The Most Popular Hop Varieties in the US

Beer has a unique and recognizable taste that impacts your palate and taste buds right away. That unique taste comes from beer hops. Hops are green cone-shaped flowers with tiny yellow pods in their interior that are used when brewing to add bitterness, aroma, and flavor to beer.

There are many types of flowers in the hops family, all of which have different characteristics that provide unique flavors and qualities to the brewing process. The most popular hop varieties in the US are used to create a wide selection of craft beer that people will react positively to.

Citra

As indicated by its name, Citra has a citrus taste that gives the beer grassy, fresh, and light aromas and flavors, which are perfect for light beers. Most beers are bitter due to the nature of the brewing process, but this hop gives beer the perfect balance between bitterness and freshness, making it unique. A craft beer that uses Citra hops will possess a semitropical fruit taste and some sweet notes.

Mosaic

This type of hop will fill your craft beer with an herbal and tropical taste that will leave your mouth with a slightly fresh aftertaste. Depending on your taste buds, your palate may focus mainly on the bitterness of the beer, but you will experience a fresh and tropical taste. This popular hop type mixes flavors to give you the best experience and a unique flavor profile to enhance your beer.

Willamette

This hop gets its name from the Willamette River in Oregon, a region that provides unique characteristics to the flavor and aroma of this hop. The tiny yellow pods from these hops mix with other ingredients during the brewing process, which sometimes makes the container hard to clean, but the taste is worth it. An automatic keg washer will make the brewing process in your brewery better and faster when using this type of hop while still keeping the main flavor intact.

Cascade

This hop is at the top of the most popular variety of hops in the US due to its versatility and how well its pine-like flavor mixes with other notes. Most hops come from Oregon because the state’s natural landscape and weather conditions are conducive to growing this type of plant. This hop will give your beer a medium-strength flavor, light bitterness, and a tropical aroma.

Centennial

This variety is similar to Cascade, providing beer with a medium-strength flavor but has a higher bitterness level. The flavor tastes slightly of lemons, leaving your brew with a more relaxing and appealing taste that you can enjoy for days.

Finding the right type of hop for your beer will help you grow your brand and strengthen your relationship with customers.