Comparing and Selecting Hops
Name | Alpha Acid % | Typical Beer Styles | Possible Substitutions | Flavor Description |
Admiral (U.K.) | 13.5%-16% | Ale | U.K. Target, U.K. Northdown, U.K. Challenger | Known for its bittering potential. |
Ahtanum | 4%-6.3% | Floral, citrus, sharp, and piney. | ||
Amarillo | 8%-9% | Ale, IPA | Cascade, Centennial | Citrusy, flowery. |
Bramling Cross (U.K.) | 5%-7% | ESB, bitter, pale ale | U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Progress, Whitbread Golding Variety | Quite mild, fruity currant aroma. |
Brewer's Gold | 7%-8.5% | English ale | Bullion | Bittering hop with neutral aroma character. |
Brewer's Gold (German) | 6%-7% | Ale, heavier German-style lagers | Northdown, Northern Brewer, Galena, Bullion | Black currant, fruity, spicy. |
Bullion | 6.5%-9% | IPA, ESB, stout | Columbus, Northern Brewer, German Brewer's Gold | A rich hop primarily used for bittering. Intense blackcurrant aroma. |
Cascade | 4.5%-7% | Pale ale, IPA, porter, barleywine | Centennial, Amarillo, possibly Columbus | Pleasant, flowery, spicy, and citrusy. Can have a grapefruit flavor. |
Centennial | 8%-11.5% | All ale styles, has been used with wheat beer | Cascade, possibly Columbus | Medium with floral and citrus tones. |
Challenger (U.K.) | 6.5%-8.5% | English-style ales, porter, stout, ESB, bitter | U.S. or German Perle, Northern Brewer | Mild to moderate, quite spicy. |
Chinook | 10%-14% | Pale ale, IPA, stout, porter, lager | Nugget, Columbus, Northern Brewer, U.K. Target | Mild to medium-heavy, spicy, piney, and grapefruity. |
Cluster | 5.5%-8.5% | Ale and lager (good aroma for ale, good bittering for lager) | Galena | Medium and quite spicy. |
Columbus | 11%-16% | IPA, pale ale, stout | Nugget, Chinook, U.K. Target, Northern Brewer | Pleasant, with pungent aroma. |
Crystal | 2%-4.5% | Lager, pilsner, ESB | Mt. Hood, Hersbrucker, French Strisslespalt, Liberty, Hallertauer | Mild and pleasant, spicy and flowery. |
Eroica | 9%-12% | Wheat | Galena, Nugget, Chinook | Strong but pleasant aroma. |
First Gold (U.K.) | 6.5%-8.5% | Ale, ESB | U.K. Kent Golding, maybe Crystal | A little like Golding family; spicy. |
Fuggle (U.S.) | 4%-5.5% | Any English-style beer or American ale | U.K. Fuggle, Willamette, Styrian Golding, U.S. Tettnanger | Mild and pleasant, earthy and fruity. |
Fuggle (U.K.) | 4%-5.5% | All English-style ales, ESB, bitter, lager | U.S. Fuggle, Willamette, Styrian Golding | Mild, pleasant, hoppy, and robust. |
Galena | 10%-14% | Ale, porter, stout, ESB, bitter | Nugget, Pride of Ringwood, Chinook | Medium but pleasant hoppiness, citrusy. |
Golding (U.S.) | 4%-6% | Pale ale, ESB, all English-style beer | U.K. Golding, Whitbread Golding Variety, U.K. Progress, and possibly the Fuggle family | Mild, extremely pleasant, and gently hoppy. |
Hallertauer (U.S.) | 3.5%-5.5% | Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat | Liberty, Ultra, Hallertauer Tradition | Very mild, pleasant, and slightly flowery, some spicy. |
Hallertauer Gold | 6%-6.5% | Crystal, Mt. Hood | Known for its aromatic properties similar to Hallertauer. | |
Hallertauer Mittelfrüh | 3%-5.5% | Lager, bock, wheat, maybe pilsner | Liberty, German Tradition, Ultra | Mild and pleasant. |
Hallertauer Tradition (Ger.) | 3.5%-5.5% | Mild-flavored beers | Crystal, Liberty | Known for its aromatic properties. A replacement for Hallertauer Mittelfrüh. |
Hersbrucker (German) | 3%-5.5% | Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat | Mt. Hood, French Strisslespalt | Mild to semi-strong, pleasant, hoppy. |
Horizon | 11%-14% | Ale, lager | Magnum or a high-alpha hop | Pleasantly hoppy. |
Kent Golding (U.K.) | 4%-5.5% | All English-style ales, ESB, bitter | U.S. Golding, Whitbread Golding Variety, U.K. Progress | Gentle, fragrant, and pleasant. |
Liberty | 3%-6% | Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat | Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer, Mt. Hood | Mild and clean aroma, slightly spicy character. |
Magnum | 13%-15% | All beers, particularly lager, pilsner, stout | Northern Brewer | Known for bittering value and quality. |
Mt. Hood | 3%-8% | Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat | Crystal, French Strisslespalt, Hersbrucker | Mild, pleasant, and clean, somewhat pungent and resiny. |
Northdown (U.K.) | 7.5%-9.5% | All ales, porter | Fruity with some spiciness. | |
Northern Brewer (U.S.) | 6%-10% | ESB, bitter, English pale ale, porter, California (steam) beer | Nugget, Chinook | Medium-strong with some wild tones. |
Northern Brewer (German) | 7%-10% | ESB, bitter, English pale ale, porter | Chinook, U.S. Northern Brewer | Medium-strong with some wild tones. |
Northwest Golding | 4%-5% | Ale, porter, stout, ESB, bitter | Known for aromatic properties. | |
Nugget | 11%-14.5% | Light lager | Columbus, Chinook, U.K. Target, Galena | Quite heavy and herbal. |
Olympic | 11%-13% | Chinook | Mild to medium, citrusy aroma, spicy. | |
Perle (U.S.) | 6%-9.5% | Pale ale, porter, German styles | Northern Brewer, Cluster, Galena, Chinook | Known for its aromatic and bittering properties, pleasant and slightly spicy. |
Perle (German) | 6%-8.5% | Pale ale, porter, lager | U.S. Perle, Northern Brewer | Moderately intense, good and hoppy, fruity and a little spicy. |
Phoenix (U.K.) | 4.2%-5.5% | All ales | U.K. Northdown, U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Challenger | Similar to U.K. Challenger. |
Pioneer (U.K.) | 8%-10% | Ale, ESB | U.K. Kent Golding | A mild, typical English aroma. |
Polish Lublin | 3%-4.5% | Pilsner | U.S. Saaz, Czech Saaz, U.S. Tettnanger | Mild and typical of noble aroma types, spicy, herbal. |
Pride of Ringwood (Australia) | 7%-10% | Australian lager | Galena, Cluster | Quite pronounced, woody, earthy, herbal. |
Progress (U.K.) | 5%-7.5% | Ale, bitter, ESB, porter | U.K. Kent Golding, Fuggle | Moderately strong, good aroma. |
Saaz (Czech) | 3%-4.5% | Pilsner | U.S. Saaz, Polish Lublin | Very mild with pleasant hoppy notes, earthy, spicy, and herbal. |
Saaz (U.S.) | 3%-5% | Pilsner, lager, wheat | Czech Saaz, Polish Lublin | Mild and pleasant, earthy and spicy. |
Santiam | 5%-7.9% | Lager, American ale, pilsner | German Tettnanger, German Spalt, German Spalt Select | Noble characteristics. |
Satus | 12.5%-14% | Galena | Known for its bittering and aromatic properties. | |
Simcoe | 12%-14% | A bittering and aromatic hop. | ||
Spalt (German) | 4%-5.5% | Lager | U.S. Saaz, U.S. Tettnanger, German Spalt Select | Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy. |
Spalt Select (German) | 4%-6% | Lager, and any beer where noble aroma is wanted | U.S. Saaz, U.S. Tettnanger, German Spalt | Very fine Spalter-type aroma. |
Spalt Select (U.S.) | 3%-5% | German lagers | Tettnanger, Saaz | Medium intensity and pleasant hoppy qualities. Medium-strong aroma with wild American tones. |
Sterling | 6%-9% | Lager, ale, pilsner | Saaz, Polish Lublin | Herbal, spicy, pleasant aroma, hint of floral and citrus. |
Strisslespalt (France) | 3%-5% | Pilsner, lager, wheat | Mt. Hood, Crystal, Hersbrucker | Medium intensity, pleasant, hoppy. |
Styrian Golding (Slovenia) | 4.5%-6% | All English-style ales, ESB, bitter, lager | U.S. Fuggle, U.K. Fuggle, Willamette | Delicate, slightly spicy. |
Target (U.K.) | 9.5%-12.5% | All ale and lager | Fuggle, Willamette | Pleasant English hop aroma, quite intense. |
Tettnanger (U.S.) | 3.4%-5.2% | German ales and lagers, American lagers, wheat | German Spalt, Czech Saaz Santiam | An aromatic hop, mild and slightly spicy. |
Tettnanger (German) | 3.5%-5.5% | Lager, ale | German Spalt, German Spalt Select, U.S. Tettnanger, Saaz | Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, herbal. |
Tomahawk | 15%-17% | Ale | Columbus | Primarily a bittering hop. |
Tradition (German) | 5%-7% | Lager, pilsner | Hersbrucker, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh | Very fine and similar to Hallertauer Mittelfrüh. |
Ultra | 2%-4.1% | Lager, pilsner, wheat, finish hop in ales | Liberty, Hallertauer Tradition, Saaz | Very good to outstanding, some Saaz-like qualities. Aromatic properties similar to Hallertauer. |
Vanguard | 4%-5.67% | Saaz, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh | Aroma similar to continental European types. | |
Warrior | 15%-17% | Ale, stout | Nugget | A bittering and aromatic hop. |
WGV (Whitbread Golding Variety) (U.K.) | 5%-7% | Ale | U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Progress | Quite pleasant and hoppy, moderately intense. |
Willamette | 3.5%-6% | Pale ale, ESB, bitter, English-style ale, porter, stout | U.S. Fuggle, U.S. Tettnanger, Styrian Golding | Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, fruity, floral, a little earthy. |
Yakima Cluster | 6%-8.5% | Used as a kettle hop for bittering. | ||
Zeus | 13%-17% | Columbus | Aromatic and pleasant. |