekend, and a "Dark Czech Lager" that is still in the fermenter.
Today I changed the name of the Czech Pilsner to "Sterling Bohemian Lager", as the name seems to fit the beer a little better... Now, it's way young at this point. A lager that has been in the keg only 6 days as of yesterday. FG finished at 1.015 - pretty high - after 2 1/2 weeks in the fermenter before cold crash (was anticipating 1.013). So just a tad sweet... And there is a definite Citrus fragrance & taste - smell of hop pellets and beer taste. It honestly reminds me a bunch of Centennial (not quite as citrusy as Cascade, more orangey rather than lemony). I think people will like the brew, for sure...but really doesn't taste like a Czech Pilsner. Like a combination of a Bohemian Pilsner and an American Pale Ale...and with it not really being fully carbed yet, maybe even more of a wheat ale like Blue Moon because more of an "orange" tasting citrus. So think a mix of all the above... It should get much better with a month or more in the keg. I like it but not sure exactly what I think about it...ask me in a couple months.
But anyhow, I had never worked with Sterling before, and can see in the info - citrus is a flavor that is supposed to be slightly there, but citrus is supposed to be very slight, and I'd say mine tastes a little stronger of "orange". Wondered what your take of Sterling was, and if your experience matches what mine has been so far?
A beer club member runs it and has a very small section in the store for this. He orders from BSG distributors out of Atlanta GA. You can order a sack of grain, 1# packs of grain, etc. Hops can be ordered in 1 oz. bags. 4 - 1 oz. packs cost me $16 last time.
