Bullion-Domestic-Bittering One of the earliest high alpha hops in the world. Raised in 1919 in England from a wild Manitoban female crossed with an English male hop. Alpha Acid: 6.5-9% Beta Acid: 3.2-4.7% Aroma: Intense,black currant aroma, spicy and pungent. Storage: 40-50% Used for: Mainly bittering. Stouts and Dark ales. Substitutions: Northern Brewer and Galena.
Cascade-Domestic-Finishing Derived from a cross between fuggles and the Russian hop Serebrianker. Alpha Acid: 4.5-7% Beta Acid: 4.5-7% Aroma: Pleasant, flowery and spicy, citrus-like. Storage: 48-52% Used For: Good for flavor and aroma, but an acceptable bittering hop. Ales and lagers. Substitutions: Centennial
Centennial-Domestic-Bittering Newer variety still under experimentation. Cross between Brewer's Gold and a selected USDA male. Alpha Acid: 9.5-11.5% Beta Acid: 3.5-4.5% Aroma: Medium with floral and citrus tones. Storage: 60-65% Used For: Aromatic but acceptable for bittering. Medium to Dark American Ales. Subs: Cascade
Challenger-Imported (UK)-All purpose One of the few recognized all-purpose hops combining moderate amounts of alpha acid with a good kettle aroma. Alpha Acid: 7-10% Beta Acid: 4-4.5% Aroma: Mild to Moderate, quite spicy. Storage: 70-85% Used For: Popular bittering hop used primarily in the UK. British ales and lagers Subs: Undetermined Chinook--Domestic--Bittering Cross between Petham Golding and USDA select male. Released in 1985 and becoming popular. Alpha Acid: 12-14% Beta Acid: 3-4% Aroma: Mild to medium-heavy, spicy, distinct piney aroma. Storage: 60-70% Used For: Strong bittering ability. All American lagers and ales. Substitutions: Galena,Cluster,Nugget
Cluster--Domestic--All Purpose Excellent general purpose hop with medium and well-balanced bittering potential and no undesirable aroma properties. Good for Dark beers. Alpha Acid: 5.5-8.5% Beta Acid: 4.5-5.5% Aroma: floral Storage: 80-85% Used For: Bittering with good flavor. Light and dark American lagers. Subs: Galena,Chinook.
Columbus--Domestic--All Purpose Relatively new variety becoming increasingly accepted. Alpha Acid: 14-16% Beta: 4.5-5.5% Aroma: pleasant Storage: under evaluation Used For: Bittering mainly, good flavor. Subs: Undetermined
Crystal--Domestic--Finishing Known as a triploid, three hops contributing characteristics: Cascade, Brewer's Gold and Early Green. Alpha: 2-4.5% Beta: 4.5-6.5% Aroma: Mild and pleasant Storage: 50% Used For: Aroma Subs: Liberty,Mt. Hood,German Hallertau
Eroica--Domestic--All Purpose Bred by open pollination of Brewer's Gold. Poor Storageability. Better aroma than many high alpha acid hops. Suitable for general bittering. Alpha Acid: 11-13% Beta Acid: 4-5.5% Aroma: Quite strong but not unpleasant. Storage: 55-65% Used For: bittering and good aroma for high alpha hops (use sparingly). Pale ales, dark ales and Stouts Substitutions: Chinook,Cluster,Galena,Nugget.
Fuggle--Domestic--Finishing Traditional aroma hop, appeared in 1875 England. Also known over- seas as Styrian Golding. Alpha Acid: 4-5.5% Beta Acid: 1.5-2% Aroma: Mild and pleasant, spicy, soft, woody. (Harrelson?) Storage: 60-65% Used For: Finishing, Dry hopping. English ales, especially Pale ales, Porters, Stouts. Substitutions: Willamette, East Kent Goldings, Styrian Goldings.
Galena--Domestic--Bittering Bred from Brewer's Gold by open pollination. Excellent high alpha acid hop with balanced bittering profiles paired with acceptable hop aroma. Alpha Acid: 12-14% Beta Acid: 7-9% Aroma: Medium but pleasant hoppiness. Storage: 75-80% Used For: Very bitter, but blends well with finishing hops. American ales and lagers. Suitable for all beer styles. Subs: Nugget, Cluster, Chinook.
Hallertau--Domestic--Finishing This is the US version of the German Hallertau (below) Alpha: 4-6% Beta: 3.5-4.5% Aroma: mild, pleasant and slightly flowery. Storage: 45% Used For: Good all around bittering and finishing. Stock ales, Altbiers, Belgian ales, and Continental style lagers. Subs: Mt. Hood, Liberty, Crystal.
Hallertau--Imported--(Germany)--Finishing Traditionally a superior German aroma hop. Excellent flavor. Alpha: 3.5-5.5% Beta: 3-4% Aroma: Mild to semi-strong, the most popular aroma variety. Storage: 50-60% Used For: Versatile bittering and finishing. Wheats, Altbiers, Pilseners, Belgian ales, American and German lagers. Subs: Mt. Hood, Liberty, Crystal.
Kent Goldings--Imported-(U.K.)--Finishing Traditional old English hop. Referred to as East Kent Goldings if grown in East Kent, Kent Goldings if grown in Mid-Kent, and Goldings if grown elsewhere. Alpha Acid: 4-5.5% Beta Acid: 2-3.5% Aroma: Gentle, Fragrant and pleasant Storage: 65-80% Used For: Classic English ales, kettle hopping, dry hopping, spicy flavor. Pale ales, Bitters, Porters, Stouts. Substitutions: Goldings (British Columbia), Fuggle, Willamette.
Liberty--Domestic--Finishing Released in 1991, aroma variety with close similarities to the imported German aroma varieties. Alpha Acid: 3-5% Beta Acid: 3-4% Aroma: Mild and pleasant, quite fine. Storage: 35-55% Used For: Finishing. American and German ales and lagers. Subs: German Hallertau, Mt. Hood, Crystal.
Mount Hood--Domestic--Finishing Aroma variety with similarities to the German Hallertau and Hersbrucker varieties, released in the U.S. in 1989. Alpha Acid: 5-8% Beta Acid: 5-7.5% Aroma: Mild, pleasant, clean, light, and delicate. Storage: 50-60% Used For: Aroma and flavor. American and German ales and lagers. Subs: German Hallertau, Liberty, Crystal.
Northern Brewer--Domestic--All Purpose A true dual-purpose hop containing moderate amounts of alpha acids combined with an acceptable aroma profile. Alpha Acid: 8-10% Beta Acid: 3-5% Aroma: Medium-strong, some wild American tones, (what the hell does that mean!) woody with evergreen and mint overtones. Storage: 70-80% Used For: Good for bittering with strong flavors and very fragrant. Steam beers, Dark English ales, and German lagers. Subs: Galena, Perle.
Nugget--Domestic--All Purpose Selected from a cross between Brewer's Gold and a high alpha male. Alpha Acid: 12-14% Beta Acid: 4-6% Aroma: Quite heavy and herbal, spicy. Storage: 70-80% Used For: Extremely bitter. Medium to Dark ales and lagers. Subs: Chinook, Galena, Cluster
Perle--Domestic--All Purpose Derived from English Notheren Brewer, new to the U.S. industry. Alpha Acid: 7-9.5% Beta Acid: 4-5% Aroma: Pleasant, slightly spicy Storage: 80-85% Used For: Minty bittering and good "green hop" aromas. All non- pilsener lagers, wheats Subs: Northern Brewer, Cluster, Galena
Polnischer Lublin--Imported (Poland)--Finishing Another source of the classical noble-aroma type hop with long and strong traditions. Widely believed to be a clone of Saaz. Alpha Acid: 3-4.5% Beta Acid: 2.3-3.8% Aroma: Mild and typical of noble aroma types. Storage: 40-55% Used For: Finishing Subs: Czech Saaz, Tettnang
Pride of Ringwood--Imported (Australia)--All Purpose At the time of release in 1965 it was the highest alpha hop in the world. closely associated with such famous beers as Foster's Lager. Alpha Acid: 7-10% Beta Acid: 5.3-6.5% Aroma: Quite pronounced but not unpleasant, citrus-like. Storage: 45-55% Used For: Finishing, very flavorful. Pilseners, Continental Used For: Disregard above. Predominantly bittering but with interesting aromatic qualities. British ales, Australian- style ales and lagers. Subs: Centennial, Galena, Cluster
Saaz--Domestic--Finishing U.S. equivalent of the Czech variety, but lacks some of the fine- ness of aroma. Alpha Acid: 3-4.5% Beta Acid: 3-4.5% Aroma: Very mild and pleasant, spicy and fragrant Storage: 45-55% Used For: Finishing, very flavorful. Pilseners,Continental lagers and Wheats. Subs: Czech Saaz
Saaz--Imported (Czechoslovakia)--Finishing Classical noble aroma hop with long and strong traditions. Associated with the renowned Pilsener lager. Alpha Acid: 3-4.5% Beta Acid: 3-4.5% Aroma: Very mild with pleasant hoppy notes. Storage: 45-55% Used For: Finishing. Bohemian-style beers, Continental lagers, Wheats, Pilsener lagers. Subs: Tettnang (Only in a pinch), U.S. Saaz
Styrian Goldings--Imported (Slovenia)--Finishing A world renowned aroma hop with widespread usage in both ale and lager brewing. An ecotype of Fuggle grown in Slovenia. Alpha Acid: 4.5-6% Beta Acid: 2-3% Aroma: Delicate, slightly spicy, soft and floral. Storage: 65-80% Used For: Bittering, finishing, dry hopping. english style ales, Vienna/Oktoberfest lagers, Belgian ales, Pilseners. Subs: Fuggle, Willamette.
Target--Imported (U.K.)--All Purpose Widely used for high alpha acid content comined with an acceptable aroma. Alpha Acid: 9.5-12.5% Beta Acid: 5-5.5% Aroma: Pleasant English hop aroma, quite intense. Storage: 45-55% Used For: Robust bittering. British ales and lagers. Subs: None really quite like it, maybe East Kent Goldings.
Tettnang--Domestic--Finishing Recently established in the U.S., traditional German variety, true noble aroma variety. Alpha Acid: 4-5% Beta Acid: 3-4% Aroma: Fine, very spicy, mild, floral, very aromatic. Storage: 55-60% Used For: Finishing. Wheats and lagers. Subs: Saaz
Willamette--Domestic--Finishing A quality aroma hop with a smooth soft flavor. Can be used for ales and lagers. Alpha Acid: 4-6% Beta Acid: 3-4% Aroma: mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, aromatic. Storage: 60-65% Used For: Finishing, dry hopping. American and British ales. Subs: Fuggle, Styrian Goldings, Kent Goldings.
HopUnion U.S.A. Inc. Hop Variety Characteristics. Yakima,WA: HopUnion, U.S.A., Inc. 1995.
Miller, David. Homebrewing Guide. Pownal,VT: Storey Publishing, 1995.
Snyder, Stephen. The Brewmaster's Recipe Manual. Guttenburg,NJ: The Beer Garden Press, 1994.