Exploring Hop Varieties: Citrus Aroma Characteristics

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus and are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer. They impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas to beer. Hops have hundreds of different flavours and aromas. While some hops are intense, others are mild. Many hops have citrus flavours that lean towards orange and grapefruit aromas. Many American and Southern Hemisphere hops have mild-to-strong citrus flavours. Hops with citrus aromas usually have high amounts of alpha-terpineol, limonene, linalool, citral and decanal hop oils.

Citra hops are the most citrusy aroma hop

Citra hops are known for their strong tropical fruit flavors, with notes of mango, passion fruit, and citrus. As a dual-purpose hop, Citra hops have both high alpha acids and a strong aroma, making them a great choice for both bittering and dry hopping. When used for bittering, Citra hops are known for their smooth bitterness and their tropical fruit flavors. When used for dry hopping, brewers can expect a strong aroma of passion fruit and citrus. This combination of flavor and aroma makes Citra hops one of the most sought-after varieties of hops available.

Citra hops are used in more than 80% of craft beers brewed today. This is because Citra hops have a unique flavor and aroma profile that is quite potent. The higher alpha acid content means that brewers will need to use fewer hops in their recipes, keeping the bitterness of the beer in check and preventing any overpowering flavors. Citra hops also have a relatively high level of oil content, making them a great choice for hop substitutions.

Citra hops have a strong citrus aroma, making them an excellent choice for dry hop additions. They also have tropical fruit notes, which can add a unique complexity to your brew. With bright, tropical flavors, Citra hops are a modern-day Cinderella story. They have gone from an unknown hop variety to one of the most beloved ingredients in brewing. As the hop continues to grow in popularity, it's sure to remain a favorite amongst brewmasters for years to come.

Hops with citrus notes include Azacca, Amarillo, and Simcoe

Hops are the flowers of the hop plant, a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily for bittering, flavouring, and stabilising beer. Hops impart floral, fruity, or citrus flavours and aromas to beer.

Azacca is named after the Haitian god of agriculture and has predominantly citrus and tropical fruit notes, consisting of mango, papaya, orange, grapefruit, lemon, piney, spicy, pineapple, grassy, tropical fruit, and citrus aromas. Its alpha acids range from 14% to 16%, and beta acids from 4% to 5.5%.

Amarillo is a popular American mid-range alpha acid variety with a unique and distinct aroma. It was discovered growing "wild" in one of the hop yards of Virgil Gamache Farms in the late 20th century. It is characterised by its exceptionally high percentage of alpha acids (15% to 19%) and excellent storage stability of alpha acids.

Simcoe is an aroma variety known for its versatility and unique characteristics. Simcoe hops boast several different aromas, including passion fruit, pine, earthy, and citrus. It also has strong bittering qualities with an alpha acid level of 12% to 14%. Simcoe is used extensively in the craft and home brewing industry.

Other hops with citrus notes include Citra, Eureka, and Cascade. Citra hops are known for their fruity citrus character, while Eureka hops have aromas and characteristics of grapefruit rind, tangerine, and other citrus fruits. Cascade hops are known for their floral and citrus tones.

Hops with both citrus and floral notes

Hops are essential in brewing, adding unique flavours and aromas to the beer. While there are hundreds of hop varieties available, only a select few offer both citrus and floral notes, providing a well-rounded and harmonious flavour profile to the brew. Here is a list of some hops that exhibit these characteristics:

Cascade

The Cascade hop variety is widely recognised as a defining feature of American Pale Ales. It is characterised by its citrus, and often more specifically, grapefruit flavour. Cascade also presents medium-intense floral notes, making it a versatile choice for brewers.

Centennial

Centennial hops are very similar to Cascade, offering aromatic pine, citrus, and floral notes. They are known for their rounded and medium-intense flavour profile, making them a popular choice for craft brewers.

Citra

Citra hops, a hybrid of Hallertauer Mittelfrüh and U.S. Tettnang, are widely used for both bittering and aroma. They are known for their strong, yet smooth floral and citrus aroma, with specific descriptors like grapefruit, citrus, peach, melon, and lime.

Loral

Loral hops, developed by the Hop Breeding Company, offer a unique aroma profile that combines floral, citrus, and dark fruit notes with subtle herbal undertones. Their dense cones and moderate alpha acid content make them a versatile choice for brewers, suitable for a range of beer styles.

Mosaic

Mosaic hops, a hybrid of Nugget and Simcoe hops, are a recent addition to the brewing world but have quickly become a favourite. They offer a complex blend of flavours, including floral, tropical, fruity, and earthy notes, with citrus being the dominant characteristic.

Amarillo

Amarillo hops impart a distinct flowery, spicy, tropical, and citrus-like flavour and aroma. The citrus qualities include orange and lemon, similar to Cascade, but with a stronger presence. Amarillo hops are also known for their solid bittering properties.

Hallertauer Mittelfrüh

This German hop variety is known for its mild, yet spicy flavour profile, complemented by floral and citrus tones. It is most prized for its fine, elegant aroma and flavour contribution, making it a well-rounded choice for brewers.

These hops, with their unique combination of citrus and floral notes, can add a refreshing and harmonious character to a variety of beer styles, making them a favoured choice for craft brewers and homebrewers alike.

Hops with citrus and tropical fruit notes

Hops are flowers, and as such, they share many characteristics with other flowering plants. Hops with citrus and tropical fruit notes tend to have high amounts of rose oxide, geraniol, geraniol acetate, citronellol, and neral oils.

Citra Hops

Citra hops are a high alpha acid hop with a strong, yet smooth, floral and citrus aroma and flavor. Its aroma descriptors include grapefruit, citrus, peach, melon, lime, gooseberry, passion fruit, and lychee. These tropical fruit flavors have made Citra the most popular hop to craft.

Amarillo Hops

Amarillo hops impart a distinct flowery, spicy, tropical, citrus-like flavor and aroma in beer. The citrus has qualities of orange and lemon, like Cascade, but much stronger. Other aroma descriptors include grapefruit, melon, apricot, and peach.

Mandarina Bavaria Hops

Mandarina Bavaria hops are tropical, fruity, and sweet with notes of tangerine and citrus. It is commonly used to balance earthy and herbal hops. This hop is very versatile and plays well in any beer style that would benefit from its distinctive fruity character.

Calypso Hops

The Calypso hop has a crisp and fruity aroma. Flavors of apples, pears, stone fruit, and lime citrus are also noted.

Eureka Hops

The Eureka hop has bold aromas of herbal notes, mint, pine, and other dark fruits. Other flavors include citrus and peach, aromas of stone fruit, black currant, and mandarin.

Galaxy Hops

Galaxy hops have one of the highest concentrations of essential oils known in hops. Galaxy is often described as having a strong passion fruit aroma and flavor as well as blasts of clean citrus and peach. At times, you can also experience pineapple, tropical fruit, cannabis, and dank.

Idaho 7 Hops

Idaho 7 hops are known for their juicy tropical fruit and citrus flavors (think apricot, orange, red grapefruit, and papaya) with big notes of resinous pine and hints of floral and black tea. The high oil content makes this ideal for dry hopping.

And Many More!

There are many more hops with citrus and tropical fruit notes, such as Ahtanum, Apollo, Archer, Ariana, Belma, and so on.

Hops with citrus and pine notes

Hops are essential in brewing, adding bitterness, aroma, and flavour to beers. Pine-flavoured hops, in particular, are popular in American Pale Ales, India Pale Ales (IPAs), and American Amber Ales, as their resinous and earthy notes balance the malt sweetness, resulting in a refreshing and complex taste. Some hops contain both citrus and pine notes, contributing to the distinctive profiles of these beers.

One example of a hop with citrus and pine notes is the Simcoe hop, which is often used in IPAs. Simcoe hops are known for their rich pineapple, citrus, and pine flavours, though they can also have spicy notes. Simcoe hops are a good choice for late additions or dry hopping, as they can add a unique blend of tangerine, coconut, tropical and stone fruit flavours to beers.

Another hop with citrus and pine notes is the Chinook hop, which is also commonly used in IPAs. Chinook hops have a mild, pleasant, and herbal aroma with hints of citrus and grapefruit. They are often used as a late hop addition to bring out their citrus and grapefruit qualities.

The Centennial hop is another variety that imparts citrus and pine notes to beers. It is characterised by rounded and medium-intense floral, citrus, and grapefruit flavours and aromas, with additional notes of pine needles and tangerines.

The Citra hop is a high alpha acid hop with a strong yet smooth floral and citrus aroma and flavour. Specific aroma descriptors include grapefruit, citrus, peach, melon, lime, gooseberry, passion fruit, and lychee. Citra hops are commonly used in IPAs and are known for their tropical fruit flavours.

The Columbus hop, also known as CTZ, is a high alpha acid hop with earthy and spicy characteristics. While it is mainly used as a bittering hop, it can also be added late in the boil to contribute flavours and aromas of citrus, grapefruit, orange, pine, resin, and cannabis.

In addition to the hops mentioned above, there are several other varieties that exhibit citrus and pine notes, including the Ahtanum, Apollo, Cascade, and Eureka hops. Each of these hops has its own unique blend of aromas and flavours that can enhance the character of beers, particularly IPAs and American Pale Ales.

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