Hops With Tropical Vibes: Pineapple Aromas And Flavors

Pineapple-flavoured hops are a desirable characteristic in many beer styles, including American Pale Ales, IPAs, and fruit-infused beers. Hops with pineapple flavours include Vic Secret, Denali, Belma, Nectaron, El Dorado, and Galaxy.

Galaxy hops, originating from Australia, are known for their distinct pineapple flavour

One of the defining characteristics of Galaxy hops is their exceptionally high concentration of essential oils, which contributes to their popularity. In terms of flavour and aroma, Galaxy hops are often associated with passion fruit, citrus, and peach notes. In addition, subtle hints of pineapple, tropical fruit, mango, and melon can also be detected, along with a touch of grassiness. This diverse and intense flavour profile makes Galaxy hops a versatile choice for brewers.

Galaxy hops are well-suited for hop-forward beer styles, such as IPAs, double IPAs, and pale ales, where their tropical and citrus flavours can shine. However, they can also be used to enhance the character of other beer styles, including lagers, wheat beers, and even stouts. Their high alpha acid content, typically ranging from 12% to 16%, makes them suitable for bittering, although they truly excel in contributing aroma and flavour.

The versatility of Galaxy hops extends beyond their ability to complement other hops; they can also take centre stage as the primary flavour in a beer. Their distinctive mixture of citrus, passion fruit, peach, and grassy notes creates a unique and memorable beer experience. This versatility has led to Galaxy hops being featured as a single hop in some commercial beers, highlighting their exceptional qualities.

Vic Secret hops offer pine and pineapple flavours

Vic Secret hops, introduced in 2013, offer pine and pineapple flavours with a slight, resinous aroma. They are the product of a cross-pollination of high alpha Australian and Wye College hops, which provides an interesting mix of English, European, and North American heritage. Vic Secret's approachability and high alpha-acid content make it a nice addition to any hop-forward beer style, and its characteristics are best highlighted through whirlpool or dry-hop additions. Late kettle additions can also impart pleasant earthy flavours without the fruit.

Vic Secret hops are known to have big pineapple and pine flavours that play well on their own as well as with other hops. They are described as having clean pineapple and passionfruit flavours, with a slight, resinous whiff lingering in the background. Vic Secret is an Australian hop known for its bright tropical character and is commonly added as a whirlpool or dry hop in IPAs.

In addition to Vic Secret hops, other hops that offer pineapple flavours include Galaxy, Denali, Belma, BRU-1, and Hartwick hops. Galaxy hops, for example, are known for their strong passion fruit aroma and flavour, as well as blasts of clean citrus and peach. Denali hops, on the other hand, offer pineapple and weed flavours, while Belma hops provide an ambrosial mix of orange, melon, strawberry, and pineapple. BRU-1 hops are notable for their distinct sweet fruit aroma, often described as pineapple, while Hartwick hops have a piney and overripe pineapple aroma.

Denali hops are described as the most pineapple hop

Denali hops, also known as Sultana, are often described as the most pineapple-forward hop available. This dual-purpose hop is the result of crossing Nugget, Zeus, and USDA 19058 male hops, and it was released in 2016. Denali is noted for its strong pineapple, citrus, and pine flavours, with subtle hints of spice and stone fruit. Its lineage is 50% Nugget, 25% Zeus, and 25% 19058.

Denali hops have a big aroma and a distinct, impactful flavour, making them a popular choice for brewers looking to create beers with a strong pineapple presence. The high oil content in Denali hops, averaging more than 4 grams of oil per 100 grams of raw hops, makes them ideal for late boil and dry-hop additions. This oil content contributes to the bold aromas and flavours that Denali hops impart, especially in fruit-forward IPAs and pale ales.

The name Denali signifies the "bigness" of this hop variety in terms of its vigour, cone size, yield, and flavour. Denali hops are often used in pale ales and IPAs, and they pair well with other fruity hops such as Mosaic, Azacca, or Citra. While there are no clear substitutes for Denali hops, brewers in search of similar flavours may consider using Nugget or a mix of Zeus and Nugget hops.

Denali hops are patented and not available to the public for growing. However, its parent hops, Zeus and Nugget, are not patented and their rhizomes are widely available in early spring. Denali hops are highly sought after by brewers, and with their strong pineapple notes, they have become one of the most popular hop varieties in recent years.

El Dorado hops have a fruity profile, reminiscent of pineapple and mango

El Dorado hops have a unique flavour and aroma profile that sets them apart in the brewing industry. This hop variety was developed by CLS Farms in the Yakima Valley region of Washington and was released in 2010. El Dorado hops are known for their bold tropical fruit flavours, reminiscent of pineapple and mango, along with a resinous undertone.

When used in brewing, El Dorado hops impart a harmonious blend of aromas, including pear, watermelon, stone fruits, and even a hint of candy. The tropical fruit notes of pineapple and mango stand out, making these hops ideal for enhancing the flavour and aroma of various beer styles.

El Dorado hops are particularly well-suited for IPAs, New England IPAs, Pale Ales, Wheat Beers, and Golden Ales. They are often used in dry-hopping, which intensifies the tropical flavours and sweet aromas of stone fruit, pear, pineapple, and melon. The candy-like aroma and strong notes of cherry and mango in El Dorado hops also make them a perfect choice for American Pale Ales.

Additionally, the sweet, fruity, and tropical flavours of El Dorado hops pair harmoniously with Wheat or White Beers, creating a refreshing and satisfying brew. While less common, these hops can also be used in lagers to introduce subtle tropical fruit notes without overwhelming the beer's palate. El Dorado hops truly shine when used in hop-forward styles, contributing to the overall taste and character of the beer.

Belma hops have a mild but noticeable pineapple nose and flavour

Belma hops, first released in 2012, offer a unique blend of fruity notes, purportedly led by sweet strawberry. They are known to work well in a wide range of beer styles, including pale ales, and have moderate alpha acid levels that usually range from 8-12%.

Belma hops have a distinct aroma, often described as sweet fruit, berry, and currant, with citrus notes. The hops themselves are a found variety from Puterbaugh Farms in Washington State. They were discovered growing among other varieties by Yakima Valley's Puterbaugh Farms, who then dedicated more acreage to them after realising their promising characteristics.

In terms of flavour, Belma hops have a mild but noticeable pineapple nose and flavour. They also have notes of orange, melon, strawberry, grapefruit, berry, citrus, and tropical fruit.

One homebrewer noted that the most notable characteristic they perceived in a single-hop Belma Pale Ale was strawberry, which may have been influenced by their awareness of existing descriptions of this hop. However, the most prominent aroma and flavour characteristics noted by blind tasters for the same beer were citrus and melon, while onion/garlic, earthy/woody, and dank/catty were among the least endorsed characteristics. Interestingly, tasters rated the beer as having a rather low berry aroma and flavour, which goes against the existing descriptions of this variety.

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