Hop Varieties
ABOUT HOPS
--Hops come in three forms: Pellets, Loose Cones, and Compressed Plugs.
--Pellets are the easiest to use: simply add to boil, no straining required. Pellets also store better than loose and compressed plugs.
--Loose hops are the raw form and should be strained out of wort after boil.
--Plugs are simply a version of loose hops that have been compressed into a disc-like form to enhance their storage properties. They are also easy to measure, as all plugs are processed into 1/2 oz. size units. They, too, should be strained out
| A GUIDE TO HOP VARIETIES | |||
| VARIETY | KETTLE USE | ALPHA ACID | COMMENTS |
| Amarillo | Bittering/Aromatic | 6 - 8 | Very Floral. Resembles a stronger Cascades variety. |
| Bramling Cross | Bittering/Aromatic | 5 - 7 | Similar to Kent Goldings. Exhibits spicy tanginess. Great in British ales. |
| Bullion/Brewer's Gold | Bittering | 7 - 9 | Sister strains. Very strong, pungent hop. Ideal for porters, stouts, & strong flavored ales |
| Cascades | Bittering/Aromatic | 5 - 6 | Medium in bitterness. Very aromatic with an almost "perfumey," floral finish. |
| Centennial | Bittering/Aromatic | 9 - 10 | A new, improved Brewer's Gold variety, though, more resembles a strong Cascade-like strain. Very aromatic. |
| Chinook | Bittering | 10 - 12 | A pungent Northern Brewer hybrid with even stronger bittering & aromatic qualities. |
| Clusters | Bittering | 6 - 7 | Standard U.S. lager hop. Very coarse, best if blended with more refined, aromatic varieties. |
| Columbus | Bittering/Aromatic | 12 - 17 | Strong bittering variety. Floral flavor. Similar to Nugget. |
| Crystal | Bittering/Aromatic | 3 - 5 | A new variety, descended from Hallertau, Cascades, & Brewers Gold, lush. spicy. floral aroma. |
First Gold | Bittering/Aromatic | 5 - 7 | A new strong Golding variety. Somewhat fruity with a spicy aroma. |
| Fuggles | Bittering/Aromatic | 3 - 5 | Mild bite, very fruity aroma. Ideal finishing hop for ales. Great in brown ales. |
| Galena | Bittering | 11 - 13 | Pungent bittering variety with some bouquet characteristics. Use judiciously & blend with a more aromatic variety |
| Hallertauer | Bittering/Aromatic | 2 - 5 | A spicy variety with low to medium bitterness. Versatile German hop. |
| Hersbrucker | Bittering/Aromatic | 2 - 5 | One of the more widely planted varieties in the Hallertau region in Germany. Mild & spicy. |
| Horizon | Bittering/Aromatic | 7 - 11 | A new domestic strain of Hallertauer. Spicy with a smooth bite. Medium to high bitterness. |
| Kent Goldings | Bittering/Aromatic | 4 - 6 | Medium bitterness. Pleasant, mildly sulphuric tanginess. Ideal for pale ales & bitters. |
| Liberty | Bittering/Aromatic | 3 - 5 | A newer U.S. variety. Aroma is both spicy & pefumey. Lush! |
| Magnum | Bittering/Aromatic | 12 - 17 | A very strong bittering hop of German descent. Spicy aroma. |
| Aromatic | 2 - 3 | Reminicent of Hallertauer, but even milder. Grown in France. | |
| Styrian Golding | Bittering/Aromatic | 5 - 7 | A spicy, medium bitter hop from Slovenia. Spicy character. Versatile hop for ales & lagers. |
| Summit | Bittering/Aromatic | 15 - 18 | Very Strong Bittering hop. Assertive, citrusy flavor. Think tangerine!. Good in domestic pale ales. |
| Target | Bittering | 8 - 10 | A newer, strong, spicy bittering hop from Britain. |
| Tettnanger | Bittering/Aromatic | 3 - 6 | A versatile, spicy, sweet hop grown in U.S. & Germany. A great finishing hop for lagers. |
| Tradition | Bittering/Aromatic | 6 - 8 | A versatile, spicy, sweet hop grown in Germany. Stronger & more disease resistant than Hallertauer or Hersbrucker. |
Warrior | Bittering/Aromatic | 15 - 20 | Warrior is an extremely potent bittering hops, but has a low co-humulone level to keep that harsh bite under control. Very versatile. Think Dogfish Head IPA! |
| Willamettes | Bittering/Aromatic | 4 - 6 | A stronger Fuggles variety developed & grown in the Pacific Northwest. |
Wye Challenger | Bittering | 7 - 9 | A newer British variety. Descended from Northern Brewer, but similar to Goldings, only stronger. |
