Hop Varieties and their Many Aromas
There are literally hundreds of varieties of hops on the market, each with their own character. A quick Google search reveals plenty of existing hop variety guides to help you sort out what various hops tend to smell and taste like.
But if you’re coming at it from the other direction, ie. you have a beer in your hand, you may have trouble tracking down a specific character from those guides alone. This is a more aroma- and flavor-forward hop guide that starts with the flavors and suggests hops that may match. It also gives you a good indication of what hops can contribute to a beer; if you’re encountering a flavor that isn’t listed here, chances are it’s derived from something else.

As always, tasting is subjective, so consider each connection as a suggestion rather than a hard and fast rule. Each listing comes from the way various suppliers describe their hops and new hop varieties are being developed every year. Brewing process and quantities can also affect how you perceive the hop contribution to your beer. You could very well find other connections that aren’t present here.
Anise
- Summit™, Columbus, Mt. Rainer, Tomahawk®, Zeus
Apricot
- Amarillo®, Palisade®, Rakau, Summer, Wai-iti
Balsamic
- Newport (far more often caused by acetobacter, however)
Berry
- Northdown, Pacific Gem, Pilgrim, Simcoe®
Black Currant
- Bramling Cross, Brewers Gold, Bullion, Galena
Black Pepper
- Columbus, Pacific Gem, Pacific Jade, Santiam, Tomahawk®, Zeus
Blackberry
- Glacier, Pacific Gem
Blueberry
- Mosaic®
Botanical
- Whitbread Golding
Cedar
- Challenger, Northdown, Pioneer, Pride of Ringwood, Tahoma
Citrus
- There are so many hops that have a generally citrusy aroma that it may be easier to narrow it down if you can describe a more specific citrus fruit. Varieties: Cascade, Chelan, Colombus, Dr Rudi, Galaxy, Glacier, Herkules, Horizon, Mandarina Bavaria, Merkur, Motueka, Newport, Olympic, Opal, Pacific Jade, Pacifica, Riwaka, Southern Cross, Strisselspalt, Summit™, Target, Tomahawk®, Triskel, Wai-iti, Waimea, Willamette, Zeus, Zythos®
Curry
- Columbus, Tomahawk®, Willamette, Zeus
Dill
- Sorachi Ace
Earthy
- Columbia, East Kent Golding, Merkur, Newport, Progress, Saaz, Simcoe®, Summit™, Tettnang, Whitbread Golding
Elderberry
- Willamette
Elderflower
- Willamette
Evergreen
- Northern Brewer. For specifically Cedar or Piney notes, see those entries for more.
Fig
- Rakau
Floral
- Floral character is very common in hop oil, and comes from compounds like linalool and geraniol. Varieties: Aurora, Blanc, Boadicea, Bobek, Bravo, Cascade, Centennial, Challenger, Chelan, Saaz, East Kent Golding, Falconer’s Flight®, First Gold, Golding, Helga, Hersbrucker, Horizon, Liberty, Millenium, Mt. Rainer, Northdown, Opal, Pacific Gem, Pacifica, Palisade®, Perle, Pioneer, Polaris, Progress, Santiam, Saphir, Select, Smaragd, Sovereign, Spalt, Strisselspalt, Sylva, Tettnang, Tradition, Triskel, Ultra, Wakatu, Whitbread Golding
Fruit
- This refers to a non-specific fruity character, if you pick up a specific fruit consult that listing instead. Richer red fruit character is more likely to be malt or yeast-derived, but stone fruit and tropical notes can be hop-derived. Varieties: Challenger, Columbia, Galena, Opal, Pilgrim, Saphir, Select, Smaragd, Sovereign, Spalt, Strisselspalt, Super Pride, Tradition, Triskel, Vanguard
Garlic
- Summit™
Geranium
- Ahtanum™
Gooseberry
- Citra®, Galena, Nelson Sauvin
Grape
- Blanc, Nelson Sauvin
Grapefruit
- Ahtanum™, Amarillo®, Blanc, Cascade, Chinook, Citra®, Comet, Ella, Falconer’s Flight®, Galena, Pilgrim, Pioneer, Riwaka, Summit, Tahoma, Yakima Gold
Grassy
- Bitter Gold, Comet, Fuggles, Mosaic®, Palisade®, Progress, Sovereign, Tradition
Green Tea
- Challenger
Herbal
- A non-specific herbal character is very common from many hop varieties, and often equally hard to pin down. If you’re getting an impression similar to herbal digestif, you’re in the right ballpark. Otherwise see more specific herbal variety listings. Admiral, Aramis, Crystal, Saaz, Hallertau, Helga, Mt. Hood, Nugget, Opal, Pacific Jade, Perle, Pioneer, Pride of Ringwood, Sovereign, Spalt, Strisselspalt, Sylva, Tradition, Vanguard
Honey
- East Kent Golding, Progress
Lavender
- East Kent Golding
Lemon
- Amarillo®, Bramling Cross, Centennial, East Kent Golding, Falconer’s Flight®, Motueka, Pilgrim, Pilot, Pioneer, Sorachi Ace, Southern Cross, Tahoma, Yakima Gold
Lemongrass
- Blanc, Dr Rudi, Yakima Gold
Licorice
- Columbus, Mt. Rainer, Tomahawk®, Zeus
Lime
- Citra®, Galena, Mosaic®, Motueka, Sorachi Ace, Wai-iti, Wakatu
Loganberry
- Bramling Cross
Magnolia
- First Gold
Marmalade
- First Gold, Pacifica, Pilot, Target
Melon
- Amarillo®, Citra®, Herkules, Huell Melon, Summer
Mint
- Fuggles, Northern Brewer, Perle, Pioneer, Polaris, Progress, Sovereign
Oak
- Pacific Gem, Pride of Ringwood
Onion
- Summit™
Orange
- Admiral, Amarillo®, Bravo, Summit™
Papaya
- Mosaic®
Passionfruit
- Blanc, Galaxy, Riwaka, Simcoe®
Peach
- Amarillo®, Wai-iti, Rakau
Pear
- Bitter Gold, Galena, Millenium, Pilgrim
Peppery
- Also see: Black Pepper. Opal, Summit™, Tahoma, Target
Pine
- Auroras, Bobek, Chinook, Cluster, Dr Rudi, Green Bullet, Northdown, Northern Brewer, Rakau, Simcoe®, Southern Cross, Tahoma, Waimea, Warrior®, Zythos®
Pineapple
- Blanc, Galena, Zythos®
Plum
- Glacier
Red Wine
- Newport
Resinous
- Green Bullet, Millenium, Rakau, Super Pride, Warrior®
Rose
- Mosaic®
Sage
- Target
Spicy
- Pepper or clove-like spicy notes may be more yeast-derived, but many hops also convey an impression of spiciness. Varieties: Aramis, Boadicea, Bramling Cross, Brewers Gold, Chinook, Cluster, Crystal, East Kent Golding, First Gold, Hallertau, Hallertau Mittelfruh, Liberty, Liberty, Mt. Hood, Northdown, Opal, Pacific Jade, Perle, Pilgrim, Pilot, Pioneer, Progress, Santiam, Saphir, Smaragd, Southern Cross, Spalt, Sterling, Strisselspalt, Summit™, Tahoma, Target, Tettnang, Ultra, Vanguard, Yakima Gold
Stone Fruit
- Rakau, Summer
Strawberry
- Huell Melon
Tangelo
- Waimea
Tangerine
- First Gold, Mandarina Bavaria, Mosaic®, Saphir, Summit™
Tea
- Challenger, Calypso
Thyme
- East Kent Golding
Toffee
- Much more likely to be malt-derived, but Millenium hops may add a touch of toffee-like character.
Tropical Fruit
- Ella, Falconer’s Flight®, Kohatu, Motueka, Riwaka, Sussex, Zythos®
Vanilla
- More likely to be yeast-derived, but vanilla notes may occur when Bravo hops are present.
Watermelon
- Bitter Gold, El Dorado
Wine
- Newport, Nelson Sauvin
Woodsy
- Crystal, Fuggles, Galena, Glacier, Northern Brewer, Vanguard
Zesty
- Bullion
Due to the proprietary nature of hop breeding, some of these hops are under trademark and need to be indicated as such.
Coming Soon
Sign up for an email notification when the Palate Deck is available for purchase.