Sometimes I research hops because of their replacement value of other well known/popular hops. Because of the shortage, Sterling hops have been mentioned as a suitable alternative to Saaz hops. Since summer is almost here, maybe you are getting ready to brew a nice pilsner for some hot weather enjoyment. Here’s our profile of Sterling hops:

Origin: America - Released in 1998. Not sure who released it but it looks like the origin is Oregon specifically. There is a bit of mystery of the hops’ heritage. All sources say it have a Saaz parent, but a list of other hop varieties are mentioned in its lineage:

• Hallertauer
• Mt. Hood
• Cascade
• Brewer’s Gold
• 64035M
• Early Green

So, I don’t know. Maybe all of them?!?!

Aroma: Fine, Rustic, Earthy, Spicy. Similar to Saaz.

Alpha Acid: Between 6 and 9%

Typical Usage: Used as aroma primarily. Bittering is mentioned as well.

Beer Styles: Pilsners! From what I have read, Sterling was developed as a US version of Saaz. One of the outcomes was to breed a variety that would generate a greater yield. Although some would say you can’t replace the original, Sterling may be a good alternative to Saaz if you can’t find it.

Here’s a profile for another new variety of hops: Santiam Hops.

Santiam is the world’s first naturally seedless Tettnang-type hop. It’s a hybrid of German Tettnanger, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, and an American hop (Some sources say Cascade).

Origin: America - It was released by the Agricultural Research Service in Corvallis, OR. I am guessing the year was 1998.

Aroma: Resembles a Noble hop aroma. Herbal. Floral.

Alpha Acid: 5.5 - 7%

Typical Usage: For Aroma. Great replacement for German Tettnager hops.

Beer Styles: American Lagers, German Lagers and Ales, and Wheat beers.

Lately, it’s all about collecting data on the new hops. Shortage or no shortage, here’s another variety that was worth the half hour I took to research it. Let’s learn about Simcoe Hops, AKA Cascade on steroids*.

Origin: America (Pacific Northwest) - It was released by the Yakima Chief Ranches in the year 2000.

Aroma: Not that I know what a passionfruit smells like, but apparently Simcoe hops have a passionfruit aroma and flavor. Some sources claimed their aroma is fruity reminiscent of apricots while others stated they have a pronounced pine or woodsy aroma. Seems like there is a complexity here. Maybe the aroma swings from fruity to piney from year to year or maybe where the hops are added to the boil changes the aroma.

Alpha Acid: 12-14%

Typical Usage: Because of the high alpha acid, Simcoe works well for bittering. It can be used as an aroma hop too.

Beer Styles: IPA, Double IPA, American-style ale.

*They are mentioned in Canseco’s new book.

As Mike mentioned in his post about the lack of a hops shortage at the Modern Brewer (Cambridge, MA), Phoenix hops were available for purchase there. This variety seems pretty new since there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information online about it. So, I pulled together what I could from sites and I did some research offline too. Yes, information does live offline.

Origin: UK - specifically Wye College in Kent.

Aroma: Many sources did not have a description for Phoenix hops aroma. One said it had a pleasant English aroma. Other sources stated this variety is similar to UK Challenger, which has a mild to moderate aroma but quite spicy.

Alpha Acid: There were some discrepancies in the alpha acid levels. Some claim it has a range of 4.2 to 5.5%; others claim it was higher (9 - 13%). From the descriptions I read, I would say that the alpha acids were in the higher ranges

Typical Usage: Because it was bred as a replacement for Challenger (it is early-ripening and wilt resistant), it is a true dual purpose hop with bittering and aroma properties although a source claimed that “late hop additions for aroma have tended to be disappointing with only very mellow aromas coming through”.

Beer Styles: English Ales including porters, stouts, ESBs, and bitters.

Here’s another profile of a brewing ingredient: Glacier Hops. Although it’s fun to research and write about hops, the worldwide shortage puts a damper on my excitement. Once you learn more about these hops, you want to go out, buy it, and brew with it. It’s the buying part that may be the hardest piece of that process.

Origin: America - Looks like it was released in 2000 from Washington State University

Aroma: From the sources I read, the aroma is the hops strong point. The descriptors of “Pleasant” and “Good” were used a lot. Some citrus mixed with some Goldings candy-like qualities. Maybe hints of pear or apricot.

Alpha Acid: 5.5%

Typical Usage: Aroma but it has a nice balanced bitterness due to its low cohumulone content. Not too sharp. Not too dull. Just right.

Beer Styles: I am thinking a nice American Pale Ale or ESB. Easy drinking but flavorful.

Note: I used this hop variety in my American Pale Ale recipe.

Here are my tasting notes for the APA I made with Glacier hops.

The term “noble hops” is thrown around in beer marketing messaging a lot. It took me a while to look it up to learn what that actually meant. Every time I would see the phrase, I put it on my mental to do list to gather information about it. Even though I did this research a couple of years ago, I thought I would present it in a post:

The term noble hops refers to four varieties that are grown in Central Europe. I think these varieties were the first hops cultivated for brewing. I am guessing their long history has made them noble.

From what I have read, the variety has to be grown in the traditional region to be noble, so I have listed the variety name with some information about the region:

• Hallertauer Mittelfrüh (from the Hallertau region of Bavaria)
• Tettnanger Tettnang (Tettnang is a small town in southern Germany)
• Spalter Spalt (Spalt is a town in Bavaria)
• Saaz (which is the German name of the city of Žatec in the Czech Republic where this hop originates from)

All of these hops are characterized by lower bitterness yet bold aroma. It’s interesting to me that this region’s environment creates hops with these characteristics which play such a big part in the flavor and character of the region’s beer.

I love the fact that our surroundings shape us as much as we shape our surroundings.

Next time you see the phrase noble hops, you know what it means.

I wanted to pass along this anecdote.

I was out to dinner with the family last night and my father in law ordered wine. It was from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.

My father in law, who lived in Oregon for a few years, was pronouncing the name of the valley and it took me by surprise.

I told him there’s a hop variety with the name “Willamette” and I always pronounced it: WILL-am-ette.

He told me there’s a saying in Oregon for people who mispronounced the name: “It’s will-MAN-ette, DAMN it!”

(By the way, it’s Or-ruh-gin. Not Or-ruh-GONE. I learned that too from him.)

Now for the hop profile:

Willamette hops are a hybrid of the Fuggles hop that were released by the USDA in 1976.

Origin: America (Specifically Oregon)

Aroma: Described by sources as mild having an herbal, woody, and earthy aroma .

Alpha Acid: 4 - 6%

Typical Usage: For the most part, an aroma hop. Flavoring was also a primary use.

Beer Styles: Brown ales, Other UK style ales, US Pale ales