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.