World of Beer Craft: The top 8 hops from Australia

It is known all over the world that Aussies love three things: beer, beaches and barbecues. The ever-growing love for craft beer is putting the country’s biggest hop growers in high demand. With over 400 microbreweries in Australia, hop farms in Victoria and Tasmania are expanding to keep up with this increasing requirement. Australia’s biggest hop producer (HPA farms) now has eight plus varieties of hops on offer for craft beer makers in the country.

The flavor spectrum of hops can be classified as fruity, floral, spicy or woody. Those grown in Australia tend to be much fruitier than other hops produced elsewhere, making them well-loved in the United States. The citrus aromatics that they can impart to IPAs, pale ales and other hoppy beers made in Australia, distinguish them from what is already offered in the United States.

Here’s a global hop outlook: Hop acreage expands again in 2017, US expands 95.8% in five years.

Galaxy has quickly become the most internationally recognized Australian flavor hop. It has a very fruity and juicy note that is most commonly associated with passion fruit, but it can also have a peachy or orange tilt as well. Highly versatile and distinctive, Galaxy can be used in almost all varieties of beer and is the hero of a number of craft beers around the world.

Australian Brewery’s Pale Ale uses Galaxy hops, giving it a rich aroma of citrus and passion fruit that you cannot find elsewhere. This characteristically cloudy Australian ale is crisp and refreshing, full of truly distinctive aromas that make for a perfect mix of flavor and drinkability.

The Australian Cascade variety is an aroma of medium strength and high distinction and is used in many Australian lagers. It is similar to other Cascades with its floral and spicy undertone but differs due to its oil balance and the addition of refreshing grapefruit essence.

Topaz is a rare gem to come from Australia and is often rated a top-hop due to the superb aroma. It is considered down-to-earth or bright and breezy, depending on how you apply it. Featuring pleasant, light tropical fruit such as lychee flavors as well as clove-like spice.

Sharing family with Topaz is Vic Secret, another popular Aussie hop. Vic Secret is defined by clean passionfruit and pineapple flavors with a light background of herbs and piney resin.

Enigma is quite the chameleon and there have been many terms used to try to describe the flavor, including raspberries, redcurrant, rock melon (cantaloupe), and light tropical fruit. While it’s difficult to describe Enigma in a few words, the combination of flavors and aromas are unique and appealing.

Ella can display floral and subtle spice notes such as star anise, which is best appreciated in lagers or pilsners. It can also impart some tropical flavors that can be used to offset robust malt and yeast characters in many styles. There are high levels of essential oil presents, which present many enticing flavor combinations.

Helga is an excellent companion to stronger malt-driven ales and lagers due to its delicate floral and subtle herbal aroma. With low to moderate levels of alpha acid, Helga is the perfect hop to give refined characters typical of European hops to beer.

Check out these seven hot hop varieties for craft brewers, via the experts at Crosby Hop Farm. Do it!

Super Pride has an esteemed family history. Like its mother Pride of Ringwood, it is predominately used as a bittering hop but also imparts a combination of resin and fruit aromas. It is one of the major hop varieties grown by HPA since 2002.

Dan Shaw is the head brewer at Australian Brewery. Shaw has worked for the brewery for more than 10 years. Once instantly recognizable by his Viking style haircut he is now best identified by his various pop culture or DC universe tattoos. Shaw’s dedication, hard work and creativity are demonstrated in every Australian Brewery beer you drink.