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Comparing and Selecting Hops

So how the heck do I choose the right hops for my beer? With such a wide range of flavor and aroma characteristics, this chart can serve as a helpful guide to more thanfive dozen varieties. Whether you are trying to duplicate a style or are looking toexperiment, the following list can help to get you started.

NameAlphaAcid%

Typical BeerStyles

PossibleSubstitutions

FlavorDescription

Admiral(U.K.)

13.5%to 16% Ale

U.K. Target, U.K.Northdown, U.K.Challenger

Known for itsbittering potential.

Ahtanum 4% to6.3% Floral, citrus,sharp, and piney.

Amarillo8% to9% Ale, IPA Cascade, Centennial Citrusy, flowery.

BramlingCross(U.K.)

5% to7%

ESB, bitter,pale ale

U.K. Kent Golding,U.K. Progress,Whitbread GoldingVariety

Quite mild, fruitycurrant aroma.

Brewer'sGold

7% to8.5% English ale Bullion

Bittering hop withneutral aromacharacter.

Brewer'sGold(German)

6% to7%

Ale, heavierGerman-stylelagers

Northdown,Northern Brewer ,Galena, Bullion

Black currant,fruity, spicy.

Bullion 6.5%to 9% IPA, ESB, stoutColumbus, NorthernBrewer , GermanBrewer's Gold

A rich hopprimarily used forbittering. Intenseblackcurrantaroma.

Cascade 4.5%to 7%

Pale ale, IPA,porter,barleywine

Centennial,Amarillo, possiblyColumbus

Pleasant, flowery,spicy, and citrusy.Can have agrapefruit flavor.

Centennial8% to11.5%

All ale styles,

has been usedwith wheat beer

Cascade, possiblyColumbus

Medium with floraland citrus tones.

Challenger(U.K.)

6.5%to8.5%

English-styleales, porter,stout, ESB,bitter

U.S. or GermanPerle, NorthernBrewer

Mild to moderate,quite spicy.

Chinook 10% to14%Pale ale, IPA,stout, porter,

Nugget, Columbus,Northern Brewer ,

Mild to medium-heavy, spicy,

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lager U.K. Target piney, andgrapefruity.

Cluster5.5%to

8.5%

Ale and lager(good aromafor ale, good

bittering forlager)

Galena Medium and quitespicy.

Columbus 11% to16%IPA, pale ale,stout

Nugget, Chinook,U.K. Target,Northern Brewer

Pleasant, withpungent aroma.

Crystal 2% to4.5%Lager, pilsner,ESB

Mt. Hood,Hersbrucker, FrenchStrisslespalt,Liberty, Hallertauer

Mild and pleasant,spicy and flowery.

Eroica 9% to12% WheatGalena, Nugget,Chinook

Strong butpleasant aroma.

First Gold(U.K.)

6.5%to8.5%

Ale, ESB U.K. Kent Golding,maybe CrystalA little like Goldingfamily; spicy.

Fuggle(U.S.)

4% to5.5%

Any English-style beer orAmerican ale

U.K. Fuggle,Willamette, StyrianGolding, U.S.Tettnanger

Mild and pleasant,earthy and fruity.

Fuggle(U.K.)

4% to5.5%

All English-styleales, ESB,bitter, lager

U.S. Fuggle,Willamette, StyrianGolding

Mild, pleasant,hoppy, androbust.

Galena 10% to14%

Ale, porter,stout, ESB,bitter

Nugget, Pride of Ringwood, Chinook

Medium butpleasanthoppiness,citrusy.

Golding(U.S.)

4% to6%

Pale ale, ESB,all English-stylebeer

U.K. Golding,Whitbread GoldingVariety, U.K.Progress, andpossibly the Fugglefamily

Mild, extremelypleasant, andgently hoppy.

Hallertauer(U.S.)

3.5%to5.5%

Lager, pilsner,bock, wheat

Liberty, Ultra,HallertauerTradition

Very mild,pleasant, andslightly flowery,some spicy.

HallertauerGold

6% to6.5% Crystal, Mt. Hood

Known for itsaromaticproperties similarto Hallertauer.

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HallertauerMittelfrh

3% to5.5%

Lager, bock,wheat, maybepilsner

Liberty, GermanTradition, Ultra Mild and pleasant.

HallertauerTradition(Ger.)

3.5%to5.5%

Mild-flavoredbeers Crystal, Liberty

Known for itsaromatic

properties. Areplacement forHallertauerMittelfrh.

Hersbrucker(German)

3% to5.5%

Lager, pilsner,bock, wheat

Mt. Hood, FrenchStrisslespalt

Mild to semi-strong, pleasant,hoppy.

Horizon 11% to14% Ale, lagerMagnum or a high-alpha hop Pleasantly hoppy.

Kent Golding(U.K.)

4% to5.5%

All English-style

ales, ESB,bitter

U.S. Golding,Whitbread GoldingVariety, U.K.Progress

Gentle, fragrant,and pleasant.

Liberty 3% to6%Lager, pilsner,bock, wheat

HallertauerTradition,Hallertauer, Mt.Hood

Mild and cleanaroma, slightlyspicy character.

Magnum 13% to15%

All beers,particularlylager, pilsner,stout

Northern BrewerKnown forbittering valueand quality.

Mt. Hood 3% to8%Lager, pilsner,bock, wheat

Crystal, FrenchStrisslespalt,Hersbrucker

Mild, pleasant,and clean,somewhatpungent andresiny.

Northdown(U.K.)

7.5%to9.5%

All ales, porter Fruity with somespiciness.

NorthernBrewer (U.S.)

6% to10%

ESB, bitter,English paleale, porter,California

(steam) beer

Nugget, ChinookMedium-strongwith some wildtones.

NorthernBrewer (German)

7% to10%

ESB, bitter,English paleale, porter

Chinook, U.S.Northern Brewer

Medium-strongwith some wildtones.

NorthwestGolding

4% to5%

Ale, porter,stout, ESB,bitter

Known foraromaticproperties.

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Nugget 11% to14.5% Light lagerColumbus,Chinook, U.K.Target, Galena

Quite heavy andherbal.

Olympic 11% to13% ChinookMild to medium,citrusy aroma,

spicy.

Perle (U.S.) 6% to9.5%

Pale ale,porter, Germanstyles

Northern Brewer ,Cluster, Galena,Chinook

Known for itsaromatic andbitteringproperties,pleasant andslightly spicy.

Perle(German)

6% to8.5%

Pale ale,porter, lager

U.S. Perle,Northern Brewer

Moderatelyintense, good andhoppy, fruity anda little spicy.

Phoenix(U.K.)

4.2%to5.5%

All alesU.K. Northdown,U.K. Kent Golding,U.K. Challenger

Similar to U.K.Challenger.

Pioneer(U.K.)

8% to10% Ale, ESB

U.K. KentGolding

A mild, typical Englisharoma.

Polish Lublin 3% to4.5% PilsnerU.S. Saaz,Czech Saaz,U.S. Tettnanger

Mild and typical of noble aroma types,spicy, herbal.

Pride of Ringwood(Australia)

7% to

10%

Australian

lagerGalena, Cluster Quite pronounced,

woody, earthy, herbal.

Progress(U.K.)

5% to7.5%

Ale, bitter,ESB, porter

U.K. KentGolding, Fuggle

Moderately strong,good aroma.

Saaz (Czech) 3% to4.5% PilsnerU.S. Saaz,Polish Lublin

Very mild withpleasant hoppy notes,earthy, spicy, andherbal.

Saaz (U.S.) 3% to5%Pilsner, lager,wheat

Czech Saaz,Polish Lublin

Mild and pleasant,earthy and spicy.

Santiam 5% to7.9%

Lager,American ale,pilsner

GermanTettnanger,German Spalt,German SpaltSelect

Noble characteristics.

Satus 12.5%to 14% GalenaKnown for its bitteringand aromaticproperties.

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Simcoe 12% to14% A bittering andaromatic hop.

Spalt(German)

4% to5.5% Lager

U.S. Saaz, U.S.Tettnanger,German Spalt

Select

Mild and pleasant,slightly spicy.

Spalt Select(German)

4% to6%

Lager, andany beerwhere noblearoma iswanted

U.S. Saaz, U.S.Tettnanger,German Spalt

Very fine Spalter-typearoma.

Spalt Select(U.S.)

3% to5%

Germanlagers

Tettnanger,Saaz

Medium intensity andpleasant hoppyqualities. Medium-strong aroma with wildAmerican tones.

Sterling 6% to9%Lager, ale,pilsner

Saaz, PolishLublin

Herbal, spicy, pleasantaroma, hint of floraland citrus.

Strisslespalt(France)

3% to5%

Pilsner, lager,wheat

Mt. Hood,Crystal,Hersbrucker

Medium intensity,pleasant, hoppy.

StyrianGolding(Slovenia)

4.5%to 6%

All English-style ales,ESB, bitter,lager

U.S. Fuggle,U.K. Fuggle,Willamette

Delicate, slightly spicy.

Target (U.K.)9.5%to12.5%

All ale andlager

Fuggle,Willamette

Pleasant English hoparoma, quite intense.

Tettnanger(U.S.)

3.4%to5.2%

German alesand lagers,Americanlagers, wheat

German Spalt,Czech SaazSantiam

An aromatic hop,mild and slightlyspicy.

Tettnanger(German)

3.5%to5.5%

Lager, ale

German Spalt,German SpaltSelect, U.S.Tettnanger, Saaz

Mild and pleasant,slightly spicy, herbal.

Tomahawk 15% to17% Ale ColumbusPrimarily a bitteringhop.

Tradition(German)

5% to7% Lager, pilsner

Hersbrucker,HallertauerMittelfrh

Very fine and similarto HallertauerMittelfrh.

Ultra 2% to4.1%

Lager,pilsner,

Liberty,Hallertauer

Very good tooutstanding, some

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wheat, finishhop in ales Tradition, Saaz

Saaz-like qualities.Aromatic propertiessimilar toHallertauer.

Vanguard4% to5.67%

Saaz, HallertauerMittelfrh

Aroma similar to

continental Europeantypes.

Warrior 15% to17% Ale, stout NuggetA bittering andaromatic hop.

WGV(WhitbreadGoldingVariety)(U.K.)

5% to7% Ale

U.K. KentGolding, U.K.Progress

Quite pleasant andhoppy, moderatelyintense.

Willamette 3.5%to 6%

Pale ale, ESB,bitter,English-styleale, porter,stout

U.S. Fuggle, U.S.Tettnanger,Styrian Golding

Mild and pleasant,slightly spicy, fruity,floral, a little earthy.

YakimaCluster

6% to8.5%

Used as a kettle hopfor bittering.

Zeus 13% to17% ColumbusAromatic andpleasant.