Comparing and Selecting Hops & Grains

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 than five dozen varieties. Whether you are trying to duplicate a style or are looking to experiment, the following list can help to get you started.

Name	Alpha Acid %	Typical Beer Styles	Possible Substitutions	Flavor Description
Admiral (U.K.)	13.5% to 16%	Ale	U.K. Target, U.K. Northdown, U.K. Challenger	Known for its bittering potential.
Ahtanum	4% to 6.3%			Floral, citrus, sharp, and piney.
Amarillo	8% to 9%	Ale, IPA	Cascade, Centennial	Citrusy, flowery.
Bramling Cross (U.K.)	5% to 7%	ESB, bitter, pale ale	U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Progress, Whitbread Golding Variety	Quite mild, fruity currant aroma.
Brewer's Gold	7% to 8.5%	English ale	Bullion	Bittering hop with neutral aroma character.
Brewer's Gold (German)	6% to 7%	Ale, heavier German-style lagers	Northdown, Northern Brewer, Galena, Bullion	Black currant, fruity, spicy.
Bullion	6.5% to 9%	IPA, ESB, stout	Columbus, Northern Brewer, German Brewer's Gold	A rich hop primarily used for bittering. Intense blackcurrant aroma.
Cascade	4.5% to 7%	Pale ale, IPA, porter, barleywine	Centennial, Amarillo, possibly Columbus	Pleasant, flowery, spicy, and citrusy. Can have a grapefruit flavor.
Centennial	8% to 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% to 8.5%	English-style ales, porter, stout, ESB, bitter	U.S. or German Perle, Northern Brewer	Mild to moderate, quite spicy.
Chinook	10% to 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% to 8.5%	Ale and lager (good aroma for ale, good bittering for lager)	Galena	Medium and quite spicy.
Columbus	11% to 16%	IPA, pale ale, stout	Nugget, Chinook, U.K. Target, Northern Brewer	Pleasant, with pungent aroma.
Crystal	2% to 4.5%	Lager, pilsner, ESB	Mt. Hood, Hersbrucker, French Strisslespalt, Liberty, Hallertauer	Mild and pleasant, spicy and flowery.
Eroica	9% to 12%	Wheat	Galena, Nugget, Chinook	Strong but pleasant aroma.
First Gold (U.K.)	6.5% to 8.5%	Ale, ESB	U.K. Kent Golding, maybe Crystal	A little like Golding family; spicy.
Fuggle (U.S.)	4% to 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% to 5.5%	All English-style ales, ESB, bitter, lager	U.S. Fuggle, Willamette, Styrian Golding	Mild, pleasant, hoppy, and robust.

Name	Alpha Acid %	Typical Beer Styles	Possible Substitutions	Flavor Description
Galena	10% to 14%	Ale, porter, stout, ESB, bitter	Nugget, Pride of Ringwood, Chinook	Medium but pleasant hoppiness, citrusy.
Golding (U.S.)	4% to 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% to 5.5%	Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat	Liberty, Ultra, Hallertauer Tradition	Very mild, pleasant, and slightly flowery, some spicy.
Hallertauer Gold	6% to 6.5%		Crystal, Mt. Hood	Known for its aromatic properties similar to Hallertauer.
Hallertauer Mittelfrüh	3% to 5.5%	Lager, bock, wheat, maybe pilsner	Liberty, German Tradition, Ultra	Mild and pleasant.
Hallertauer Tradition (Ger.)	3.5% to 5.5%	Mild-flavored beers	Crystal, Liberty	Known for its aromatic properties. A replacement for Hallertauer Mittelfrüh.
Hersbrucker (German)	3% to 5.5%	Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat	Mt. Hood, French Strisslespalt	Mild to semi-strong, pleasant, hoppy.
Horizon	11% to 14%	Ale, lager	Magnum or a high-alpha hop	Pleasantly hoppy.
Kent Golding (U.K.)	4% to 5.5%	All English-style ales, ESB, bitter	U.S. Golding, Whitbread Golding Variety, U.K. Progress	Gentle, fragrant, and pleasant.
Liberty	3% to 6%	Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat	Hallertauer Tradition, Hallertauer, Mt. Hood	Mild and clean aroma, slightly spicy character.
Magnum	13% to 15%	All beers, particularly lager, pilsner, stout	Northern Brewer	Known for bittering value and quality.
Mt. Hood	3% to 8%	Lager, pilsner, bock, wheat	Crystal, French Strisslespalt, Hersbrucker	Mild, pleasant, and clean, somewhat pungent and resiny.
Northdown (U.K.)	7.5% to 9.5%	All ales, porter		Fruity with some spiciness.
Northern Brewer (U.S.)	6% to 10%	ESB, bitter, English pale ale, porter, California (steam) beer	Nugget, Chinook	Medium-strong with some wild tones.
Northern Brewer (German)	7% to 10%	ESB, bitter, English pale ale, porter	Chinook, U.S. Northern Brewer	Medium-strong with some wild tones.
Northwest Golding	4% to 5%	Ale, porter, stout, ESB, bitter		Known for aromatic properties.
Nugget	11% to 14.5%	Light lager	Columbus, Chinook, U.K. Target, Galena	Quite heavy and herbal.
Olympic	11% to 13%		Chinook	Mild to medium, citrusy aroma, spicy.
Perle (U.S.)	6% to 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% to 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% to 5.5%	All ales	U.K. Northdown, U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Challenger	Similar to U.K. Challenger.

Name	Alpha Acid %	Typical Beer Styles	Possible Substitutions	Flavor Description
Pioneer (U.K.)	8% to 10%	Ale, ESB	U.K. Kent Golding	A mild, typical English aroma.
Polish Lublin	3% to 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% to 10%	Australian lager	Galena, Cluster	Quite pronounced, woody, earthy, herbal.
Progress (U.K.)	5% to 7.5%	Ale, bitter, ESB, porter	U.K. Kent Golding, Fuggle	Moderately strong, good aroma.
Saaz (Czech)	3% to 4.5%	Pilsner	U.S. Saaz, Polish Lublin	Very mild with pleasant hoppy notes, earthy, spicy, and herbal.
Saaz (U.S.)	3% to 5%	Pilsner, lager, wheat	Czech Saaz, Polish Lublin	Mild and pleasant, earthy and spicy.
Santiam	5% to 7.9%	Lager, American ale, pilsner	German Tettnanger, German Spalt, German Spalt Select	Noble characteristics.
Satus	12.5% to 14%		Galena	Known for its bittering and aromatic properties.
Simcoe	12% to 14%			A bittering and aromatic hop.
Spalt (German)	4% to 5.5%	Lager	U.S. Saaz, U.S. Tettnanger, German Spalt Select	Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy.
Spalt Select (German)	4% to 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% to 5%	German lagers	Tettnanger, Saaz	Medium intensity and pleasant hoppy qualities. Medium-strong aroma with wild American tones.
Sterling	6% to 9%	Lager, ale, pilsner	Saaz, Polish Lublin	Herbal, spicy, pleasant aroma, hint of floral and citrus.
Strisslespalt (France)	3% to 5%	Pilsner, lager, wheat	Mt. Hood, Crystal, Hersbrucker	Medium intensity, pleasant, hoppy.
Styrian Golding (Slovenia)	4.5% to 6%	All English-style ales, ESB, bitter, lager	U.S. Fuggle, U.K. Fuggle, Willamette	Delicate, slightly spicy.

Name	Alpha Acid %	Typical Beer Styles	Possible Substitutions	Flavor Description
Target (U.K.)	9.5% to 12.5%	All ale and lager	Fuggle, Willamette	Pleasant English hop aroma, quite intense.
Tettnanger (U.S.)	3.4% to 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% to 5.5%	Lager, ale	German Spalt, German Spalt Select, U.S. Tettnanger, Saaz	Mild and pleasant, slightly spicy, herbal.
Tomahawk	15% to 17%	Ale	Columbus	Primarily a bittering hop.
Tradition (German)	5% to 7%	Lager, pilsner	Hersbrucker, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh	Very fine and similar to Hallertauer Mittelfrüh.
Ultra	2% to 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% to 5.67%		Saaz, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh	Aroma similar to continental European types.
Warrior	15% to 17%	Ale, stout	Nugget	A bittering and aromatic hop.
WGV (Whitbread Golding Variety) (U.K.)	5% to 7%	Ale	U.K. Kent Golding, U.K. Progress	Quite pleasant and hoppy, moderately intense.
Willamette	3.5% to 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% to 8.5%			Used as a kettle hop for bittering.
Zeus	13% to 17%		Columbus	Aromatic and pleasant.

Grains and Adjuncts Chart

Brewer's little helper: Here's a composite list of grains and adjuncts.The color is listed in degrees Lovibond and the gravity is calculated from 1 pound of the ingredient in 1 gallon of water. Experiment and enjoy!

Key: L = Degrees Lovibond, G = Gravity

Malt	L	G	Decription
American Grains
Crystal Malt	10°	1.033-35	Sweet, mild caramel flavor and a golden color. Use in light lagers and light ales.
Crystal Malt	20°	1.033-35	Sweet, mild caramel flavor and a golden color. Use in light lagers and light ales.
Crystal Malt	30°	1.033-35	Sweet, mild caramel flavor and a golden color. Use in light lagers and light ales.
Crystal Malt	40°	1.033-35	Sweet, mild caramel flavor and a golden color. Use in light lagers and light ales.
Crystal Malt	60°	1.033-35	Sweet caramel flavor, deep golden to red color. For dark amber and brown ales.
Crystal Malt	80°	1.033-35	Sweet, smooth caramel flavor and a red to deep red color. For porters, old ales.
Crystal Malt	90°	1.033-35	Pronounced caramel flavor and a red color. For stouts, porters and black beers.
Crystal Malt	120°	1.033-35	Pronounced caramel flavor and a red color. For stouts, porters and black beers.
Black Patent Malt	500°	1.026	Provides color and sharp flavor in stouts and porters.
Roasted Barley	300°	1.025	Sweet, grainy, coffee flavor and a red to deep brown color. For porters and stouts.
Black Barley	525°	1.023-27	Imparts dryness. Unmalted; use in porters and dry stouts.
Chocolate Malt	350°	1.034	Use in all types to adjust color and add nutty, toasted flavor. Chocolate flavor.
Dextrin Malt (carapils)	1.5°	1.033	Balances body and flavor without adding color, aids in head retention. For any beer.
Pale Malt (Brewers 2-row)	1.8°	1.037-1.038	Smooth, less grainy, moderate malt flavor. Basic malt for all beer styles.
Pale Malt (Brewers 6-row)	1.8°	1.035	Moderate malt flavor. Basic malt for all beer styles.
Munich Malt	10°	1.034	Sweet, toasted flavor and aroma. For Oktoberfests and malty styles.
Special Roast	50°	1.035	Provides a deep golden to brown color for ales. Use in all darker ales.
Vienna Malt	3.5-4°	1.035	Increases malty flavor, provides balance. Use in Vienna, Märzen and Oktoberfest.
Victory Malt	25°	1.034	Provides a deep golden to brown color. Use in nut brown ales, IPAs and Scottish ales.
Wheat Malt	2°	1.038	Light flavor and creamy head. For American weizenbier, weissbier and dunkelweiss.
White Wheat Malt	2°	1.037	Imparts a malty flavor. For American wheat beers, wheat bock and doppel bock.

Belgian Grains
Aromatic Malt	20-26°	1.036	Imparts a big malt aroma. Use in brown ales, Belgian dubbels and tripels.
Biscuit Malt	23-25°	1.035	Warm baked biscuit flavor and aroma. Increases body. Use in Belgian beers.
Caramunich Malt	56°	1.033	Caramel, full flavor, copper color. For Belgian ales, German smoked and bocks.
Caravienne Malt	21-22°	1.034	Belgian light crystal malt. Used in lighter Abbey or Trappist style ales.
Pale Ale Malt	2.7-3.8°	1.038	Use as a base malt for any Belgian style beer with full body.
Pilsen Malt	1.5°	1.037	Light color, malty flavor. For pilsners, dubbels, tripels, whites and specialty ales.
Special B Malt	130-220°	1.030	Extreme caramel aroma and flavor. For dark Abbey beers and other dark beers.
Other Malts, Grains and Flaked Grains and Additions
Scotmalt Golden Promise	2.4°	1.038	Scottish pale ale malt; base malt for all Scottish beers.
Flaked Barley	1.5°	1.032	Helps head retention, imparts creamy smoothness. For porters and stouts.
Flaked Maize	1°	1.037	Lightens body and color. For light American pilsners and ales.
Flaked Oats	1°	1.033	Adds body and creamy head. For stouts and oat ales.
Flaked Rye	2°	1.036	Imparts a dry, crisp character. Use in rye beers.
Flaked Wheat	2°	1.036	Imparts a wheat flavor, hazy color. For wheat and Belgian white beers.
Gambrinus Honey Malt	25°	1.034	Nutty honey flavor. For brown ales, Belgian wheats, bocks and many other styles.
Grits	1-1.5°	1.037	Imparts a corn/grain taste. Use in American lagers.
Irish Moss	NA	NA	Prevents chill haze. Use in all beers except cloudy wheat and white beers.
Malto Dextrin	NA	1.043	Adds body and mouthfeel. For all extract beers. Does not ferment.
Oak Chips	NA	NA	Creates cask-conditioned flavor and aroma. Use in IPAs, Belgian ales and Scottish ales. Steam for 15 minutes to sanitize.

British Grains
Amber Malt	35°	1.032	Roasted malt used in British milds, old ales, brown ales, nut brown ales.
Brown Malt	65°	1.032	Imparts a dry, biscuit flavor. Use in porters, brown, nut brown and Belgian ales.
Maris Otter Pale Malt	3°	1.038	Premium base malt for any beer. Good for pale ales.
Pale Ale	2.2°	1.038	Moderate malt flavor. Used to produce traditional English and Scottish style ales.
Lager Malt	1.6°	1.038	Used to make light colored and flavored lagers.
Crystal Malt	55-60°	1.033-35	Sweet caramel flavor, adds mouthfeel and head retention. For pale or amber ales.
Dark Crystal Malt	145-188°	1.033-35	Sweet caramel flavor, mouthfeel. For porters, stouts, old ales and any dark ale.
Mild Ale Malt	2.3-2.7°	1.037	Dry, nutty malty flavor. Promotes body. Use in English mild ales.
Cara-Pils Dextrin	10-14°	1.033	Adds body; aids head retention. For porters, stouts and heavier bodied beers.
Chocolate Malt	395-475°	1.034	Nutty, toasted flavor, brown color. Use in brown ales, porters, stouts and bocks.
Black Patent Malt	500-600°	1.026	Dry, burnt, chalky character. Use in porters, stouts, brown ales and dark lagers.
Peat Smoked Malt	2.8°	1.034	Imparts a robust smoky flavor and aroma. For Scottish ales and wee heavies.
Roasted Barley	500°	1.025	Dry, roasted flavor, amber color. For stouts, porters and Scottish ales.
Toasted Pale Malt	25°	1.038	Imparts nutty flavor and aroma. Use in IPAs and Scottish ales.
Wheat Malt	2°	1.038	Light flavor, creamy head. For wheat beers, stouts, doppelbocks and alt beers.
Torrified Wheat	1-1.5°	1.036	Puffed wheat created by high heat. Use in pale ales, bitters and milds.

German Grains
Acidulated (Sauer) Malt	1.7-2.8°	1.033	High lactic acid. For lambics, sour mash beers, Irish stout, pilsners and wheats.
Carafa I	300-340°	1.038	Gives deep aroma and color to dark beers, bocks, stout, alt and schwarzbier.
Carafa II	375-450°	1.038	Carafa I, II and III also are available de-husked. Adds aroma, color and body.
Carafa III	490-560°
Chocolate Wheat Malt	375-450°	1.038	Intensifies aroma; improves color. For dark ales, alt, dark wheat, stout and porter.
Chocolate Rye Malt	190-300°	1.030	Enhances aroma of dark ales and improves color. For dunkel rye wheat and ale.
CaraHell Malt (light crystal)	8-12°	1.033-35	For light colored beer for body; hefeweizen, pale ale, golden ale, Oktoberfest.
CaraMunich Malt I	30-38°	1.033-35	Provides body. For Oktoberfest, bock, porter, stout, red, amber and brown ales.
CaraMunich Malt II	42-50°	1.033-35	CaraMunich Malt III is dark crystal.
CaraMunich Malt III	53-60°	1.033-35
Light Munich Malt	5-6°	1.034	For a desired malty, nutty flavor. Lagers, Oktoberfests and bock beer.
Dark Munich Malt	8-10°	1.034	Enhances body and aroma. Stout, schwarzbier, brown ale, dark and amber ales.
Melanoidin Malt	23-31°	1.033	For amber lagers and ales, dark lagers and ales, Scottish & red ales.
Rauch Smoked Malt	2-4°	1.037	For rauchbier, kellerbier, smoked porters, Scottish ales and barleywines.
Rye Malt	2.8-4.3°	1.029	Dry character. Can use as a base malt. For seasonal beers, roggenbier and ales.
Wheat Malt Light	1.5-2°	1.039	Typical top fermented aroma, produces superb wheat beers.
Wheat Malt Dark	6-8°	1.039
Caramel Wheat Malt	38-53°	1.035	For dark ales, hefeweizen, dunkelweizen, wheat bocks and double bocks.

Sugars
Belgian Candi Sugar (clear)	0.5°	1.036	Smooth taste, good head retention, sweet aroma and high gravity without being apparent. Use in Belgian and holiday ales. Use clear for tripels, amber for dubbels, and dark is used in brown beer and strong golden ales.
Candi Sugar (amber)	75°	1.036
Candi Sugar (dark)	275&edg;	1.036
Brown Sugar	40°	1.046	Imparts rich, sweet flavor. Use in Scottish ales, old ales and holiday beers.
Dark Brown Sugar	60°	1.046	Imparts rich, sweet flavor. Use in Scottish ales, old ales and holiday beers.
Corn Sugar	1°	1.037	Use in priming beer or in extract recipes where flaked maize would be used in a mash.
Demerara Sugar	1°	1.041-42	Imparts mellow, sweet flavor. Use in English ales.
Dextrose (glucose)	1°	1.037	Imparts a mild sweet taste and smoothness. Use in English beers.
Dry Malt Extract	Varies	1.044	Extra light (2.5°), Light (3.5°), Amber (10°), Dark (30°), Wheat (3°)
Honey	Varies	1.032	Imparts sweet and dry taste. For honey and brown ales. Also: specialty ales.
Invert Sugar	NA	1.046	Increases alcohol. Use in some Belgian or English ales. Use as an adjunct for priming. Made from sucrose. No dextrins. Use 1 cup for priming.
Lactose	NA	1.043	Adds sweetness and body. Use in sweet or milk stouts.
Licorice Stick	NA	NA	Adds a smooth flavor to stouts, porters, holiday ales and flavored beers.
Lyle's Golden Syrup	0°	1.036	Increases alcohol without flavor. Liquid Invert Sugar. Use in English and Belgian (Chimay) ales.
Maple Syrup	35°	1.030	Imparts a dry, woodsy flavor if used in the boil. If beer is bottled with it, it gives it a smooth sweet, maple taste. Use in maple ales, pale ales, brown ales and porters.
Maple Sap	3°	1.009	Crisp dry, earthy flavor. Use in pale ales, porters and maple ales.
Molasses	80°	1.036	Imparts strong sweet flavor. Use in stouts and porters.
Rice Solids	0.01°	1.040	Lightens flavor without taste. Use in American and Asian lagers.
Sucrose (white table sugar)	NA	1.046	Increases alcohol. Use in Australian lagers and English bitters.
Syrup Malt Extract	Varies	1.033-1.037	Extra Light (3.5°), Light (3.5 -5°), Amber (10°), Dark (30°), Wheat (2°).
Treacle	100°	1.036	Imparts intense, sweet flavor. A British mixture of molasses, invert sugar and golden syrup (corn syrup). Use in dark English ales.